Spinach Stuffed Chicken Breasts

 

Spinach Stuffed Chicken Breasts

Juicy, cheesy, and full of flavor, this Spinach Stuffed Chicken is the perfect keto-friendly dinner. Each serving has 3.2g net carbs and a whopping 47g of protein, making it a satisfying weeknight meal that's both healthy and indulgent.

Ingredients

 

4 medium chicken breasts, boneless and skinless
8 ounces (226.8 g) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
1/4 cup (59.15 ml) butter, divided
4 garlic cloves, minced, divided
Salt and pepper
1/2 cup (118.29 ml) whole milk ricotta
1/2 cup (118.29 ml) shredded mozzarella
1/4 cup (59.15 ml) grated Parmesan
1/2 tsp (0.5 tsp) paprika

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Squeeze as much moisture as possible out of the spinach. 

In a medium bowl, combine the spinach, ricotta, mozzarella, Parmesan, and 2 cloves of the minced garlic. Season with salt and pepper and mix well to combine.

Using a sharp knife, slice each chicken breast horizontally through the center, but don't cut all the way through. Open each breast like a book.

Stuff each chicken breast with 1/4 of this mixture and secure the opening with several toothpicks. Season the top and bottom of the breasts with paprika, salt, and pepper.

Heat a large ovenproof skillet over medium heat. Add the butter to the pan and let melt. Once hot, add the remaining garlic and then add the chicken breasts. Cook until golden brown on the outside, about 3 to 4 minutes per side.

Place the entire skillet in the oven and cook until the chicken reaches 165ºF on an instant read thermometer, about 20 minutes.

Want to prep your stuffed chicken breast ahead of time? No problem!       Proceed through Steps 1 to 3.      Then refrigerate the chicken breasts for up to 8 hours before cooking. Be sure to cook thoroughly and make sure the breasts AND the filling reach an internal temperature of at least 165ºF.

Easy Vegetarian Ramen With Rich, Savory Broth

 

Easy Vegetarian Ramen with Rich, Savory Broth

If you’ve been pining for a vegetarian ramen that’s full of heft and deep, savory flavor, look no further. This is it. The longer you steep 

the dried shiitakes, the deeper the flavor will be — so 

if you can spare 10 minutes in the morning or the night before, it’s worth starting the recipe then. If not, you can make it all at once, and it will still be delicious. The only real trick to ramen is that there are a lot of moving parts at the very end. Enlist a helper to assemble the bowls, or just shake it like a boss for five minutes before serving. It’s fun and totally worth it.

Ingredients

8 cups good low-sodium vegetable broth, this is my favorite by far

1 ounce dried shiitakes, 15-20 mushrooms

¼ cup low-sodium tamari or other good soy sauce

2 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided

1 small yellow onion, thinly sliced

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/2- inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and minced

1 tablespoon good butter

1 tablespoon white miso paste

1 tablespoon mirin, rice wine

10 ounces baby spinach

4 eggs

10 ounces sliced fresh shiitake mushrooms

4 servings fresh or dry ramen noodles*

One 6-ounce package baked tofu, at room temperature

2 to 3 scallions, white and green parts sliced

Gomasio, sesame salt

Toasted sesame oil with hot chili

Directions:

Combine the vegetable broth and dried shiitakes in a medium pot. Bring to a boil, then cover and remove from heat. Let mushrooms steep for at least 30 minutes, up to 24 hours.

Remove mushrooms from pot and roughly chop, removing and discarding stems. Add mushrooms to a blender with one cup of the broth and puree until perfectly smooth. Add this mixture back to the stock pot along with the tamari. The broth can sit at this stage until shortly before serving, up to a few days in the fridge if you like.

In a large frying pan, heat one tablespoon of the vegetable oil over medium-high heat. Add the sliced onion and cook, stirring frequently, until softened and lightly browned in spots, about 5 minutes. Add the minced garlic and ginger and cook, stirring, two minutes more. Add this mixture to the stock pot.

