Low Fat Clam Vegetable Chowder Recipes

CLAM CHOWDER, LIGHTENED UP

Steps:

• In a large pot, melt butter. Add onions, and heat on low heat until onions are translucent, 5 to 8 minutes.
• Add flour and stir 1 to 2 minutes.
• Add the milk, vegetable broth, reserved clam juice, potatoes, bay leaf, thyme and salt & pepper to taste.
• Bring to a boil, then cover and cook on low until potatoes are soft, about 10 minutes.
• Remove half of the soup and discard bay leaves, put soup in blender and blend until smooth. Return to pot.
• Add clams, corn and adjust salt if needed and cook another 5 minutes.
• Serve and garnish with fresh parsley.

VEGETABLE CHOWDER

Steps:

• In a Dutch oven or soup kettle, saute the pepper and onions in butter or margarine until tender.
• Add remaining vegetables, water, bouillon, salt, and pepper; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer covered for 20 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender.
• Combine flour and milk until smooth; stir into pan. Bring soup to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes. Mix in the parsley. Just before serving, stir in the cheese until melted.

MIXED VEGETABLE CLAM CHOWDER

Steps:

• In 2-quart saucepan, stir together all ingredients except cheese. Cook over medium heat until hot, stirring frequently.
• To serve, ladle chowder into bowls; sprinkle with cheese.

LOW-FAT CLAM & VEGETABLE CHOWDER

Steps:

• Prepare pasta according to package directions and drain. Rinse pasta under cold water to cool.
• Combine 2 1/2 cups milk, vegetables, thyme, paprika and pasta in a saucepan. Cook over medium heat until hot but not boiling.
• Combine remaining 1/2 cup milk and cornstarch and mix until cornstarch dissolves.
• Stir cornstarch into soup and return to simmer.
• Add clams and simmer for 3 minutes.
• Season with salt and cracked black pepper.

LOW-FAT CLAM CHOWDER

Steps:

• In a large nonstick saucepan, cook bacon and onion over medium heat until onion is tender. Add the potatoes, clams, broth, celery and seasonings. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 12-15 minutes or until vegetables are tender. , In a small bowl, combine flour and half-and-half until smooth; stir into potato mixture. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened.

CHUNKY VEGETABLE CLAM CHOWDER

Steps:

• In a large pot add bacon (I cut into bite size pieces) saute lightly.
• Add in onions (and the celery which is optional) and saute briefly.
• Add Chicken broth (I often use two cans of both the broth and the clams) potatoes, carrots, reserved clam juice, salt, pepper and simmer until vegetables are done.
• Add in the milk, clams and chopped parsley stirring frequently until heated through.
• You may wish to serve at this point but we make a roux melting shortening in a heavy pan, adding the flour browning to golden brown and whisking into chowder.
• This can be prepared a day ahead, cool, cover and refrigerate bringing to a simmer (carefully stirring to prevent burning) before serving.

LOW-FAT CLAM CHOWDER

Steps:

• Put the clams and 2 cups water in a pot. Cover, bring to a boil over medium-high heat and cook 5 minutes. Uncover and continue to cook until the clams open, 5 to 10 minutes (discard any that do not open); transfer the clams to a bowl.
• Pour the liquid into a large measuring cup. (You should have 3 cups liquid; add water if needed.) Wipe out the pot. Pour the liquid back into the pot through a paper towel-lined sieve. Add the potatoes, cover and simmer until tender, about 15 minutes. Remove one-third of the potatoes. Continue to cook the remaining potatoes, covered, until soft, about 10 more minutes. Puree in batches in a blender until smooth. Return the soup to the pot.
• Cook the bacon in a skillet over medium heat until crisp, about 5 minutes. Add the onion and celery and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, thyme and bay leaves and cook, stirring, about 3 more minutes. Add the bacon mixture and reserved potatoes to the soup. Cover and cook over low heat, about 5 minutes.
• Meanwhile, remove the clams from their shells and roughly chop. Stir the clam meat and half-and-half into the soup; remove from the heat, cover and set aside, 20 to 30 minutes.
• Discard the bay leaves. Season the soup with salt and pepper and reheat. Serve topped with a slice of butter, parsley, chives and paprika.