Monday, October 10, 2011

Zesty Sauteed Spinach



Ingredients:
½ Onion, finely chopped
2 tbsp garlic flavored EVOO
1 tbsp Butter
1 lb Spinach
3 Cloves garlic, finely chopped
¼ tsp Chili flakes
½ tsp Salt
¼ tsp Pepper
1 tsp Balsamic Vinegar

In a medium heat pan, add evoo, butter and then onion. Sautee onion a few minutes until softened, add garlic then about 1 minute later, add chili flakes. Sautee about 1 minute.

Add in spinach until wilted, constantly mixing in the pan. When almost fully wilted add salt and pepper. Sautee 1 more minute. Then add balsamic vinegar and stir. Remove from heat and ready to eat.

Sunday, October 9, 2011

Lentil And Brown Rice Rolls


Ingredients
• Butter, for greasing the baking dish
• 6 large Swiss chard leaves (about 1 1/4 pounds)
• Salt, pepper
• Mozzarella Cheese, sliced

Filling:
• * 2 cups cooked short grain brown rice
• * 1 cup cooked lentils
• 1 packed cup baby arugula leaves, chopped
• ½ cup goat cheese, at room temperature
• ½ cup mozzarella cheese, diced
• ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus extra for seasoning
• ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus extra for seasoning
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• One 26-ounce jar marinara or tomato-basil sauce
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan (2 ounces)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil, or unsalted butter diced into 1/4-inch pieces

* I cook the brown rice and lentils in chicken stock w/ 1 smashed garlic clove in each, but you can use vegetable stock to make it a vegetarian meal. I also use homemade stocks and marinara but store bought is fine, just use low sodium.

Directions
Place an oven rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Butter a 9 by 13-inch glass baking dish. Set aside.

Remove the thick stem from the center of each chard leaf. Cut each leaf in half lengthwise. Trim the ends from the leaves to make each leaf-half about 7 inches long and 5 inches wide. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the chard leaves and cook for 45 seconds. Remove the leaves and rinse with cold water. Drain on paper towels and set aside.

For the filling: In a medium bowl, mix together the brown rice, arugula, goat cheese, mozzarella, lentils, olive oil, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper and garlic. Season with additional salt and pepper.

Spoon 1/3 cup of the filling onto the end of each chard leaf and roll up like a jellyroll.

Spoon 1 cup marinara sauce on the bottom of the prepared pan. Arrange the rolls, seam-side down, in a single layer on top of the sauce. Spoon the remaining sauce on top and place a slice of mozzarella cheese on top of each roll, sprinkle with the Parmesan. Drizzle with olive oil or dot the top with butter, if using, and bake until the cheese begins to brown and the rolls are heated through, about 25 minutes. Cool for 5 minutes and serve.