Bring a large pot of unsalted water to a boil. Add the spinach and cook for about a minute, until just wilted. Remove from pot and set aside.  Add eggs to pot, reduce heat to simmer, and cook for 7 minutes. Remove eggs to an ice bath and carefully peel when cool enough to touch.

Return water to boil, then add noodles and cook according to package directions. Drain and divide noodles among four large bowls.

While noodles cook, add the remaining tablespoon of vegetable oil to the same frying pan used for the onion and heat over medium-high. Add the sliced shiitakes along with a couple of good pinches of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until reduced in volume and nicely browned in spots, about 10 minutes.  

To assemble the ramen, bring the broth back up to a simmer and then remove from heat. Off the heat, whisk in the butter, miso paste and mirin. Ladle some broth over the noodles in each bowl, just shy of the level of the noodles. Arrange a little pile of spinach and of shiitakes in each bowl. Slice the tofu and arrange a few slices in each bowl. Cut each egg in half and place two halves in each bowl. Sprinkle with scallions, gomasio and a little toasted sesame chili oil, with extra garnishes to pass at the table. 

Serve with chopsticks and large spoons.  Serves 6 to 8

• To assemble the ramen, bring the broth back up to a simmer and then remove from heat. Off the heat, whisk in the butter, miso paste and mirin. Ladle some broth over the noodles in each bowl, just shy of the level of the noodles. Arrange a little pile of spinach and of shiitakes in each bowl. Slice the tofu and arrange a few slices in each bowl. Cut each egg in half and place two halves in each bowl. Sprinkle with scallions, gomasio and a little toasted sesame chili oil, with extra garnishes to pass at the table.
  
  Serve with chopsticks and large spoons

Greek Spanakopita

 

Spanakopita

Golden, wafer-thin sheets of phyllo, a creamy spinach filling that's packed with tangy feta and fresh herbs… this classic Spanakopita (spinach pie) would make any Greek grandmother proud. Phyllo can be finicky, but this recipe makes it foolproof. Whole sheets are stacked in the baking dish and brushed with butter—no slicing or folding, and if a sheet tears, no one will know! Here's a genius trick for even squares that won't shatter when sliced: score the phyllo first, before baking, so the knife cuts cleanly through before serving. Serve as an appetizer at any dinner party, or cut into bigger squares for a truly satisfying dinner idea.
Ingredients:
2 10-oz. packages frozen chopped spinach, thawed
10 Tbsp. unsalted butter

1 yellow onion, chopped
4 scallions, chopped
4 garlic cloves, chopped
2 large eggs, beaten
6 oz. container crumbled feta
1 cup cottage cheese
1/4 cup chopped parsley
2 Tbsp. chopped dill
1 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
16 9 X 13-inch sheets frozen phyllo dough, thawed                                                     Directions:                                                                                                                               Place the spinach in a large dish towel or double layer of paper towels and squeeze to remove as much excess moisture as possible. Set aside.

Melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, scallions, and garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are softened, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer the mixture to a large bowl and let cool for 10 minutes.

Add the eggs, feta, cottage cheese, parsley, dill, salt, pepper and drained spinach to the onion mixture. Stir until well combined.

Preheat the oven to 375°. Melt the remaining 9 tablespoons butter in a small microwavable bowl in 15 second intervals in the microwave. Brush a 9-by-13-inch baking dish generously with butter. Place two sheets of phyllo dough in the bottom of the dish, layered on top of each other. Brush the top with butter. Repeat the process 3 more times, for a total of 8 phyllo sheets, brushing with butter every other layer. Spread the spinach mixture evenly over the crust. Top with 2 phyllo sheets and brush the top with butter. Repeat with the remaining 6 phyllo sheets, brushing with butter every other layer. Drizzle any remaining butter evenly over top of the spanakopita.

