Sweet Potato, Corn and Kale Chowder

I found this lovely recipe in a new cookbook called "Clean Food." Michael gave it a solid 9, but I give it a raving 10. The color, when you puree the vegetables together is a warm, gorgeous rosy orange, and then the bright green kale stirred in at the end contrasts with the orange beautifully. I love how thick it got after pureeing the vegetables, the spoon stands up straight, just the way I like it! But you could thin it a bit if you prefer something less hearty.

Sweet Potato, Corn, and Kale Chowder

1 T oil
1 small onion, diced
3 stalks celery, diced
3 carrots, diced
3 med. sweet potatoes, peeled and diced
3 c. frozen corn
2 t dried thyme
2 c vegetable stock
2 c water
3 T dry milk powder
1 bunch kale, chopped into small pieces
salt and pepper, to taste
In a large pot over mdium heat, saute onion in oil until soft. Add celery, carrots, sweet potatoes, corn, thyme, and stock. Simmer 5 minutes. Add enough water to cover the vegetables. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer until vegetables are soft (about 20 minutes). Remove from heat and add dry milk powder. Partially puree using some sort of pureeing device. (Leave plenty of chunks for texture.) Add kale. Return to heat. Thin to desired consistency using water or stock and cook until kale is tender. Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve.

Serves 6 (Really!)

(I made a few changes. The original recipe called for grapeseed oil, rice milk, and cashew butter, ingredients that would take at least two special shopping trips around town for me -- and I don't do special shopping trips. So I substituted regular milk. Next time, instead, I will definitely just use water until the end, when I would stir in some dry milk powder. Also, I used dry onion and carrots from the cannery, they always taste nice in a soup and cost less than fresh. I know, I know ERIC, fresh, local, organic, blah blah blah is best! But this tasted plenty good for now.)