November 16, 2017
Most people can relate to having a food joint that they crave. For me, most of my favorites are no longer in the same state as I am; it is a double edged sword because I can avoid them by distance, but I over indulge when I get within reach! To avoid the madness of this obsessive behavior, I have tried to recreate my own versions for the time being.
In college, I worked at a famed Iowa staple known for its barbecue: Hickory Park. If you are from the area or have ever found yourself in Ames, Iowa You’ve likely eaten at this fine establishment.
If you haven’t ever been to Hickory Park, let me paint you a picture. It’s a family owned spot dating back to 1970, famed for it’s extensive menu of BBQ, burgers & an ice cream parlour. It seats 450 people at a time and there is almost ALWAYS a line. It’s quality comfort food at it’s finest & lets just say I took full advantage of my employee discount. Truly, I loved working as a waitress, especially at Hickory Park – but the convenience of getting food to go at the end of my shifts did not do my waistline any favors.
Hickory Park has a handful of dishes that hold my heart, One of them being Cheeseburger Chowder. While I’m sure the restaurant version includes quality, luscious ingredients like Velveeta cheese (hint: Sarcasm), I wanted to make a cleaner version of this dish to enjoy without the consequences of liquid dairy gold.
So here is my version: natural ingredients, no dairy, but creamy as ever!
Whole30 Cheesburger Chowder
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 lb ground beef
- 3 C Chicken or Vegetable Stock
- 2 tbsp ghee
- 2 garlic cloves or 2 tsp, minced
- 1/2 yellow onion, diced
- 3 C russet potatoes, peeled & cubed
- 1 Carrot, diced
- 1 1/2 C frozen hasbrowns sub: diced potatoes
- 1 C Cashew Cream (see below) sub: coconut milk
- 2 tbsp nutritional yeast or more to taste extra cheesy!
- 1 tsp dried parsley
- 1 tsp dried basil
- Salt & pepper (to taste)
For Cashew Cream
- 1 1/2 C Cashews + 1 C Water
Instructions
- For the Cashew Cream:In a frying pan cover the cashews with water. Bring to a boil & allow to cook for 3-5 minutes.Drain the cashews & add to the blender with 1 C water. Blend until smooth.For the Soup:First, in a medium to large pot or dutch oven heat 1 tbsp oil. Add the ground beef & cook until browned. Remove from pot & set asideNext, Melt Ghee in the pot.Add onions to the ghee & saute for 3-5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds – 1 minute.Add the potatoes & 1 ½ C chicken broth to the pot. Season with a pinch of salt. Cover & reduce heat to low. Cook for about 10 minutes, or until potatoes are fork tender.Pour contents of pot to a blender. Add cashew cream & nutritional yeast. Blend until smoothAfter blending, return to the stove. Place 1 ½ C of chicken stock to the pot. Add carrots, hashbrowns & beef. Stir in Spices. Cook 5 minutes.Add in the contents from the blender. Stir & allow to simmer. Add additional chicken broth for desired consistency as needed. Season with salt & pepper to tasteGarnish & serve