5Score the top crust of phyllo sheets into 15 pieces using a paring knife. (This will make cutting after baking easier.) Bake the spanakopita until golden brown and flaky, 45 to 55 minutes. Serve hot.

White Bean Chili Soup. ~. Vegan

 

White Bean Spinach Soup

This is a recipe for a tasty but great soup high in nutrition.  Protein galore along with Vitamin K and the power points!  Great on these winter days!

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil extra virgin
• 1 onion large, diced
• 1 celery rib sliced
• 3-4 garlic cloves minced
• 4 cups vegetable stock
• 1 yellow potato large, peeled and grated
• 1 bay leaf
• ½ teaspoon thyme dried
• 1 19-ounce can white beans drained and rinsed
• 10-12 ounces spinach chopped, tough stems removed
• 1 tablespoon Italian parsley fresh, minced
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice freshly squeezed
• 1-2 tablespoons grated Pecorino Romano or Parmigiano Reggiano cheese. optional
• salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

• Drizzle olive oil in a large stockpot set over medium heat.
• Add the chopped onions and celery, and saute for about 5 minutes or until onions are translucent.
• Add the garlic and cook for barely a minute, stirring frequently.
• Add the vegetable stock, grated potato, bay leaf, and thyme.
• Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium, cover and simmer for 15 minutes.
• Add the white kidney beans and simmer for another 5 minutes.
• Stir in the spinach and simmer for 1 more minute.
• Remove from heat and add lemon juice and parsley.
• Adjust salt and pepper seasonings.
• If using, garnish with cheese.
• Serve immediately and enjoy.

Stuffed shells with Ricotta and Spinach.

Spinach and Ricotta Stuffed Shells

 A bit of preparation makes assembling these stuffed pasta shells with ricotta and spinach much easier. 

Let’s get started!  The Tomato Sauce: For this pasta dish, you’ll need about 3 to 3½ cups of tomato or marinara sauce. I usually use half of my quick tomato sauce recipe. If you prefer, feel free to use your favorite store-bought brand.  

 Mise En Place                                                                                   Doing a little bit of prep work facilitates the assembling of these Italian shells. Let’s begin!                                                                         

The Tomato Sauce: For this recipe, you need a tomato or Marinara Sauce. You will need approximately 3-3½ cups. I used half of the amount of my Quick Tomato Sauce recipe. If it is more convenient for you, use your favorite commercial brand. 

Cook the Pasta: Bring a very large pot of water to a rolling boil. Add 2 tablespoons of salt. Add about 24 -26 shells, a few at a time to prevent them from sticking together.

Cook according to the package instructions minus a few minutes since it continues to bake in the oven.

Prepare a clean tea towel on the countertop.

Cook the Pasta: 

Bring a very large pot of water to a rolling boil. Add 2 tablespoons of salt. Add about 24 -26 shells, a few at a time to prevent them from sticking together.

Cook according to the package instructions minus a few minutes since it continues to bake in the oven.

Prepare a clean tea towel on the countertop.

When ready, remove the giant shells from the pot of boiling water.

Drain and place upside down on a clean tea towel to remove the excess water. Set   aside

The Meat Mixture: 

While waiting for the pasta to cook, sauté the chopped onion in 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat until beginning to soften (3-4 minutes).

Add 2-3 cloves of chopped garlic, a few pinches of red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper to taste, and sauté for an additional 2-3 minutes
stirring frequently.

Add the lean minced meat. Saute and break up the meat with a wooden spoon. Cook until cooked through about 5-7 minutes. Taste and adjust seasonings.

Turn the heat to medium-high. De-glaze pan with 2 tablespoons of white wine.

Drain the fat and set aside the meat to cool down.                

                               The Cheese Mixture

In a large bowl combine 2 cups fresh ricotta, 2 eggs, ½ cup Parmigiano-Reggiano Cheese or Pecorino Romano Cheese, 1½ cups freshly grated mozzarella and 2 tablespoons freshly chopped Italian flat-leaf parsley.  1 12oz bag spinach excess moisture removed.

