Make this heart smart Cheddar Potato Chowder for lunch or as a first course for dinner. Maintain a creamy base by using 2% milk instead of fat free milk and reduced fat cheddar cheese. I like a medium cheddar for this soup, but any cheddar will work.
- Low Saturated Fat
- Make Ahead Meal
Cheddar Potato Chowder can be made ahead and packaged for lunches throughout the week. Package cooled soup in 2-cup containers and refrigerate for 1-3 days. Reheat in the microwave.
Ingredients for Cheddar Potato Chowder
- Red Potatoes – No need to peel. Just cut into bite size cubes.
- Carrots – Peeled and sliced. Slicing is faster and easier than dicing.
- Celery – I slice these too just because it’s faster, but dicing also works.
- Onion – Any brown or white onion chopped.
- Kosher Salt and Black Pepper
- All Purpose Flour – To thicken the soup.
- 2% Milk – Reduces the total fat, but still enough fat to thicken the sauce.
- Reduced Fat Cheddar Cheese – Some brands will market as 2% milk fat. Medium, sharp, or mild all work.
- Ham Steak – This is where most of the Sodium is coming from. Choose the lowest Sodium brand.
The SMART Menu
What’s a SMART Menu? I call them smart because the Sodium and Fat (specifically Saturated Fat) are lower than most meals. Fast Carbs (FC) and Slow Carbs (SC) are balanced to keep blood sugars level. Plus, the Food Groups give the meal variety.
Side Swaps:
Swap the Oyster Crackers for
- 5 unsalted tops saltine crackers
- 8 whole grain wheat thin crackers
- 8 flatbread cracker crisps
Swap the Small Apple for
- Small (101g) Banana
- 2 clementines
- 1 fruit bowl packed in 100% juice
Sandwich Recipes
Make it a half sandwich half soup lunch with these sandwich ideas that pair well with Cheddar Potato Chowder.
Cheddar Potato Chowder
Ingredients
- 2 cups Water
- 5 ounces Red Potatoes cut into bite-size cubes
- 1 cup Carrot sliced
- 1 cup Celery sliced
- ¼ cup Onion chopped
- ¼ teaspoon Kosher Salt
- ¼ teaspoon Black Pepper
- ¼ cup All Purpose Flour
- 2 cups 2% Milk
- 6 ounces Reduced Fat Cheddar Cheese shredded
- 8 ounces Ham Steak cut into bite-size cubes
Instructions
- In a Dutch oven, stir together water, potatoes, carrots, celery, onion, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes, or until veggies are tender.
- Meanwhile, place flour in a large saucepan and whisk in the milk. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Cook and stir for 2 minutes, or until slightly thickened. Remove from heat and stir in cheese until melted.
- Stir cheese sauce and ham into Dutch oven with veggies. Heat over low for a couple minutes, or until heated through.
- Divide chowder evenly between 6 bowls and serve. Leftover servings can be refrigerated up to 3 days and reheated in the microwave.