Crustless Salmon Spinach Quiche

Good solid dish, serve with some crusty baguette. Next time I'm going to play with mixing the salmon into the egg custard. We tripled this recipe and the cook time was much longer. I recommend a single batch, which is what I'm transcribing here.

Crustless Salmon Spinach Quiche
from Lynns Kitchen Adventures

Ingredients:
2 Tbs butter
1 medium onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
10 oz. frozen spinach
14.5 oz canned boneless salmon, drained and flaked
16 oz. plain full-fat yogurt
4 eggs
1.5 cups cheddar cheese, grated
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
0.5 tsp herbes de provence, dried
tomato, sliced thin, for garnish

Instructions:
1. Pre-heat oven to 350F.
2. Bring a skillet to medium heat and melt butter. Sautee onion until golden-brown, then add garlic and cook for 1 minute more.
3. Combine well all other ingredients to create the egg custard and set aside.
4. In a 9x13" pan, spread spinach in bottom. Then layer salmon on top of spinach, then the sauteed onion, then the custard mixture. Make single-layer of tomato on top of custard.
5. Bake for 50 minutes, or until egg custard is completely set in the middle when cut.

Green mac ‘n’ cheese with spinach & broccoli

 Cut down to fit a 1 lb. macaroni bag. Raymond decided he wanted to make ALL THE MAC AND CHEESE. So we made all 4 of the Jamie Oliver mac and cheese variations. He believes that they need more cheese, as Jamie Oliver is "a health nut" according to him so I may come back around and tweak these recipes. But overall delicious and great as a side. 

I think to make this into an entree, all you'd have to do is bake some chicken with herbs, oil, and salt to cut up into this. I'd say 250 g. of cooked chicken would be plenty.

Green mac ‘n’ cheese with spinach & broccoli

adapted from Jamie Oliver

2 Tbs. butter
3 Tbs. flour  
6 cloves garlic, peeled and finely sliced  
4 fresh bay leaves
3 cups milk
1 lb. macaroni
125g Cheddar cheese, freshly grated
75 g Parmesan cheese + more for sprinkling, freshly grated
150g. spinach 
1 head broccoli

2 splashes Worcestershire sauce, optional  

1 grating nutmeg, optional 
a few sprigs fresh basil

1. Melt butter in oven-proof sauce pan on low, add flour, turn to medium and stir until roux is formed.

2. Add sliced garlic and cook until golden and garlic is sticky, stirring constantly.

3. Add bay leaves and slowly whisk in milk.

4. Bring to a boil, then turn to low and leave simmering.

5. While bringing to a boil, chop up and steam broccoli for 8 minutes until fork-tender.

6. Once sauce is ready, add broccoli and spinach to sauce and combine using immersion blender.

7. Add cooked pasta to sauce, stir in cheddar Parmesan, and optional ingredients. Add salt and pepper to taste.

8. Place in oven pan, sprinkle over some more Parmesan over top along with a few springs of basil.

9. Bake for 30 minutes at 425F.

Spinach and Sun-dried Tomato Pinwheels

Ah, Thanks giving day! A true foodie holiday. My immediate family and I went over to my aunt's on my mom's side and had our feast there. But before going, I asked my mom (same morning, of course): What are we supposed to bring? She tells me a vegetable dish and an hors d'oeuvres tray. When I ask what vegetable and hors d'oeuvres, she said sweet potato and pickles (respectively). I had a minor panic, knowing that neither of those would be the options my aunt was looking for. Sure enough, when my mom called over to see if sweet potato would be an acceptable vegetable substitute, someone else had already been assigned the task of brining the sweet potato side, so I quickly whipped up these little guys for hors d'oeuvres and a ratatoulli (which ended up becoming a south-west vegetable fry, because chili-ready diced tomatoes != diced tomatoes).

In the end, it all worked out. Everyone loved the pinwheels, so much so that I didn't end up taking any of these little guys home (probably for the best, given all the days of over-eating unhealthy foods to come). With these, I substituted in toasted blanched almonds, chopped finely because my parents' pinenuts had gone bad, but it worked out quite well! Feel free to make said substitution yourself. I didn't happen to have scallions on hand (as my dad doesn't like onions of any kind), but they would definitely make this appetizer pop.

