Healthy clam chowder

The first time I had clam chowder in a bread bowl, I had no idea how it would taste. It was in the farmers market in Los Angeles. It was like a warm hug from inside. It was great. But of course clam chowder is quite calorific. And if you try to use less of the  butter, it doesn't taste as good.

The version I made of the clam chowder today, it has a ton of vegetables and it is sooooo super delicious. And on a cold night like tonight, there is nothing better for dinner

Healthy Clam Chowder (New England style Clam Chowder with veggies)

Healthy Clam Chowder

Ingredients:

1. 2 cans minced clams or substitute 1 can with tuna in water
2. 1/2 cup each of chopped onions, chopped carrots, chopped mushrooms, thinly sliced spinach, chopped broccoli...try to cut all the vegetable to be of same size
3. 2 medium small potatoes peeled and diced and microwaved covered for 4 minutes (stir mid way...be very careful)
4. 1 teaspoon each of salt, thyme, minced garlic
5. 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
6. 2 tablespoons olive oil
7. 2 tablespoons butter
8. 3 tablespoons all purpose flour
9. 3 cups milk and 2-3 cups water...hot

In a heavy bottomed pan, heat the oil and fry the onions till soft. Add the vegetables one after the other and cook on medium heat for 7-8 minutes. Take it of the pan and set aside.

In the same pan melt the butter and fry the garlic for a minute. Add the flour and continuously stir for 5 minutes. Add the milk and stir to combine. Add salt, thyme and pepper and add all the vegetables along with potatoes, clam and fish. Stir well. Add the water depending on how thick you want the soup to be. Enjoy hot with crusty bread

Here is another versions of Clam Chowder

Cheese Steak soup

Cheese Steak soup

Cheese steak soup

Ingredients:

1 lb beef cubes or sliced meat cut into small pieces

3 tablespoons butter

1 tablespoon oil

¾ cup all purpose flour

1 chicken or beef bouillon

2 cups milk

2 cups water

½ teaspoon salt or to taste

½ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

1 medium small onion chopped fine

1 medium small green bell pepper chopped fine

2 large garlic pods chopped fine

1 cup cubed white mushroom

¼ cup shredded provolone+more for garnish

In a pan add just ½ tablespoon oil and fry the meat until well done. About 5-7 minutes. Drain and set aside. In the same pan add the remaining ½ tablespoon oil and add the onions, mushroom and green bell pepper and garlick and cook till they start to sweat. Drain and set aside. In the same pan melt the butter and add the all purpose flour and stir continuously for 5-7 minutes. Add hot milk and water and stir till there are no flour lumps. Add the meat and vegetables back to the pot along with chicken/beef bouillon and simmer for 10 minutes. Mix in the cheese and give a taste test. Add pepper and give a taste test for salt. Add more salt if needed. Serve hot with a crusted bread on a cold winter night

Vegetable Chicken Soup with Green Chile Batard

Today was such a nice warm day and it being winter, it still became cold by evening. So it was time I made some soup. Its been a while that I made soup and today's soup was one of the most delicious soups I ever made. And it was as simple to make

And I served it with a spicy Green Chile Batard which is a kind of Baguette. I got this from the store "Fresh and Easy". And I baked it for 10 minutes with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and it was crunchy and delicious.

Vegetable Chicken Soup (Semi thick soup with Chicken and Vegetables)

Vegetable chicken soup with Green Chile Batard

Ingredients:

1. 1 big chicken breast or 2 or 3 boneless skinless chicken thighs chopped into 1 cm pieces
2. 2 medium carrots peeled and chopped into 1 cm pieces
3. 2 stalks of celery chopped
4. 1/2 cup chopped red onion
5. 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
6. 1 or 2 stalks of rosemary
7. 1/4 cup each of green peas and sweet corn kernels
8. 1 medium tomato chopped
9. 1/2 teaspoon each of salt and lemon pepper, grated garlic
10. 2-3 cups of low sodium chicken stock
11. 1 cup 2 % milk
12. 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
13. 1 tablespoon butter
14. 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil

In a heavy bottomed pan heat the butter and oilive oil and fry the onions till tender. Add garlic and fry for a minute. Add Chicken and fry for 5-6 minutes. Add carrots and celery and reduce heat, cover and cook for 5 minutes. Add tomato and all the seasonings and stir and fry for 2 minutes. Add green peas and corn. Add the liquids and bring to a boil. Add the al-purpose flour and stir, taking care no lumps form. Add the rosemary stalks and reduce heat and simmer for 15- 20 minutes. Serve hot with your favourite baguette or batard