Clam Chowder

   Ingredients
About 4 lbs of littleneck or cherrystone clams (about 3 dozen clams or so, depending on the size)
1 Tbsp butter or vegetable oil
4 ounces salt pork, cubed (or chopped bacon or pancetta, cubed)
2 cups chopped onion
1 Tbsp flour (or more, depending on how thick you want the soup)
1 cup dry white wine, like a Sauvignon blanc (or you can use 2 Tbsp of white or cider vinegar or lemon juice)
2 pounds potatoes (russets or Yukon gold), peeled and diced
1 to 2 cups of water
1 bay leaf
2 sprigs of thyme
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning (or paprika with a dash of cayenne)
1 1/2 cups corn (frozen is fine) optional
1 cup whipping cream
2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley

  1. Rinse and scrub the clams to remove of any dirt. Place clams in a bowl, cover with cold water and refrigerate for 30 minutes to an hour. This will allow the clams to expel some of their grit into the water. Discard any broken clams or clams that are open and do not close when you touch them.

  2. Steam the clams. Place the clams in a large pot and add about a half inch of water to the pot. Cover the pot and bring the water to a boil. Let the clams steam until they all open up 5 to 10 minutes. The steaming water may foam up a bit, so watch so it doesnt overflow the pot. Use a slotted spoon to remove the clams from the pot to a bowl. Strain the remaining clam steaming liquid through a fine mesh sieve to catch any grit, and reserve. You should have 2 to 3 cups of clam liquid. Separate the clams from the clam shells. Discard the shells. Roughly chop the cooked clams.

  3. Place the salt pork and butter or oil in the bottom of a large, thick bottomed pot. Heat on medium and brown the salt pork. (Note that if you are using salt pork that is mostly fat, you wont need any additional fat from butter or oil, but you might want to put a little water in the pan to help render the fat from the salt pork.)

  4. Add the chopped onion to the pan and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are translucent, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle flour over the onions and stir until everything is coated with the flour. Let the flour cook for a minute or two. Slowly add the white wine to the pot, stirring after each addition.

  5. Add potatoes to the pot. Add 2 to 3 cups of the strained clam steaming liquid and a cup of water. The liquid should cover the potatoes. If not, add a little more, either water or clam cooking liquid. Add the bay leaf, thyme, black pepper and Old Bay. Heat to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Cover and cook for 10 minutes, then add the corn (if using) and cook for 5 minutes more or until the potatoes are cooked through.

  6. While the potatoes are cooking, heat a cup of cream in a small saucepan until steamy. When the potatoes are tender add the chopped clams and turn off the heat of the soup. Slowly stir in the heated cream. Adjust seasonings. Stir in the fresh parsley.

Paleo Coconut Crepes With Mixed Berries

   4 servings
​
1 cup unsweetened almond milk
1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
1/2 cup coconut flour
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
2 packets stevia
1 cup egg whites
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Cooking spray
1 cup Greek yogurt (plain or vanilla)
2 cups fresh berries
1/4 cup flaked coconut

1. Combine almond milk and lemon juice in a small bowl and set aside.
2. In a larger bowl, mix coconut flour, baking soda, cinnamon and stevia.
3. In a medium sized bowl, whisk egg whites. Once they start to get bubbly add almond milk and vanilla, whisking as you add each ingredient.
4. Combine wet and dry ingredients and stir until an even batter forms. Set aside for 5 minutes to thicken.
5. Spray a frying pan with cooking spray or coat lightly with coconut oil. Place over medium heat.
6. Pour about 1/4 cup of batter into pan and swirl around to coat bottom. Cook for about 2 minutes, then use a spatula to lift edges. Gently flip and cook for 1 minute. Remove crepe and keep it warm while cooking remaining batter. (Keep greasing pan with cooking spray or coconut oil to prevent sticking.)
7. Serve crepes with yogurt, berries and coconut.

   Its hard to deny our love for pancakes and waffles, but sometimes we need to start our day with a little less sugar. Fortunately, its possible to enjoy a decadent brunch while still making good for you choices. Introducing coconut flour-based crepes with all of the flavors of the true French recipe.

