Seafood Paella

     "There is no love sincerer than the love of food"  

- George Bernard Shaw

    Paella is a typical Filipino dish, but this recipe was originated in Valencia, Spain. Philippines was colonized by the Spaniards for many years, which explains the influences when it comes to food, customs, and traditions.
    Paella is made with meat, seafood, and vegetables. It seems that with Paella, almost anything goes! It's like a pizza that you can put anything on top. The only thing that you measure is the rice and the liquids which is important in making this dish.
    Another important ingredient is saffron but I used smoked paprika instead because it helps give a smoky taste. I like that you can put everything in a pan and it's complete with all the nutrients.

Ingredients:
- 2 1/2 cup rice
- 3 cups low sodium chicken stock
- 1/2 cup tomato soup
- 1 tsp. smoked paprika
- 1 small bell pepper
- 1/2 cup green peas
- 10 prawns
- 1 crab
- 20 clams
- 3 cloves of garlic minced
- 1 onion chopped
- olive oil (to saute)
- salt & pepper to taste

Directions:
1.) Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2.) Boil the chicken stock, and then put in the clams. Cook until it just opens. Drain the clams, and then set aside.
3.) Take your Paella pan, and put oil. Fry the prawns until it turns red. Then, set aside. In the same pan, saute the garlic and onions. Add the rice and smoked paprika and stir well until it's coated with oil.
4.) Now add the bell pepper, the chicken stock, and the tomato soup. Stir, then bring to a boil. Taste, and adjust the seasoning to taste. Cover the pan tightly with foil, and bake in the oven for 20 minutes.
5.) After 20 minutes, uncover the foil; add green peas, and fluff up the rice. Arrange the prawn, crab and clams decoratively on top. Cover the pan again with foil, and bake for 5 to 10 minutes.
6.) Serve with lemon wedges and sliced hard boiled eggs. Enjoy!

*Nutritional Bonus: 
Among other important vitamin and nutrients, this dish is rich with copper. It's essential for absorption of iron. Copper deficiency can result in symptoms similar to iron deficiency which is anemia.