Low Protein New England Clam Chowder

You know I love all things New England and ironically, seafood. In my head I love seafood yet have never tried it. Let's get real, I would probably hate it. Therefore, I will continue to admire from a far and attempt to crank out the best low protein copycats I can. For the record, we call it "chowdah".

I am so excited for summer. It is my season. I am a child of the sun (despite my SPF 30 daily use). There is nothing better than summer in New England. Summer means lobster bakes, tourists, outdoor sports, warm weather and long days, all of which make me nostalgic.

I work hard to recreate the coveted seafood I love to serve for guests. This is one of my favorite seafood recreations yet. It was everything I expected it to be, which is the best feeling ever. Nothing is worse than having to recreate an entire recipe because one ingredient was off. This is creamy, filling and indulgent. Even better, wine is in the recipe. So, pop a bottle of chilled white and enjoy the process. Give it a try and let me know what you think.

Tips:

I made the recipe with yuca to save phe and add calories. You can sub potato if phe tolerance is higher. Using potatoes will reduce calories as well. Yuca is great for kiddos or precon diet to add calories with little phe.

I used Maitake mushrooms. They have a fun shape and texture that seems to recreate the seafood texture best for any mushroom. Oyster mushrooms work well, too. You can sub 1.5 oyster mushrooms for the 8 ounces of button mushrooms if desired. They have similar amounts of phe so have fun with it.

I cooked it with one strip of bacon in the mushrooms. Push them to the side and place strip of bacon in the middle. Let it cook through so the fat melts but remove before it starts to fall apart as you do not want any meat in there. This will not add any phe but is a great way to add a new level of flavor.

"Clam" Chowdah

Makes six servings

Nutritional facts with yuca: 106 mg phe, 3.1 grams protein, 301 calories

Nutritional facts with potato: 238 mg phe, 3 grams protein, 245 calories

• 3 tablespoon butter

• 8 oz package of mushrooms cut into 1/2-inch pieces (or any mushrooms)

• 3 garlic cloves, minced

• 1 teaspoon low sodium soy sauce

• 1 medium yellow onion, diced

• 2 celery stalks, diced

• 2 medium carrots, diced or sliced 1/4 inch thick

• 1 teaspoon dried thyme

• 1/2 cup dry white wine

• 4 cups low sodium vegetable broth

• 3 tablespoons tapioca flour (or wheat starch)

• 1.5 cups yuca [or potato] peeled and cut into bite-sized pieces

• 2 bay leaves

• 1/4 sheet of crushed nori

• 1 teaspoon sea salt

• 1-2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (optional)

• Fresh cracked pepper, to taste

• Dash of cayenne optional

• 1 can of full fat coconut milk

1. In a large sauce pot over medium heat, add 1 tablespoon butter. When heated, add mushrooms and sauté until the liquid evaporates (about 3 minutes). Now add 1 clove minced garlic and soy sauce. Sauté until the mushrooms are tender & lightly browned. About 2-4 minutes. Remove mushrooms and set aside.

2. Return mushroom sauce pan to stove. Heat butter over medium heat. Add onion and sauté until translucent, about 2-3 minutes. Add celery, carrots, garlic & thyme. Sauté about 5-7 minutes or until veggies are tender.

3. Add wine and turn heat up to medium-high to simmer. Once simmering turn heat back to medium. Cook wine down about 3-5 minutes. Stir often.

4. Turn heat to low. Sprinkle flour over veggies and stir constantly for 30-60 seconds.

5. Stir in broth and add yuca, bay leaves, nori, and salt. Bring to a simmer for about 10-15 minutes, until yuca is tender. Discard bay leaves.

6. Turn heat to medium low and slowly stir in coconut milk. Cook for 3-4 minutes and remove from heat. Stir in mushrooms, lemon juice and fresh cracked pepper.

7. Place in your favorite soup bowls & garnish with fresh parsley. Side with crispy low protein bread crumbs. Enjoy!

Linked here is the instant pot recipe I used for the rest of the family. I always prefer fresh seafood so subbed out the canned clams for fresh, raw clams. Cook in the instant pot with rest of the ingredients and they turn out perfectly. Nick loved it!