Curry Stuffed Bell Peppers

   Ingredients

4 medium bell peppers (any color) tops cut away, seeds and white membrane removed

1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

1 small onion, diced

1 lb. extra-lean ground turkey or chicken

1 medium zucchini, diced

1 tsp. curry powder

1 tsp. no-calorie sweetener, granulated, 1/2 packet

1/2 tsp. cloves

1/2 tsp. garlic powder

1/2 tsp. black pepper

1 cup low-sodium chicken broth

1 1/2 cups quinoa, cooked to package instructions

1/4 cup chopped, fresh cilantro

   Stuff any color bell with a mix of onion, ground turkey or chicken, zucchini, curry powder, quinoa or brown rice, and cilantro.

1. Preheat oven to 375.

2. In a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add onions and cook 2-3 minutes until translucent.

3. Add turkey and brown - breaking up clumps and stirring until cooked through (it will turn greyish white).

4. Add zucchini, curry powder, no-calorie sweetener, cloves, garlic powder and pepper. Stir and cook 2-3 minutes more. Remove from heat.

5. Stir in chicken broth, quinoa, and cilantro until well mixed. Spoon ¼ of mixture in to each bell pepper. Place peppers in an 8x8 baking dish, standing up. Add enough water to cover the bottom of the baking dish about 1/8 inch deep.

6. Bake 25-30 minutes in preheated oven until peppers are tender and mixture is heated through.

Ranch Dressing

    Ingredients
1/2 cup low-fat greek yogurt
2 tablespoons buttermilk or low-fat milk
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon white vinegar
1/2 teaspoon mustard
1 teaspoon finely chopped onion
1/2 teaspoon finely chopped garlic
1 tablespoon finely chopped dill, chives or parsley

1. Put the yogurt and buttermilk in the mixing bowl and, using a fork or whisk, mix until well combined.
2. Drizzle in the oil and mix again
3. Add everything else and mix again.
4. Cover and refrigerate at least one hour to let the flavors mingle. You may store refrigerated up to 3 days.

 

Creamy Coleslaw

   Servings
4 cups shredded green cabbage
2 stalks celery sliced
4 green onions sliced
1 large carrot diced
1/2 red pepper sliced
1/2 fennel bulb sliced
1/3 cup sour cream
1/3 cup mayonnaise
1 tbsp. Dijon mustard
2 tsp. sugar
1 tbsp. apple vinegar
1/2 tsp. mustard seeds. Salt and pepper to taste.

   In a mixing bowl combine cabbage, celery, onions, carrot, red pepper and fennel. Then prepare the dressing. In another bowl stir together the sour cream, vinegar, mayonnaise and the mustard. Toss until well combined, then add the sugar, mustard seeds salt and pepper and mix again. Then mix the dressing with the vegetables.

Orange Fruit Salad with Maple-Glazed Ginger Pecans

   ... Apparently this high-fiber salad had been serving the family healthy and happy benefits for a long time! And it makes sense. The citrus fruits are full of vitamin C and bioflavonoids. The apples contain pectin, which lowers cholesterol and gives your intestines a nice sweep. Pecans contain lots of essential fatty acids that benefit brain and heart health. Throw in the Vermont maple syrup, and you have a sweet, light fruit salad that is perfect for a hot summer day, satisfying but not too heavy.

 

   4 servings
3 to 4 navel oranges
1 green apple, washed, cored and diced
1 red apple, washed, cored and diced
½ cup freshly squeezed orange juice
1 cup plain soy or coconut yogurt
2 tablespoons honey
½ cup pecan halves
¼ cup maple syrup
2 tablespoons chopped fresh ginger

   1. Peel 3 of the oranges and reserve 1 whole peel for garnish. Separate the sections and cut out any seeds and discard them. Cut the oranges into small chunks and put them in a strainer set over a pitcher or bowl to catch the juice while you prepare the rest of the fruit.
   2. Put the diced apples and orange pieces into a bowl. Pour the orange juice into a measuring cup you need ½ cup for the dressing. If you are short, squeeze the remaining orange until you have ½ cup. Whisk the yogurt and honey into the orange juice until smooth and pour it over the fruit. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours to allow the flavors to blend.
   3. Meanwhile, line a small baking sheet with parchment paper. Combine the pecans, maple syrup and ginger in a small saucepan and heat over medium heat. Cook, stirring constantly, until the syrup is sizzling and begins to turn sticky and golden brown. Keep a close watch as the syrup can burn easily. When the syrup is very thick and dark, pour the nuts out onto the lined baking sheet, separate with a fork and let cool completely.
   4. Cut the reserved orange peel into four ½-inch by 2-inch strips. To serve, divide the fruit salad among 4 serving bowls and top each with a few glazed pecans. Garnish each bowl with a twisted orange peel and serve immediately.