I hope everyone got to enjoy their family and good food this Thanksgiving holiday, and bon appetit!

Spinach and Sun-dried Tomato Pin-wheels
from cook and be merry

Ingredients:

Crepes:
3 eggs
1.5 cups milk
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
10 oz. fresh spinach
1 cup finely minced scallions (I omitted)
olive oil

Filling:
16 oz. cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 cup finely chopped fresh basil
1 Tbs vodka
2 tsp. grated lemon zest
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 tsp pepper
1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained and minced
3 oz (1/2 cup) toasted pine nuts, roughly chopped

Instructions:
1. Heat a skillet over medium-heat. Add about 1 Tbs. of oil, and saute spinach until completely wilted. Remove from pan and finely chop.
2. Whisk together eggs, milk, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp pepper.  Whisk in minced spinach.
3. Heat a pan (or multiple) on medium-low heat, add a little bit of oil to coat the pan, and add 1/4 cup batter. Swirl around to evenly coat the pan. Cook the crepe until the crepe stays together enough to be flipped, then flip and cook until the other side has set. Place to the side on a plate and repeat with remaining batter.
4. Mix together all filling ingredients.
5. Take a crepe, spread 1/4" thick filling across the top, and roll together. Place on a plastic wrapped tray and repeat with remaining crepes and filling.
6. Cover finished rolls with more plastic wrap and chill for an hour to over-night.
7. When ready to serve, take out and slice slightly diagonally (if desired), munching on the ends as you go, and place pin-wheels on a platter. Serve cold or room temperature.

Cheesy Spinach Soup

A simple, quick soup that's packed full of spinach and lightly flavored with cheese. I used cheddar, but you can use anything you want really (the original recipe suggested gruyere)

Cheesy Spinach Soup
from Annies Eats

Ingredients:
2 Tbs. butter
1 medium onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
6 oz. potato, peeled and cubed
3 cups vegetable broth
salt and pepper to taste
8 oz. spinach
4 oz. cheddar cheese, shredded

Instructions:
1. Melt butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add onions and saute until just tender (~3-4 mins). Stir in garlic and potato, and cook until just fragrant (~1 min).
2. Add vegetable broth to pot and bring to a boil. Seas on with salt and pepper to taste. Lower heat to a simmer and cover, letting cook about 15 minutes, or until potatos are fork-tender.
3. Stir in spinach leaves and cover pot once more. Let cook just until the leaves have wilted (~1-2 mins). Pour into a blender and puree to a smooth consistency.
4. Pour back into pot and stir in cheese until completely melted. Serve warm.

Spinach & Sun-dried Tomato Ravioli

This ravioli was so easy to make, there's hardly an excuse any more to buy store-bought ravioli. This recipe makes 6 servings (2 servings of about 10 ravioli each shown above), so plenty left over to save and freeze for later! Read instructions below for freezing.

Spinach & Sun-dried Tomato Ravioli
from Call Me Fudge

Ingredients:
1 Tbs. olive oil
10 oz. fresh spinach
1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil, chopped, oil reserved
2 eggs
15 oz. ricotta (recipe here)
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/8 tsp. nutmeg
1 Tbs. water
1 package wonton wrappers

Instructions:
1. Heat the olive oil and oil reserved from the sun-dried tomatoes in a large skillet on medium heat. Add spinach, and saute until wilted and most water has evaporated.
2. Drain spinach, and add to mixing bowl with sun-dried tomatoes, ricotta, 1 egg beaten, salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Mix well until completely combined.
3. Beat the remaining egg in a bowl with the tablespoon of water, and set aside.
4. On a clean, dry surface, lay out a wonton wrapper, put about a teaspoon of filling on one half of the wonton wrapper, centered. Dip a brush in egg wash, and brush 2 touching edges of the ravioli, and then bring the corner farthest away from the filling towards the opposite edge to make a triangular shaped ravioli. Gently press the sides together with your fingers, and then use a fork to again gently press the sides together that you just brought together. Repeat until all filling is used up (I ended up with about 1/4 cup extra filling)
5. Fill a large pot with water and bring to a boil. Gently add each ravioli, and cook until they float to the top (2-3 minutes). Remove with spoon and serve with grated Parmesan (and perhaps toss in olive oil to prevent sticking)

