I am one of those crazy people who could eat soup every day in the middle of summer. So when cool weather comes, I jump head first into soup mode since I can finally enjoy it without a brow raise. I usually try to avoid creamy soups since they’re typically high in saturated fat and low in veggies. Our team at NC State did it again by creating the most delicious chowder that is loaded with veggies yet reasonable in fat with only 11 grams. Check out this recipe Med Instead of Meds.

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 cup finely chopped onion
• ½ cup chopped carrot
• ⅓ cup chopped celery
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• ⅛ teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
• 1½ cups whole milk
• 2½ tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 cup precooked brown and wild rice
• 1 (3½ ounce) package smoked salmon, torn into small pieces (you can find this by the imitation crab and fresh fish options at the grocery store)
• 2 tablespoons chopped green onions

Directions:

1. Heat a large saucepan over medium-high heat.
2. Add oil and swirl to coat. Add onion, carrot, celery, salt, and cayenne pepper and sauté for 4 minutes.
3. Add 2 cups of water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and cook 8 minutes or until vegetables are tender.
4. Combine milk and flour in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk.
5. Add milk mixture to pan and bring to a boil. Cook 1 minute or until slightly thickened, stirring constantly.
6. Stir in rice and salmon, and cook for 1 minute or until thoroughly heated.
7. Sprinkle evenly with green onions before serving.

 

Nutrition Information Per Serving:

• Serving Size: 1 cup
• Vegetables: ½ cup
• Fruits: 0 cups
• Calories: 255 calories
• Carbohydrates: 29 grams
• Fiber: 3 grams
• Protein: 11 grams
• Fat: 11 grams
• Sodium: 518 mg