The cheese filling is done.  It’s now time to combine all the ingredients 
together.

How To Assemble

Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Place the oven grate in the center.

Using two spoons or a pastry bag with the bottom cut off, fill each of the 24-26 cavities with about 2-3 tablespoons of the meat and cheese filling. As you can see, they are completely filled up.

Place about ½-1 cup of tomato sauce at the base of a 13 x 9″ baking dish. Tilt the dish so that the sauce coats the bottom evenly.

Place the cheese and meat-filled pasta shells facing up in the prepared dish.

Top with the remaining tomato sauce, reserving at least 1 cup. 

Place a piece of parchment paper over the top. Then, cover tightly with a piece of aluminum foil.

Bake for 20-30 minutes until cooked through and bubbling.

Uncover both the aluminum wrap and the parchment paper and bake for another 3-5 minutes.

Remove the baked dish from the oven.

Garnish with reserved tomato sauce (heated), chopped fresh Italian parsley and extra grated cheese.

Serve immediately and enjoy!  Serves 6 to 8.

Spinach Lasagna. ~ Vegan

Spinach Lasagna

This spinach lasagna is gloriously cheesy, perfectly saucy, and fully loaded with fresh sautéed spinach. It’s worthy of special occasions and holidays, and such a treat on a chilly weekend.  If you’re craving a meatless main dish with familiar flavors, this spinach lasagna is the answer. The sauce is made from scratch and sets this lasagna apart from your average recipe.

Ingredients:
Tomato sauce (or substitute 2 cups jarred marinara sauce)
1 can (28 ounces) diced tomatoes
¼ cup roughly chopped fresh basil
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 garlic cloves, pressed or minced
½ teaspoon fine salt
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
Spinach mixture
2 cups (16 ounces) low-fat cottage cheese
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 small-to-medium yellow onion, chopped
¼ teaspoon fine salt
4 cloves garlic, pressed or minced
12 ounces baby spinach, preferably organic
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Remaining lasagna ingredients
9 no-boil lasagna noodles
8 ounces (2 cups) freshly grated low-moisture, part-skim mozzarella cheese
Sprinkle of additional chopped fresh basil, for garnish 

Directions: 
Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. To prepare the tomato sauce, pour the tomatoes into a mesh sieve or fine colander and let them drain off excess juice for a minute. Transfer drained tomatoes to the bowl of a food processor. Add the basil, olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper flakes (if using). Pulse the mixture about 10 times, until the tomatoes have broken down to an easily spreadable consistency. Pour the mixture into a bowl for later (you should have about 2 cups of sauce).

Rinse out the food processor and return it to the machine. Pour half of the cottage cheese (1 cup) into the processor and blend it until smooth, about 1 minute. Transfer the mixture to a large mixing bowl. No need to rinse out the bowl of the food processor this time; just put it back onto the machine because you’ll need it later.

Warm 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Once the oil is shimmering, add the chopped onion and ¼ teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring often, until the onion is tender and translucent, about 4 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

Add a few large handfuls of spinach. Cook, stirring and tossing frequently, until the spinach has wilted. Repeat with remaining spinach. Continue cooking for about 10 to 12 minutes, stirring frequently, until the spinach has dramatically reduced in volume and very little moisture remains in the bottom of the pan.

Transfer the spinach mixture to the bowl of the food processor and pulse until the contents are finely chopped (but not puréed!), about 12 to 15 times. Transfer the mixture to the bowl of whipped cottage cheese. Top with remaining cottage cheese and mix well. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Now it’s lasagna assembly time!

Spread ½ cup tomato sauce evenly over the bottom of a 9-inch square baker. Layer three lasagna noodles on top, overlapping their edges as necessary. Spread half of the spinach mixture evenly over the noodles. Top with ½ cup tomato sauce, then sprinkle ½ cup shredded cheese on top.