To store extra ravioli:
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, and tessellate the ravioli to maximize space usage. Place sheet in the freezer, and once ravioli's are frozen, you can transfer to a freezer-safe container and user later. When using later, do not unfreeze before using. Pop the still-frozen ravioli in a pot of boiling water and wait for them to float to the top before removing.

Herbed Spinach Dip

Super fresh and light dip to go with chopped veggies, long and thin toasts, or can even be used as a salad dressing. It should be a little thicker than this picture shows, if spinach is properly drained : )

Herbed Spinach Dip
from Laura Sweets Pot

Ingredients:
10 oz. spinach (fresh or frozen)
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup flat-leaf parsley, packed
1 Tbs. fresh dill
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 tsp. hot sauce
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/2 red bell pepper, chopped finely

Instructions:
1. If using frozen spinach, drain. If using fresh, make sure you pat down with a paper towel after rinsing (unless using ready-to-use spinach).
2. Add spinach, sour cream, mayonnaise, parsley, dill, garlic, hot sauce, salt, and pepper into the food processor, and process until smooth.
3. Pour into a bowl, stir in bell pepper, and serve.

Labaneya (Egyptian Yogurt and Spinach Soup)

Labaneya (Egyptian Yogurt and Spinach Soup)
from Baltic Maid

Ingredients:
1 tsp. olive oil
1 onion, minced
1 - 12 oz. bag spinach
4 cups broth
1/2 cup uncooked rice
2 cups yogurt
3 cloves garlic, minced

Instructions:
1. Heat olive oil in large skillet, and saute onion until soft. Then, add spinach and cook until spinach is completely wilted.
2. Transfer cooked spinach/onion into a pot, and add broth and uncooked rice. Cook on medium-high for about 20 minutes, until rice is cooked.
3. Turn heat down to low, and whisk in yogurt and raw garlic. Heat soup until desired temperature, making sure not to boil.
4. (optional) Add salt and pepper to taste, garnish with mint.

Spinach Tomato Cheese Pasta

Simple tasty healthy weeknight meal. Enough said.

Spinach Tomato Cheese Pasta
adapted from tracey's culinary adventures

Ingredients:
1 lb. shaped pasta
1/4 cup olive oil
3 cloves garlic
15 oz. fresh spinach
8 oz. cherry tomatoes, halved
5 1/4 oz. garlic cheddar
1 t. salt
3/4 t. ground pepper

Instructions:
1. Cook pasta according to package directions, until al dente. Drain, and reserver 1/2 cup pasta water.
2. Add oil to a large skillet, and heat to medium heat. Add garlic and cook until just fragrant. Then add spinach and tomatoes. Cook until all spinach is wilted.
3. Combine pasta, spinach mixture, 1/2 cup pasta water, cheese, and salt and pepper. Gently stir until evenly combined. Server hot.

Cilantro Lime Chickpea Salad

Surprisingly delicious, and healthy because the spinach is raw! Unfortunately I added way too much spinach, so it wasn't evenly proportioned. I'll come back to this recipe one day and fine tune it. Definitely want to make it again.



Cilantro Lime Chickpea Salad
from Heather's Dish

Ingredients:
2 cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed
4 cups loosely-packed spinach
1/2 onion
1 bunch cilantro, stems removed
juice of 4 limes
3 T. sugar
2 T. dijon mustard
2 cloves garlic
1/2 T. chili powder
1/2 c. olive oil

Instructions:
1. Put spinach into the food processor, and pulse until it's a consistent texture.
2. Combine chickpeas and spinach in a large bowl.
3. Mince onion in the food processor, then add to bowl with the chickpeas.
4. Combine remaining ingredients, and pulse together until evenly combined.
5. Pour dressing over chickpeas and stir to combine. Let sit for 10 mins to over night, to let marinate.

