Low Fat Homemade Stock Food

LOW-FAT ROASTIES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6. Put the potatoes and garlic in a roasting tin. Pour over the stock, then brush the tops of the potatoes with half the olive oil. Season, then cook for 50 mins. Brush with the remaining oil and cook 10-15 mins more until the stock is absorbed and the potatoes have browned and cooked through.

LOW-FAT CLAM CHOWDER

Steps:

• Put the clams and 2 cups water in a pot. Cover, bring to a boil over medium-high heat and cook 5 minutes. Uncover and continue to cook until the clams open, 5 to 10 minutes (discard any that do not open); transfer the clams to a bowl.
• Pour the liquid into a large measuring cup. (You should have 3 cups liquid; add water if needed.) Wipe out the pot. Pour the liquid back into the pot through a paper towel-lined sieve. Add the potatoes, cover and simmer until tender, about 15 minutes. Remove one-third of the potatoes. Continue to cook the remaining potatoes, covered, until soft, about 10 more minutes. Puree in batches in a blender until smooth. Return the soup to the pot.
• Cook the bacon in a skillet over medium heat until crisp, about 5 minutes. Add the onion and celery and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, thyme and bay leaves and cook, stirring, about 3 more minutes. Add the bacon mixture and reserved potatoes to the soup. Cover and cook over low heat, about 5 minutes.
• Meanwhile, remove the clams from their shells and roughly chop. Stir the clam meat and half-and-half into the soup; remove from the heat, cover and set aside, 20 to 30 minutes.
• Discard the bay leaves. Season the soup with salt and pepper and reheat. Serve topped with a slice of butter, parsley, chives and paprika.

LOW FAT POTATO LEEK SOUP

Steps:

• 1. Get a big pot that will fit all the ingredients and warm butter or margarine on medium heat till it melts.
• 2. Toss in the leeks and stir fry on medium for 5 minutes.
• 3. Add in the potato cubes and stir fry on medium for another 5 minutes.
• 4. Add in the broth and bring to a boil on high heat while slowly stirring, then immediately reduce to medium low and allow to simmer for 15 minutes or until the potato cubes are just tender.
• 5. Reduce heat to very low so the soup does not cool off.
• 6. Scoop 50% of the soup with potato cubes into blender and puree.
• 7. Put the pureed soup back in the pot and stir.
• 8. Add in the dill, marjoram, salt and pepper.
• 9. Simmer until ready to serve or put in jars for preserving. (you must use a pressure cooker - 10lbs @ 45 minutes).
• 10. When serving you can garnish with crumbled bacon or chopped dill.

LOW-FAT GRAVY

Steps:

• In a saucepan over medium heat, saute onion, mushroom and parsley in 1/4 cup of broth until tender.
• Combine cornstarch, pepper and 1/2 cup broth, stir until smooth.
• Add to saucepan along with remaining broth.
• Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally.
• Boil for 2 minutes.

LOW FAT PESTO SAUCE

Steps:

• Combine stock and garlic and heat in the microwave on high for 5 minutes (or heat on the stove). Allow to cool.
• Chop basil in food processor. Add cooled stock, Parmesan cheese and pine nuts. Whirl until everything is finely chopped and blended.
• Meanwhile, cook pasta of your choice. Toss sauce with pasta. Serve with additional Parmesan cheese if desired. Use as a topping for fish, chicken or potatoes also. Makes 4 servings.

HOMEMADE STOCK

Steps:

• Save a gallon freezer bag in your freezer.
• Wash all stock ingredients well before peeling.
• As you use your vegetables, chicken, or beef, save the peels, ends, leaves, skins, wing tips etc and place them in separate bags in your freezer. Keep a vegetable bag, a chicken bag and a beef bag. Your vegetable bag will fill the fastest and beef the slowest.
• Once you have a full bag of mixed vegetables, place them all in a large stockpot or a crock pot.
• Pour the water over your ingredients and add the bay leaf, peppercorns and any other herb or spice that you desire.
• If you don't have much garlic or parsley in your freezer bag, then add more if desired. If you have too much, it is not necessary to use it all. Just use what you desire for the flavor you wish to achieve.
• If making meat stock, add meat pieces and bones to the vegetables.
• If using a stockpot, bring to boil; reduce heat and simmer for 2 hours until vegetables are very soft.
• If using a crock pot, cover and cook on low overnight or for 6 to 8 hours.
• Strain stock through a colander to remove vegetables and herbs.
• Strain stock again through doubled layers of cheesecloth to remove all other small particles if desired.
• Stock can be reduced even further if desired or place in quart freezer bags, date and note the contents.
• Stock can be kept up to 6 months in your freezer.
• For Vegetarian and Vegan omit the beef and chicken.

LOW FAT, HOMEMADE STOCK

Steps:

• Prepare all the vegetables and chop them as described in this recipe. Add water to large pot. Add vegetables and spices. You can also spice up this stock even more if you like it very spicy. The red pepper flakes can be omitted if you are not comfortable with spicy stocks.
• Bring to a boil and then reduce to medium-low for 2 hours. Once cooked for 2 hours the stock will reduce to 4 cups of stock. Strain vegetables and keep the stock. Pour them into individual containers for freezing. You can use this stock immediately once cooked.
• There are few calories in this recipe. There is no salt added.

MAMA LAINA'S CHICKEN GRAVY (REDUCED-FAT VERSION)

Steps:

• Heat oil in a 2-quart saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in flour until smooth. Cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly golden brown, 7 to 10 minutes. Add chicken broth 1 cup at a time, whisking well after each addition. Add bouillon, garlic powder, rosemary, black pepper, onion powder, and paprika. Whisk until smooth, about 3 to 5 minutes. Reduce heat to low; simmer until thickened, about 5 minutes.

HOMEMADE LOW SODIUM CHICKEN STOCK

Steps:

• Remove neck and giblets from chicken cavity if they are there.
• In a large soup pot with lid, place chicken in 4 quarts (4 L) cold water. Add rest of ingredients, including the whole onions (ends removed) and slowly bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer on low heat for at least 2 hours. Adjust the heat so that the stock boils gently during this time - a rapid boil creates cloudier broth.
• Remove from the heat and let stand at room temperature for 15 minutes.
• Strain liquid into a large bowl or second pot. Discard vegetables, seasonings, bones and chicken skin. Put the meat in a shallow container and cool at room temperature for 15 minutes, then refrigerate for up to 2 days or put in container(s) and freeze.
• Before using discard the fat that accumulates on top.

LOW-FAT CHICKEN STOCK

Steps:

• Bring water to a boil with chicken wings in a 5- to 6-quart tall narrow stockpot and skim froth. Add remaining ingredients. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, skimming froth occasionally, 3 hours. Pour stock though a fine sieve set over a bowl and discard solids. Cool, uncovered, then chill, covered, until fat has solidified, at least overnight and up to 3 days. Scrape off all fat.