MM and I have been spending a lot of time at work over the past number of weeks, due to some changes there, and because we’re coming up to a major yearly event. Therefore, we’ve been getting into a routine with our meals.
Starting with my lunches – I hit the Farmers’ Market, and hit it hard, starting in July. There are about 12-15 vendors, mostly veggies, and I ended up finding a couple favorites. Green beans, carrots, cucumbers, and a new favorite, kohlrabi. (P.S. There was also a vendor that sold cinnamon candy mixed nuts that I am now addicted to.) Blanched the beans, and then at those, and the rest of the raw veggies for lunch for weeks. Yum!
For MM’s lunches, we’ve been relying on the pulled pork recipe I recently wrote about. It’s a super simple recipe to get going in the morning and have as leftovers for over a week. It’s great on a brioche bun, with chips or crackers, or just plain!
Then we get to dinners. An easy thing to make, and an easy thing to reheat is the Veggie and Chicken Chowder! And this time, I used the right ingredients… 🙂
Vegetable (and Chicken) Chowder
Ingredients
- 1 c chopped carrots (about 2 large carrots)
- 1/2 c chopped onion (about 1/2 medium yellow onion)
- 2 Tbsp unsalted butter
- 3 medium russet potatoes, cubed
- 32 oz chicken broth (or enough to submerge veggies)
- 3 c cooked, shredded chicken
- 8 oz baby bella mushrooms quartered
- 2 c shredded cheddar cheese
- 14.75 oz cream-style corn
- 12 oz evaporated milk
- 12 oz frozen peas
- bacon bits for garnish
Instructions
- In a large stockpot or Dutch oven, melt butter over medium-high heat. Add carrots and onions and cook three to five minutes, or until just tender.
- Add cubed potatoes and broth, and bring to a boil. Continue boiling for 15-20 minutes, or until fork tender. Using a potato masher, quickly mash about half of the large chunks of potatoes.
- Add all remaining ingredients, except the bacon bits, and stir to combine. Bring to a simmer, and cook for a further 3-5 minutes to heat through. Spoon into bowls and garnish with bacon bits (and extra cheese) as desired.
But here’s the problem – the Farmers’ Markets are now closed for the season, and the tomatoes in the grocery store just are not tasty in the least. So tell me, friends: what kind of easy, healthy-ish lunches are you serving yourselves these days?
I’m running out of veggies, and while I’m good with eating chicken wraps for a while, I’d like to try something new. I need your help…
Hurry!
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