Stuffed Shells

Sin-fully delicious. I did this recipe once upon a time with whipped cottage cheese, but this version with the (home-made) ricotta is far superior. Serve 3 - 4 shells each with a light side salad.

Stuffed Shells

adapted from Healthy Food for Living
makes 4 servings

Ingredients:

2 cups ricotta cheese (recipe here)
1 Tbs. butter
2 cloves garlic, minced
9 oz. fresh spinach (4 cups tightly packed)
1 egg, beaten
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
1/4 t. salt
1/4 t. pepper
1 t. Italian seasoning
1 1/2 cup marinara sauce, divided
1 cup shredded mozzarella

16 jumbo shells

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 F.
2. Bring a pot of water to boil. Add shells, and cook for 10 minutes (until al dente), then strain and set aside.
3. Heat butter in a skillet on medium heat, then add garlic and saute for 30 sec. Add all spinach, and cook until all spinach is wilted, stirring often.
4. In a bowl, combine whipped cottage cheese, sauteed spinach, salt, pepper, Italian seasonings, egg, and Parmesan cheese. Combine well.
5. In a cake pan, spread 1/2 cup of marinara sauce evenly over the bottom.
6. Take a shell, open up (like a coin purse), and fill with the cottage cheese mixture. When stuffed, place into cake pan. Repeat process until all shells are filled. Cover with remaining marinara sauce, and sprinkle the mozzarella over the top.
7. Bake for 35 mins.

Eggs Florentine

This is from one of the many vegetarian cook books my family has given me over the years. This is not my favorite one, I don't suggest it. It turned out rather unflavorful. That being said, I'm still glad I made it, because it was my first successful milk-flour thickening experience. For future implementations of this recipe, I think adding some salt and sharp cheese to the spinach before it's layered into the pan would greatly improve this.


One of the awesome girls in my club has a family that raises chickens of all types, and she brought several dozen eggs to the club meeting last week. That inspired me to find an awesome egg recipe to let these babies shine, instead of just scrambling them like I normally do for breakfast, or putting them in an egg and cheese quesadilla.




Eggs Florentine
adapted from The Big Book of Vegetarian

Ingredients:
2 - 10 oz. packages of chopped spinach, thawed and drained
4 large eggs
2 T. flour
1/4 t. salt
3 dashes of paprika (+ more for sprinkling)
1 1/3 cup milk
1/3 cup Parmesan cheese(+ more for sprinkling)
4 English muffins, split and toasted
salt and pepper to garnish
Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 F.
2. Grease a 9" cake pan, and press spinach evenly into the bottom. With a spoon, make 4 egg-sized indents. Crack the four eggs into each of the four indents.
3. In a medium sauce pan, combined the flour, salt, and paprika. Gradually add milk, stirring with a whisk until well blended. Place over medium heat, whisking constantly, until thick (8 mins)
4. Remove sauce pan from heat, add Parmesan, and whisk until combined. Pour sauce over eggs.
5. Sprinkle with a little extra Parmesan cheese and paprika, and bake for 25 mins.
6. Cut the spinach-egg bake into 4 portions, and serve each portion over 2 toasted English muffin halves. Salt and pepper to taste (it will need both)

Baked Eggs with Spinach

To treat myself on Friday to a nice breakfast, I made this recipe I saw on taste spotting.

Baked Eggs with Spinach
adapted from Ten Things That

Ingredients:
chopped frozen spinach
1 egg
nutmeg
salt
pepper
garlic powder
milk
olive oil

Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 F.
2. Saute, in olive oil, enough spinach to fill a ramekin almost to the top, leaving room for an egg.
3. Combine spinach in ramekin, and add salt, pepper, nutmeg (a little goes a long way).
4. Then fill ramekin with milk up to the level of the spinach.
5. Crack egg into ramekin, and add a little more milk on top.
6. Place ramekin into oven on a pan, and bake for 20 mins.