Cooking with Eve: Cashew Corn Chowder with Cilantro Cream

I can feel myself breaking out in sweat about being the first post, but since everyone else's lives have apparently been composed mainly of sleeping and breathing for the last week, I'll share first.

Food at my house is kinda a big deal. My mom and I both really, really, really enjoy food and my dad tries to support us by trying anything. That being said, I like to cook, and so I've made a small decision to try cooking different things this summer, with a highlight on healthy stuff. It's already paid off.

My New Roots is a blog that I found while trying to figure out what the hell you're supposed to do with lentils because lentils have always been nasty in my mind and I never looked at lentils as something tasty and I was only looking at them mainly because earlier in the day I ate three Krispy Kreme donuts and the self-guilt was pretty bad. However, this isn't about the lentils (although I have changed my mind about them), so on with the rambling the informative information.

It's a blog all about healthy food. When I say healthy I mean vegan, gluten-free, all organic, whole foods that are way too expensive and make me wanna hang myself because they're so cheap in Europe and frustration with America. I'm not vegetarian, I'm pretty sure I love gluten, but I tried a recipe and it was awesome, and so I wanted to share it to reassure everyone reading this that, yes, stuff that's good for you can simultaneously give you a foodgasm.

Without further ado, Cashew Corn Chowder with Cilantro Cream

Easy to make, tastes good, and is also healthy, since it's mainly just vegetables and nuts. And the spices in it offer benefits like anti-inflammatory properties. Meanwhile your tongue is actually enjoying it.

Cashew Corn Chowder with Cilantro Cream
Serves 4
1 Tbsp. coconut oil or ghee
2 medium yellow onions
6 cloves garlic
2 tsp. sea salt
2 tsp. turmeric
1 tsp. cumin
cayenne to taste
3 ears fresh corn
4 cups vegetable broth
1 Tbsp. freshly-squeezed lime juice
½ cup raw cashews, soaked overnight (4 hours minimum)

Directions:
1. Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. When hot, add turmeric, cumin and cayenne and cook for about a minute, until fragrant. Add onions and salt, and cook for 5 minutes until softened. Add garlic. If the bottom of the pot becomes dry, add a little broth instead of oil to moisten things up.
2. While the onions and garlic are cooking, husk the cobs of corn. Cut off the kernels by standing the corn on one end and slicing downwards. Add corn kernels to the pot and stir to coat with spices. Cook for 5 minutes then add the remaining broth. Bring to a boil, then lower to a simmer and cook until the corn is bright yellow and sweet, about 5 minutes. During this time, make the cilantro cream (see recipe below)
3. Once the corn is cooked, remove pot from heat and transfer the soup to a blender, reserving a few tablespoons of the whole corn kernels for garnish. Add soaked and rinsed cashews. Blend on high until completely smooth. Add water to thin, if desired. Season to taste. Return soup to the pot to keep warm if necessary. Serve with cilantro cream, a drizzle of olive oil, a few kernels of corn and plenty of cracked black pepper.

Cilantro Cream
½ cup raw cashews, soaked overnight (4 hours minimum)
1 Tbsp. freshly-squeezed lime juice
1 cup cilantro (leaves only, loosely packed)
½ cup water
1 Tbsp. raw honey (or agave)
1 tsp. sea salt
pinch cayenne, if desired
½ small clove garlic, if desired

Directions:
1. Put all ingredients in a blender and blend on high until completely smooth. Season to taste. Store leftovers in a sealed glass container.

Well, this was a really long first post. I hope it wasn't just fifteen minutes of you guys going "uh-huh." Although if it was someone please let me know so I can just curl up in a blanket and eat my chowder and wallow in my failure (I am JOKING please don't report me and have me admitted). Enjoy guys, and don't forget to scramble this summer! 

....

Someone strangle me.