SPINACH
Spinach is one of the most useful greens. mild and
tender enough to eat raw, but also fantastic cooked to any level
Polenta
with Spinach, Black Beans, and Goat Cheese
1-teaspoon olive oil
2 garlic cloves minced
½ vegetable broth
¼ chopped sun dried tomatoes halves
½ teaspoon ground cumin
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained (15 ounce)
1 bunch fresh spinach
4 cups water
1 cup uncooked polenta
1 tablespoons butter
½ teaspoon salt
¼ cup grumbled goat cheese
Pepper (optional)
Heat 1-teaspoon oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium high heat. Add
garlic to pan, sauté 1 minute or until golden. Stir in broth, tomatoes,
cumin and beans, bring to a simmer. Cook 2 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Remove from heat. Add spinach, tossing to combine. Bring water to a boil in
a medium saucepan. Add polenta, butter and salt stir well with a whisk.
Reduce heat, and summer 3 minutes or until thick, stirring constantly. Spoon
in ¾ cup polenta into each of 4 bowls; top each with ¾ cup bean mixture.
Sprinkle 3 tablespoons cheese over each serving, garnish with black pepper
if desired. Yield 4 servings.
Spinach and
Feta Pie
2 cups shredded potatoes
2 green onions minced
¾ teaspoon salt
5 eggs
½ cup milk
¼ cup flour
¼ teaspoon ground pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 red onion finely chopped
2 garlic cloves minced
2 bunches of spinach, coarsely chopped
1 ½ cups crumbles feta cheese
2 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano
½ cup toasted bread crumbs
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Lightly oil 9 inch deep pie plate. Place the
potatoes and green onions in a colander and sprinkle with ½ teaspoon of the
salt. Drain for 5 minutes gently squeezing out any excess liquid. Place in a
medium bowl and add 1 of the eggs, the flour and pepper. Stir until well
blended. Press into the prepared pie plate to form a crust. Brush with 1
tablespoon of the oil. Bake for 30 minutes or until the crust is browned.
Meanwhile, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon oil in a medium skillet over
medium heat. Add the red onions and cook for 4 minutes or until soft. Add
the garlic and spinach and cook, stirring often for 3 minutes or until it
has wilted. Remove from the heat, drain off excess liquid and cool slightly.
In a large bowl, combine the remaining 4 eggs, 1 cup of the cheese, the milk,
oregano, the remaining ½ teaspoon of salt and the spinach mixture. Pour into
the baked crust; sprinkle the top with the bread crumbs and the remaining ½
cup cheese. Reduce the heat to 350 degrees and bake fro 35 minutes or until
a knife inserted into the center comes out clean. Let stand 15 minutes
before serving.
Quinoa Salad
with Dried Apricots and Spinach
Quinoa, a delicately flavored grain that was a staple in the ancient Incas’
diet, makes this dish substantial and satisfying. The grain is higher in
unsaturated fats and lower in carbohydrates than most grains, and the
quality of its protein is roughly equivalent to that of milk. Quinoa cooks
quickly, making it perfect for weeknight pilafs and hearty grain salads like
this one.
1-cup quinoa
2 teaspoons olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
½ cup dried apricots, coarsely chopped
2 cups waster
¼ Moroccan-spiced lemon dressing
1-cup cherry tomatoes (or not)
1 small red onion, chopped
8 cups spinach, washed and chopped
¼ cup sliced almonds, toasted
Toast quinoa in a dry skillet over medium heat, stirring often, until it
becomes aromatic and begins to crackle, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a fine
sieve and rinse thoroughly. Heat oil in a saucepan over medium heat; add
garlic and cook, stirring constantly, until golden, about 1 minute. Add
apricots and the quinoa; continue cooking, stirring often, until the quinoa
has dried out and turned light golden, 3-4 minutes. Add water and salt,
bring to a boil; reduce heat to low and simmer uncovered until the quinoa is
tender and the liquid is absorbed, 15-18 minutes. Meanwhile, make
Moroccan-spiced lemon dressing. When the quinoa is ready, transfer it to a
bowl and toss with 1/3 cup of the dressing. Let cool for 10 minutes just
before serving, add tomatoes and onion to the quinoa; toss spinach with the
remaining 1/3 cup dressing in large bowl. Divide the spinach among 4 plates.
