Ham and Potato Corn Chowder

 

Ham and Potato Corn Chowder

Ham and Potato Corn Chowder

Ingredients

• 3 T. olive oil
• 1 onion diced
• 2 carrots peeled and diced
• 2 celery stalks diced
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 1/2 tsp. dried thyme
• 1/4 c. flour
• 2 c. chicken broth
• 2 c. whole milk
• 1 1/2 lb. potatoes peeled and diced
• 8 oz. ham diced
• 1 c. frozen corn
• salt and pepper

Instructions

• Heat the oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat.  Add the onions, carrots and celery and cook until tender, about 8 - 10 minutes.
• Add the garlic, thyme and flour to the Dutch oven.  Cook until the flour is lightly browned, 2 - 3 minutes.
• Slowly stir in the broth using the liquid to deglaze the pan.  Add the milk and potatoes, bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer.  Simmer until the potatoes are tender, 12 - 20 minutes.
• Add the ham and the corn, cook until heated.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Chocolate Raspberry Protein Bars

 

Chocolate Raspberry Protein Bars

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup rolled oats

• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

• 1/2 cup protein powder vanilla or chocolate

• 1/2 cup puréed pumpkin

• 1 egg

• 1 T honey

• 3/4 cup almond or coconut milk

• 2 T coconut oil

• 1/2 cup chocolate chips divided

• 1/2 cup freeze dried raspberries can substitute fresh

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and line an 8x8 baking pan with parchment paper

2. Pulse oats in food processor until the texture becomes like flour. Then, add cocoa powder and protein powder to the food processor and also pulse to combine.

3. Add pumpkin, egg, honey, and milk to the food processor and pulse until the mixture is thoroughly combined.

4. Melt coconut oil and 1/4 cup of the chocolate chips in the microwave (roughly 30 seconds). Once melted, add to the food processor and combine. Pour mixture into the prepared pan and top with the remaining chocolate chips.

5. Bake for 16-18 minutes. If chocolate chips haven’t fully melted after baking, spread with a spatula to distribute the chocolate over the top of the brownies.

6. Crumble freeze dried raspberries over the top.

7. Allow to cool and cut into 12 bars, so each bar will be roughly 100 calories.

8. Store leftover bars in refrigerator for up to one week.

New England Clam Chowder

 New England Clam Chowder

4 (6 1/2 oz.) cans chopped clams

2 (8 oz.) bottles clam juice

4 bacon slices

1 c. chopped onion

1 c. chopped celery

1 garlic clove, minced

3 c. cubed peeled red potato

1/2 tsp. dried thyme

1/4 tsp. black pepper

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. dried parsley

1 bay leaf

2 c. milk

1/2 c. flour

1/2 c. half-and-half

Drain the clams through a colander set over a bowl, reserving the liquid and the clams.  Combine the clam liquid with the clam juice.

Cook the bacon in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat until crisp.  Remove the bacon from the pan, reserving 2 teaspoons of the drippings in the pan.  Crumble the bacon; set aside.  Add the chopped onion, celery and garlic to the pan; sauté for 8 minutes or until tender.  Add the clam juice mixture, chopped potatoes, thyme, pepper, salt, parsley and bay leaf.  Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer.  Cover the pan and simmer for 15 minutes or until the potatoes are tender.

Combine the milk and flour, stirring with a whisk until smooth; add to the pan.  Stir in clams and half-and-half.  Cook 5 minutes.  Discard the bay leaf.  Serve with crumbled bacon on top.

 

Creamy Mushroom Chicken and Wild Rice Soup

Creamy Mushroom Chicken and Wild Rice Soup

2 T. butter

1 lb. mushrooms

1 T. butter

1 onion

2 carrots

2 stalks celery

2 cloves garlic

1/2 tsp. dried thyme

6 c. chicken broth

1 c. wild rice

1 1/2 c. chicken, cooked and diced

1 c. half-and-half

Salt and pepper to taste 

Slice the mushrooms, onion, carrots and celery.  Chop the garlic.

Melt 2 T. butter in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat.  Add the mushrooms and cook until the mushrooms have released their liquids and the liquid has evaporated, about 15 minutes.  Then remove from the pan and set aside.

Melt 1 T. butter in the same pan.  Add the onions, carrots and celery and cook until tender, about 10 minutes.  Add the garlic and thyme and cook 1 minute more.

Add the chicken broth, while rice, diced chicken and the mushrooms.  Bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer, covered, until the rice is tender, about 30 minutes.

Add the half-and-half and stir to combine.  Cook over low heat until warmed, season with salt and pepper and serve.