Top with three more noodles, followed by the remaining spinach mixture. Sprinkle ½ cup shredded cheese on top. (We’re skipping the tomato sauce in this layer.) Top with three more noodles, then spread the remaining tomato sauce over the top so the noodles are evenly covered. Sprinkle evenly with all of the remaining cheese.

Wrap the lasagna with a layer of parchment paper over the top (or cover tightly with aluminum foil, but don’t let the foil touch the cheese). Bake, covered, for 18 minutes, then remove the cover, rotate the pan by 180 degrees and continue cooking for about 12 to 17 more minutes, until the top is turning spotty brown.

Remove from oven and let the lasagna cool for 15 minutes before sprinkling with chopped basil and slicing.

Spinach Salad With Cranberry Vinaigrette, Walnut Praline And Blue Cheese

Spinach Salad With Cranberry Vinaigrette,

Walnut Praline, And Blue Cheese

I buy an extra bag or two of cranberries when they are in season for my freezer to have on hand for use in recipes throughout the year.

Ingredients:

Spicy Walnut Praline:

1 cup lightly toasted walnuts, finely chopped 

1 tsp.. salt 
1/4 tsp.. cayenne or to taste 
1/2 cup sugar 
2 - 6 oz.. bags baby spinach 
1/2 cup dried cranberries 
1 cup Danish blue cheese, crumbled 
Cranberry Vinaigrette: 
1/2 cup fresh cranberries 
3 T.. raspberry vinegar 
1 clove garlic, peeled 
1 tsp.. minced shallots 
1/2 tsp.. Dijon mustard 
1/4 cup Cranberry juice cocktail 
3 T. walnut or olive oil 
1 T. honey 
3 leaves fresh mint 
1/3 cup vegetable oil 
Salt to taste 
Directions:

For Walnut Praline, toss together walnuts, salt and cayenne. In a dry  small heavy nonstick skillet cook sugar over medium heat , without stirring, swirling pan until golden. Add walnut mixture and stir to coat nuts with caramel. Spoon praline onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and cool. When cool, transfer to a cutting board and chop. Keeps 3 days.

For vinaigrette, place cranberries, vinegar, garlic, shallots and mustard in food processor blender and pulse several times to coarsely chop. Add the cranberry juice, walnut or olive oil, honey and mint; blend until thin and smooth. With machine running slowly all vegetable oil in a steady thin stream and blend to form a slightly thickened and emulsified dressing. Season with salt.. 

Place spinach and dried cranberries in a large salad bowl and toss with enough dressing to coat th e leaves well. Divide salad among serving plates and sprinkle with walnuts and blue cheese. Serve immediately.

Serves 8

Egg Bites

Egg Bites

This recipe was inspired by Starbucks. 
Equipment:  Nonstick Muffin Pan,  Blender,  Steamer Basket
Ingredients

Extra-virgin olive oil, for the pan
6 large eggs
¾ cup whole milk cottage cheese
¼ teaspoon sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
3 cups fresh spinach, 3 ounces
½ cup diced roasted red bell pepper, about 1 pepper
½ cup chopped green onion, about 2 green onions

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350°F and grease a nonstick muffin tin with olive oil.

In a blender, place the eggs, cottage cheese, salt, and several grinds of pepper. Blend until smooth.

Place the spinach in a steamer basket and set over a pot filled with 1 inch of water. Bring the water to a simmer, cover, and steam for 1 minute, or until the spinach is wilted. Transfer to a strainer and squeeze out the excess water. Roughly chop.

Place the spinach in a medium bowl and add the peppers and scallions. Toss to combine and measure ¼ cup of the mixed vegetables. Set aside.

Evenly divide the remaining veggies among the muffin cups. Pour a scant ¼ cup of the egg mixture over the vegetables in each well. Divide any remaining egg mixture evenly among the wells. Evenly sprinkle the reserved ¼ cup vegetables on top.

Bake for 18 to 22 minutes, or until the eggs are set. Let cool for 5 minutes before removing from the pan.