Healthy Corn Chowder - cooking recipe

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, diced
5 garlic cloves, chopped
2 tablespoons flour
2 cups red bell peppers, seeded and chopped (I often use the pre-cut frozen traffic light peppers from Whole Foods)
2 carrots, peeled and coined
2 cups corn (frozen, fresh or canned)
1 potato, peeled and diced
1 (12 ounce) can evaporated skim milk
1 1/2 cups skim milk
2 cups low sodium vegetable broth (or chicken broth)
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 (15 ounce) can cannellini beans (or Great Northern beans or other white beans)

Preparation

Heat the olive oil in a medium stockpot over medium-high heat.
Add the onion and garlic (and the peppers, if they are frozen) and saute' for two minutes.
Stir in the flour and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly.
Add (the peppers if fresh), carrots and corn and stir well.
Stir in the potato, milk, broth, and thyme.
Bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes (until the potatoes are tender).
While it simmers, drain and rinse the beans (helps eliminate the 'toot' factor) and them mash them with a fork in a small bowl until they form a paste.
Stir the beans into the soup and cook until warmed or ready to eat.
Serve hot.
For Vegetarian use the Vegetable Broth of course.