Mount the quinoa salad on the spinach and sprinkle with almonds.
Moroccan-spiced Lemon Dressing
¼ cup fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons nonfat plain yogurt
1 ½ teaspoon honey
¼ teaspoon ground cumin
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoons ground ginger
¼ cup olive oil ¼ teaspoon salt Pepper to taste Whisk lemon juice, yogurt,
honey, cumin, cinnamon, and ginger in a small bowl until blended. Slowly
whisk in oil so that the dressing becomes smooth and emulsified. Season to
taste.
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Vegetable Curry
Browning curry powder intensifies its flavor and color.
½ head cauliflower, cored and cut into florets
2potatoes, peeled and diced
1 medium yellow onion peeled and minced
1 green apple, peeled, cored and minced
3 cloves garlic peeled and minced
8 whole shallots, peeled
2 tablespoons minced peeled fresh ginger
2 tablespoons curry powder
1 tablespoon flour
1 14oz can coconut milk
1 16 ox can chickpeas, drained
1 pound spinach washed and coarsely chopped
Parboil cauliflower in a large pot of water for 5 minutes. Drain in a
colander and rinse with cold water. Repeat process with potatoes, set both
aside. Heat butter in a skillet over medium heat, add onions, apples,
garlic, shallots and ginger and cook until onions are golden about 10
minutes. Add curry powder and cook stirring frequently, until mixture turns
dark brown, about 8 minutes. Stir in flour and cook another 2 minutes.
Add coconut milk, chickpeas, cauliflower, potatoes and ½ cup water. Lower
heat to medium, cover and cook 15 minutes. Add spinach, cover and cook until
wilted about 3 minutes. Serve over warm rice with condiments such as
raisins, flaked coconut, chopped cilantro and toasted cashews.
Spring Tonic Chicken Soup
This delicious, fragrant soup acts like a springtime tonic and helps chase
colds away. Use any dark greens, choosing the youngest and most brightly
colored leaves (these pack the most nutritional benefits).
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon yellow mustard seed
1 lemon, juiced rind grated
3 plump shallots, finely chopped
½ teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
2 skinless, boneless chicken breasts thinly sliced
6 cups baby spinach
4 cups sliced kale, chard, or collards
6 cups chicken broth
2 teaspoons parsley stemmed
In a pot, heat oil, mustard seed and lemon rind over medium high heat until
seeds begin to pop (about 1 minute).Add shallots and cook 2 minutes. Add
onion, salt and paprika and cook until barely soft (3-5 minutes). Stir in
chicken, cover pan and cook until opaque (5-7 minutes). Add greens, cover
pan and cook until lightly wilted (3-5 minutes). Add broth, bring to a
simmer and stir in lemon juice. Serve hot, garnished with parsley. Serves 4
Polenta with Spinach, Black Beans, and Goat Cheese
1-teaspoon olive oil
2 garlic cloves minced
½ cup vegetable broth
¼ cup chopped sun dried tomatoes halves
½ teaspoon ground cumin
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained (15 ounce)
1 bunch fresh spinach
4 cups water
1 cup uncooked polenta
1 tablespoons butter
½ teaspoon salt
¼ cup grumbled goat cheese
Pepper (optional)
Heat 1-teaspoon oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium high heat. Add
garlic to pan, sauté 1 minute or until golden. Stir in broth, tomatoes,
cumin and beans, bring to a simmer. Cook 2 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Remove from heat. Add spinach, tossing to combine. Bring water to a boil in
a medium saucepan. Add polenta, butter and salt stir well with a whisk.
Reduce heat, and summer 3 minutes or until thick, stirring constantly. Spoon
in ¾ cup polenta into each of 4 bowls; top each with ¾ cup bean mixture.
Sprinkle 3 tablespoons cheese over each serving, garnish with black pepper
if desired. Yield 4 servings.
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