   Oranges are famous for their high vitamin C content, one of the most powerful antioxidants and a well-known immune system support. This delicious citrus fruit also has a wide array of phytonutrients like flavanones, anthocyanins and polyphenols. These antioxidant nutrients help protect you from the ravages of free radicals, thus protecting cells and DNA from the mutations that cause cancer. Vitamin C also supports the cardiovascular system, preventing the oxidation and hardening of cholesterol, risk factors in stroke and heart attack.

Saffron Ginger Fish Soup

   ...It was so soothing to my stomach because of the ginger. The saffron creates a wonderful, bold, yellow colored broth, which I mistook for curry at first glance. It turns out theres more than one way to create a colorful broth! Saffron also has medicinal properties, one of which is that it promotes circulation. The hostess told me that it was her fathers favorite soup and that she believed this specific soup had benefited his heart health. The saffron and ginger activate blood circulation, making this the perfect food for supporting someone with a heart condition.

   4 servings 
3 cups chicken stock
2 cups white wine
1 3-inch piece galangal root or fresh ginger, sliced
1 teaspoon saffron threads
2 teaspoons almond oil
1 onion, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
2 pounds firm boneless, skinless, white fish fillets, such as cod or bass, cut into cubes
2 tablespoons arrowroot powder
2 tablespoons water
Salt and freshly ground black pepper. Parsley sprigs, for garnish.

   1. Put the stock, wine, galangal, and saffron threads into a large saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 20 minutes.
   2. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat and add the onion, carrot, and celery; cook until softened, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from the heat.
   3. Remove the galangal from the broth and discard. Add the fish and cooked vegetables to the simmering broth and cook for 2 minutes. In a small bowl, stir the arrowroot together with 2 tablespoons of water until dissolved; slowly stir the mixture into the soup and add salt and pepper to taste. Simmer for 2 to 3 minutes, until fish is cooked through and broth is thickened.
   4. Garnish with the parsley and serve the hot soup immediately.

   Famous in the West for relieving nausea, ginger has been used by Chinese doctors since ancient times to fire up vitality and cure body aches, such as arthritis, headaches, menstrual cramps and muscle soreness. Ginger also known as galangal or galanga has been found to contain geraniol, which may be a potent cancer fighter. It also possesses antiinflammatory properties that help alleviate pain and prevent blood clots. People on blood thinners and other medications should take extra precaution with this natural blood thinner.

Edamame, Seaweed and Tofu Salad

   It is a light, low calorie salad, yet highly nutritious. The seaweed helps reduce inflammation and is an important source of trace minerals. The real star of this salad is the edamame, which is filled with protein and cholesterol lowering properties and it has also been found to help prevent breast and prostate cancer.

   4 servings
DRESSING
⅓ cup rice vinegar
1½ tablespoons walnut oil
1½ teaspoons low-sodium soy sauce
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
½ teaspoon toasted sesame oil
Small pinch cayenne pepper
SALAD
1 pound extra-firm tofu, cubed
½ small daikon radish, peeled and sliced into matchsticks
¼ ounce wakame seaweed, soaked in water for 1 hour
1½ teaspoons sesame seeds
2 cups frozen shelled edamame, thawed, rinsed, and patted dry
1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
   1. To make the dressing, in a large bowl, whisk the vinegar, walnut oil, soy sauce, ginger, sesame oil and cayenne together until well combined. Gently fold in the tofu and radish until coated and set aside to marinate for 30 minutes.
   2. Meawhile, bring a small saucepan of water to a boil and add the seaweed; boil for 15 minutes, until soft and drain well. Put the sesame seeds in a small, dry skillet over medium low heat and toast, swirling the pan, for about 3 minutes, or until golden and fragrant. Pour the seeds out onto a plate and cool.
   3. Remove the tofu from the marinade and set aside on a plate. Add the drained seaweed and edamame to the dressing and toss well to combine. Gently fold the tofu back into the salad until evenly combined and transfer it to a serving plate.
   4. Sprinkle the toasted sesame seeds over the top, garnish with chopped cilantro and serve immediately.

    Often found floating in miso soup, wakame looks like slippery spinach, but as you see here, it can also easily become a salad. It is a diuretic, which means it helps reduce the amount of water in the body. Because it prevents bloating and is packed with osteoporosis preventing calcium and magnesium, wakame is sometimes referred to as the womens seaweed. But the wakame benefits dont end there this seaweed is also high in important trace minerals and is one of the few non animal sources of vitamin B12.