Skinny Slow-Cooker Clam Chowder

Love clam chowder, but can’t justify the heaviness of it?  Try this slow-cooker recipe that lightens up this delicious soup.  Although most of the fat has disappeared, the soup is still very creamy and has a ton of flavor.  As a bonus, it is incredibly easy to prepare.

You will need:
1 Tbs extra-virgin olive oil
1 onion, diced
2 ribs celery, diced
2 tsp minced garlic
2 cans clams (8 ounces each)
1 bottle (8 ounces) clam juice
3 potatoes, cut in bite sized cubes (I used red potatoes)
1 can (12 ounces) 2% evaporated milk

Heat the oil in a medium skillet over medium heat.  Throw in the onion and celery.  Cook until the onion becomes translucent (about 12 minutes).  Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute more (or until you can smell the garlic).  Transfer the mixture to the slow cooker.

Add the clams (with juice), bottle of clam juice and potatoes to the slow cooker.  Stir well.  Cook on high for 2 to 3 hours, or on low for 3-4 hours.  I found that 3.5 hours on low worked well for this recipe.  Stir in the evaporated milk the last hour of cooking.

Season with pepper and serve.  Tabasco green sauce would also make a tasty seasoning.

I served this soup with a salad (greens, turkey, pepperoni, mozzarella, tomatoes and green olives) and bread rolls from the bakery.  It was a very easy and tasty weeknight meal.  Enjoy!

Recipe from The Runner’s World Cookbook.