Showing posts with label spinach. Show all posts
Showing posts with label spinach. Show all posts
Sunday, March 22, 2015
Spinach Bisque Slow Cooker Recipe
You know the cozy feeling you get at the end of a long day when you put on your worn flannel pajama pants and throw a holey afghan over your shoulders so you can cuddle on the couch with a really good book?
This soup creates the same feeling: pure bliss and comfort.
In a bowl.
The Ingredients.
serves 8
1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained (it was buy1 get1 free day when I made the minestrone!)
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup butter, melted
1/4 cup all-purpose flour (I used a gluten free baking mix)
2 cups milk (I used low fat)
1 cup water
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 (16-ounce package) Velveeta, cubed
The Directions.
Use a 4-quart slow cooker. Put the spinach into the bottom of your slow cooker. Add the chopped onion. In a mixing bowl, whisk together the butter and flour to form a roux (you could do this on the stovetop, but I usually melt the butter in the microwave and then stir in the flour) Slowly add the milk and water to the bowl. Add salt and nutmeg. Stir well to combine, and then pour mixture into your slow cooker on top of the spinach.
Add velveeta. Cover and cook on low for 5 to 6 hours, or until the onions are translucent. Stir well before serving in soup bowls (or bread bowls if youre fancy!)
The Verdict.
This is a creamy and decadent soup that will definitely take the chill off a cold day. The kids lapped their servings up as an afternoon snack before heading out to the soccer field. This was plenty filling for me, but Adam had his with a salami sandwich for dinner.
Sunday, March 8, 2015
Baked Atlantic Salmon with Roasted Onions and Cherry Tomatoes on Wilted Spinach
One Serving Provides Over 2 g of DHA and EPA
On Friday I posted an article on the best fish and vegetarian sources of the omega 3 fatty acids, ALA, DHA and EPA. Since salmon was an excellent source of EPA and DHA, the omega fatty acids most beneficial to your health, I thought Id start the week by sharing a healthy and delicious salmon recipe.
Besides being rich in omega 3, this dish is high in protein. Salmon also provides a significant amount of niacin, vitamins B6 and B12 and selenium. Being very low in mercury, salmon can be enjoyed often. The spinach in this recipe is also a nutrient powerhouse being a very good source of vitamins A, C, E, K, thiamine, riboflavin, B6 and folate as well as the important minerals calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, copper and manganese.
This recipe is best when thick slices of salmon are selected. Wild Atlantic salmon was used in calculating the recipes nutritional information. You can use farmed Atlantic salmon (it actually contains more DHA and EPA) but be sure the fish are farmed responsibly: not given antibiotics, growth hormones or artificial coloring, not genetically modified, not fed animal bi-products or grown in crowded pens. As I wrote on Friday, Whole Foods has very high standards for their farmed fish. Wild King salmon is also a nice thick and juicy fish to use in this recipe but its been difficult to find lately. Coho is typically pretty thin and drier than the other types of salmon so I dont recommend using it for this dish.
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Baked Atlantic Salmon with Roasted Onions and Cherry Tomatoes on Wilted Spinach [serves 2]
1 medium onion, thinly sliced (about 1 1/2 cups)
1 cup cherry tomatoes
2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
1 packed teaspoon chopped fresh thyme (or 1/2 teaspoon dried)
1/4 teaspoon sea salt plus a pinch for the spinach
2 teaspoons minced fresh garlic
2 teaspoons lemon zest
12 ounces Atlantic salmon cut into two thick fillets
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice, divided
10 ounces fresh spinach
2 tablespoons water
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Place onion, tomatoes, olive oil, thyme, 1/4 teaspoon of salt, garlic and lemon zest in a shallow roasting pan and mix thoroughly. Rub the salmon fillets in the mixture until coated with oil and seasoning, remove from the pan and set aside (the vegetables will initially roast without the salmon). Spread out the onion mixture in the pan and roast in the oven for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and place the salmon fillets on top of the roasted vegetables. Put 1 tablespoon of the lemon juice over the fillets. Place the pan back in the oven and cook for another 15 minutes or until the salmon flakes. While the salmon is cooking, place the spinach, water, 1 tablespoon of lemon juice and a pinch of salt in a covered pan and steam for a few minutes until the spinach wilts. Drain well and divide the spinach onto two plates. Cover the spinach with the roasted onions and cherry tomatoes and top each plate with a baked salmon fillet. Serve immediately.
Per serving: 384 calories, 15.5 g fat, 3.0 g saturated fat, 94 mg cholesterol, 40 g protein, 21.6 g carbohydrates, 6.3 g fiber, 3.5 g omega 3, 2.4 g DHA and EPA, and 0.8 g omega 6.
Friday, March 6, 2015
Spinach Mango And Walnut Salad
Up your antioxidants with this health and delish nutty salad.
Ingredients
- 1/2 x cup raw walnuts
- 1 x cup baby spinach leaves
- 1 x large avocado, diced
- 1/2 x mango, diced
- 1/4 x red onion, finely sliced
- 3 x tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 x tbsp lemon juice
- 1 x tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 1/2 x tsp wholegrain mustard
Directions
- Pre-heat the oven to 180C
- Line a baking tray with non-stick baking paper and spread nuts evenly across tray
- Toast nuts for approx 5 min till golden in colour
- Roughly chop nuts so that they end up in bite sized pieces
- Combine spinach, red onion, avocado, mango and walnuts in a large salad bowl
- In a small jar or cup, whisk together olive oil, vinegar, lemon juice and mustard
- Drizzle dressing over salad and serve immediately
Makes 6 servings – Cal per serve – 145
Source: http://www.losebabyweight.com.au/recipes/lamb-and-beetroot-salad/
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