Lean Seafood Chowder

Surprisingly, this chowder recipe has no dairy or flour and is all about vegetables and seafood!

Great for a clean eating diet, and I really was blown away by the taste.  I got motivated to make a healthy chowder from http://thehealthyfoodie.com/creamy-seafood-chowder/ recipe where creamy soups can be made from whipped cauliflower.

• 1/2 Red Pepper
• 2 Stalks of Celery
• 1 White Onion
• 1 Package Mushrooms
• 1 Large Cauliflower 
• 1 Cup Fresh Spinach
• 3 Cloves Garlic
• 2 Tablespoons Creole Seasoning
• Cracked Pepper
• 8 Ounces Fresh or Frozen (Defrosted) Cod
• 8 Ounces Fresh or Frozen (Defrosted) Scallops
• 1 Can Baby Yellow Clams
• 4 Cups Water
• 4 Cups Chicken Broth
• 1 Tablespoon Thyme
• 3-4 Star Anise
• 1/2 Juice from Lemon

Bring the water and chicken broth to a boil, then add roughly chopped cauliflower.  Boil for 10 minutes or until very soft.  While the cauliflower boils, chop all the vegetables and saute them over medium heat until onions are translucent.  

Once cauliflower is soft, scoop out with a slotted spoon and puree with a food processor or blender.  Whisk back into the water and add the rest of the ingredients, including the cooked vegetables.  Bring to a boil for 7 minutes, then let simmer for another 15.  Top with hot sauce and enjoy!

Posole -Spicy Slow Cooker Pork

This slow cooked recipe is certainly tender and has plenty of delicious add-ons to spice things up!

• 4 Roma Tomatoes Diced
• 1 Shoulder of Pork
• 6 Cups Chicken Broth
• 4 Garlic Cloves
• 1 Onion Coarsley Chopped
• 1 Can Hominy
• 2 Chipolte Peppers Chopped Finely
• 1/2 Cup Chopped Cilantro
• 1 Tablespoon Cumin
• 1 Teaspoon Coriander

Garnishes: Sliced Radishes, Sour Cream, Chives, Chopped Cabbage, Avocado, Shredded Cheese

Optional: Serve with Flour Tortillas

Add everything except for your garnishes to the slow cooker and set on high for 4-5 hours.  The meat should easily fall apart, shred with a fork to evenly distribute in the sauce.  Divide into bowls and top with your favorite garnishes!

Make Your Own Potstickers

I love the texture of chewy dumplings that can be dipped in any array of delicious sauces.  They are a great appetizer to share, or make a nice addition to soup.  This dumpling or 'potsticker' recipe is perfect for all of your creative fillings.  This is also a great way to re-create leftovers from the fridge!

For the wrapper dough:

• 2.5 Cups of Flour
• 3/4 Cup of Cold Water

Drizzle the cold water over the flour while stirring the mixture with a fork or chopsticks.  Once blended, knead until smooth.  The dough should bounce back gently when pressed.  Cover in plastic wrap and let rest for 30-60 minutes.  It will become easier to work with the longer you let it sit.

For the filling:

• 1/2 Lb Meat or Fish (I used leftover pork, but shrimp, beef, or crab works also)
• 2 Celery Stalks
• 1 Large Carrot
• 1 Onion
• 2 Tbls Rice Vinegar
• 2 Tbls Soy Sauce
• 1 Egg
• 1 Tbls Brown Sugar
• 2 Cloves Garlic
• Salt and Pepper to Taste

Finely chop everything in a food processor or by hand.  Blend until well combined.  Once your dough is ready, pinch off a small piece of dough (a bit smaller than a golf ball) and roll into a round disc.  Place a scoop of the meat mixture in the center.  Fold the dough in half, making a half moon.  Crimp each side three times toward the center to seal (shown below).

Make sure to keep the dough on an oiled surface or silpat to prevent sticking.  The dough tends to dry very quickly, so keep unused dough moist by covering with a damp towel or covering with plastic wrap.

