The recipe for this can be found in Robin Robertson’s Fresh From the Vegetarian Slow Cooker.  Even if you don’t have a slow cooker, all of the recipes I’ve tried from her book have been excellent and can be easily modified to fit whatever method of cooking you choose.

Let’s talk slow cookers for a minute first:  I have the Cuisinart model pictured above.  Mine is slightly different in that it has two knobs on the front and not buttons.  I LOVE this slow cooker because it can be set at low, high or warm and also has a timer that can be set.  When your dish has cooked for the amount of time that you programmed, it automatically turns from high or low to warm.  Perfect for those who like to throw dinner in before leaving for work.  You come home to a perfectly cooked meal that is ready when you want to eat.  Cleaning it is easy (the ceramic insert comes out and is easily washed– although it is pretty big and doesn’t fit in my tiny sink very well).  And the best part is that the cord is retractable… this was one of the biggest selling features for me when I was shopping around for a slow cooker.

Anyway, back to the chowder.  I followed the recipe exactly.  The creaminess here is supposed to come from pureeing half of the soup, but as luck would have it, I had an opened container of MimicCreme (unsweetened) in my fridge begging to be thrown into the soup.  I did end up pureeing half of the soup, but then I added about a cup of MimicCreme and it was so delicious!  MimicCreme is a cream substitute made of various nut milks.  It’s pretty hard to find in stores, but can be ordered online.  If you live near me, you’ll be thrilled to learn that Nob Hill (270 Redwood Shores Pkwy, Redwood City, CA 94065) has started carrying the unsweetened variety in their natural foods section.  Since it’s about a quarter mile from my house, I’m pretty excited about that!

My husband said that this soup reminded him of a corn chowder that his mom used to make.  Her recipe starts off with bacon, I’m told, but he said that this one was pretty close.  Most chowders do start with bacon and if you want that smoky flavor, you could probably add some liquid smoke to the soup or use smoked salt.  If you ask me, this soup was perfect exactly as is, but I am curious if the smoky flavor would add anything.