New England Clam Chowder Recipe

Recipe posted in: Flex Meals & Snacks, Lunches & Dinners, Appetizers, Main Courses
clam

Soup is the ultimate meal for your busy schedule. By simply tossing a bunch of ingredients into a large pot, you can quickly prepare a healthy, nutrient-packed dish with minimal clean up. In this New England Clam Chowder recipe, we pump up the protein, veggies and flavor to create a healthy version of the seafood classic.

How to Make Clam Chowder

To make this homemade clam chowder, drizzle one tablespoon of olive oil into a large pot and set the heat to medium-high. Toss in your chopped veggies, including two garlic cloves, one onion, three celery stalks and three carrots. Cook the vegetables for five minutes, stirring frequently.

Next, stir in two tablespoons of whole wheat flour (for thickening purposes) and four ounces of clam juice. Add two and half cups of milk, two cups of baby potatoes (halved or quartered), two bay leaves and one teaspoon of Cajun seasoning.

Continue cooking and stirring your chowder until the mixture reaches a simmer, then reduce the heat to medium-low and cook for about 15 minutes. Once the potatoes are soft, stir in two eight-ounce cans of minced clams and remove the bay leaves. Season with black pepper and serve with a side of hot sauce.

Healthy Hacks

One serving of this New England Clam Chowder contains 240 calories and counts as one PowerFuel, one SmartCarb, one Extra and one Vegetable on the Nutrisystem program.

You can make this recipe dairy free by swapping in an unsweetened milk alternative, such as coconut milk, almond milk or soy milk. If you have another SmartCarb to spare for the day, enjoy your soup with a side of whole grain crackers for dipping or crushing on top.

Here at The Leaf Weight Loss Blog, we LOVE seafood. Why else would we have created these fantastic seafood recipes?! Most seafood is high in protein yet low in fat and calories, making it a great lean PowerFuel option for your Nutrisystem diet plan.

If you’re a seafood lover, make sure to pick up our five seafood staples on your next shopping trip! Before heading to your favorite seafood restaurant, click the link below for our expert ordering tips:

How to Order at a Seafood Restaurant

Read More

More Healthy Soup Recipes

Looking for more creamy, dreamy soup recipes for your weight loss menu? Check out these other delicious ideas:

If you’re too busy to cook your own homemade soup, check out Nutrisystem! We offer a variety of delicious soups and stews that are ready to enjoy in just a few short minutes.  Lose weight and get healthy with delicious food delivered directly to your door! Learn more about Nutrisystem meal plans >

Servings: 4

Calories per Serving: 240

On Nutrisystem, Count As: 1 PowerFuel, 1 SmartCarb, 1 Extra and 1 Vegetable

Ingredients:

  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 3 stalks celery, diced
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 3 carrots, chopped
  • 1 Tbsp. olive oil
  • 2 Tbsp. whole wheat flour
  • 4 oz. clam juice
  • 2 ½ cups nonfat milk
  • 2 cups baby potatoes, halved or quartered
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 tsp. Cajun seasoning
  • 2-8 oz. cans minced clams
  • Black pepper, to taste

Directions:

  1. Heat oil to medium-high in a large pot. Add onions, garlic, celery and carrots. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently.
  2. Stir in flour to thicken.
  3. Stir in clam juice.
  4. Add milk, potatoes, bay leaves and Cajun seasoning. Cook until the mixture reaches a simmer, stirring occasionally.
  5. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook for 10-15 minutes or until potatoes are soft. Stir every few minutes.
  6. Stir in clams and remove bay leaves. Season with black pepper to taste.
  7. Serve as is or top with hot sauce.
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