Steam, pan fry, or broil your creations. I added these to a soup for a filling dinner!

French Vegetable Soup

Need to use up those veggies in the fridge? This recipe combines the classic flavors of French onion soup while making use of your leftovers.

• 4-5 cups of onions or other vegetables (I used 2 onions, cabbage, carrots, and celery)
• 5 cups beef stock
• 1 tbsp thyme
• 2 tbsp butter 
• 1 cup red wine
• 3 cloves garlic
• 2 tbsp flour 
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Heel of bread, cut into cubes
• 1 cup shredded cheese (mozzarella, gruyer, and parmesan work well)
• Chopped green onions

Melt butter in saucepan, then add onions or other vegetables.  Stir in seasonings and garlic, let cook for 3-5 minutes.  Mix in flour and add the wine, bringing mix to a simmer for 20 minutes.  Add beef stock, bring to a boil, then simmer for 10 minutes.  Ladle soup into bowls and top with cubed bread, then add a layer of shredded cheese on top. Place under broiler until the top becomes golden brown and crispy.  Garnish with green onions, cracked pepper, and nutmeg.

Vegetable Masala Soup in Instant Pot

A flavorful combination of vegetables with some Indian flair!

• 2 potatoes chopped roughly
• 1 cup carrots
• 1 chopped onion 
• 1 can chickpeas 
• 1 can diced tomatoes 
• 1/4 head chopped cabbage
• 3 cloves garlic
• 3 tbls masala
• 2 tsp marjoram
• 2 tsp ginger powder
• 2 tsp lemon juice
• 1 cup water

Add all ingredients to instant pot and set timer to cook for 10 minutes.  Once finished cooking, spoon out vegetables with a slotted spoon and place in blender or food processor.  Pulse until desired consistency it met, then return to pot and stir.  Garnish with hot sauce, spinach leaves, and plain yogurt.  Perfect when accompanied by basmati rice or naan bread. 

Spicy Pork and Bok Choy Soup

This soup is the perfect combination of savory and spice.  Healthy, delicious, and very filling!

• 6 oz pork tenderloin
• 6 cups chicken broth
• 4 tbls soy sauce
• 4 tbls srirachi
• 1 tbls minced ginger
• 1 tbls minced garlic
• 1 chopped onion
• 1 bunch of bok choy
• 6 oz chinese noodles

I use the instant pot for this one, just 20 minutes on the meat setting and it's ready!  Feel free to use the stove top, just make sure to temperature test your pork so it is not undercooked.  

 Shave the pork tenderloin very thinly, then combine all the ingredients except bok choy and noodles. Pressure cook with the instant pot for 20 minutes on the meat setting, or bring to a boil on the stovetop and simmer until meat is tender.

Once meat is cooked, slice the bok choy and add with noodles to the pot.  Let stand on low heat for about 15 minutes until noodles are done.  Top with hot sesame oil if desired for an extra punch!

Potato and Leek Soup in Instant Pot

It only takes about 20 minutes to make this warming winter soup.  For a healthy meal, it has a wonderful creamy flavor.  A weekday favorite in my house!

• 3 potatoes roughly chopped
• 3 leeks
• 2 celery stalks
• 2-3 cloves of garlic
• 5 cups of chicken or beef broth
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 tbls oregano
• 2 tbls parsley
• 2 tbls thyme
• 2 tbls marjoram
• salt and cracked pepper to taste

Roughly chop the potatoes, leeks, and celery stalks, then add to instant pot.  Cut the dark part of the leeks off, or leave an inch or two for more flavor.  Add the stock and seasonings, then switch on the soup setting for the instant pot and set the time to 15 minutes.  Once the soup is finished and the pressure is released, scoop out the potatoes, leeks, celery, and garlic with a slotted spoon into blender or food processor.  Puree and return to pot.  Simmer to desired consistency or enjoy right away!

If you do not have an instant pot, follow the same steps using the stove top.  Bring your soup to a boil, then simmer for 20-25 minutes or until potatoes are soft.  Then puree and return to pot.