So Good It Has To Be Shared

I've been deeply inspired these last few years by our friends, Jay & Milissa Ewing. They spent the last 3 years working at A Rocha, a Christian non-profit organization that is committed to caring for creation. One of the things we have been challenged by is their lifestyle of living off local, organic, and seasonal foods. We have been trying to do the same - with success on some days, and failures on others (if only bananas could grow in Vancouver weather...sigh). One of the books that I've been trying to cook by is called Simply in Season.

It's produced by MCC (Mennonite Central Committee) and it's a collection of recipes, stories, and helpful cooking tips that are divided into seasons. The recipes in "summer" are all based on produce that grow during the summer season -- and since we are nearing our final weeks of summer (sigh!), I wanted to end with a few tasty meals, many of which are vegetarian yet extremely hearty.

Now, I'm not much of a "soup" person, but this recipe is STELLAR. Joe, myself, and our two new church interns ate this soup, and it is unbelievably delicious...so delicious that it's one of the very few things I'm blogging about (Joe is the truly committed blogger of this family). This creamy soup is packed with vegetables, is flavorful, hearty, and easily feeds 6-8 people. So, here's the recipe for "Zucchini Garden Chowder" for those willing to try something new and want to celebrate the final weeks of summer with a tasty meal (I wrote my modifications in pencil, and it still tasted amazing):

Oh, and it goes great with focaccia bread! Enjoy!!