Tag: Spinach

Caprese Skewers & Spinach Walnut Pesto

Caprese Skewers1

So I made some Caprese skewers.. They are so dang cute! Of course there is absolutely no need of a recipe to make them. It’s just cherry tomatoes, basil leaves and Mozzarella cheese on thrown together on a stick seasoned with salt, pepper, olive oil and balsamic vinegar. That simple! Making these is a child’s play and they’ll rock any party! It can be served as an appetizer or as a last course with favorite cocktail or wine! 😉

I served these skewers with spinach walnut pesto.. Hmm… seems interesting?! Require a recipe for another quick pesto? Then read on.. I have told time and again that pesto is my fave. It is so versatile. I made a big enough batch for only 2 of us in the house and served it with these skewers, made dinner with some spaghetti, threw some in my breakfast omelet and made some grilled cheese for lunch. Phew!

So let’s get down to the recipe business!

Caprese Skewers:

Ingredients:

  • cherry tomatoes, halved
  • fresh Mozzarella balls
  • basil leaves
  • extra-virgin olive oil
  • balsamic vinegar
  • salt and pepper, as per taste

Directions:

Skewer the cherry tomatoes alternating with basil leaves and Mozzarella balls. Once they are all skewered, drizzle with balsamic vinegar and olive oil. Sprinkle with a little salt and pepper and serve alongside spinach walnut pesto.

Spinach Walnut Pesto

Ingredients:

  • 3 cups spinach leaves
  • 2 cloves fresh garlic
  • 1/2 cup walnuts, toasted or untoasted (I’m lazy & used untoasted)
  • 3/4 cup Parmesan cheese
  • 3 Tbsp lemon juice
  • salt and pepper, to taste
  • 3/4 cup olive oil to begin with, add more as and if required

Directions:

Blend all the ingredients in a food processor till smooth puree is formed. Add more olive oil as and if required. Store in an air-tight container and refrigerate up to 4-5 days.

Spaghetti with Spinach Walnut Pesto

Grilled Cheese

Share this recipe:

Spinach, Corn & Egg Strata

Spinach,corn & egg Strata2

Today, I bring you a no-hassle, breakfast recipe.. Great for a weekday when everything is so crazy that breakfast is the last thing on your mind and even greater for your laid-back weekend as it takes pretty much zero-effort to whip it up!

Treat your dad on Father’s day morning with this and I am sure he would be really pleased!

You just throw all the ingredients together the night before but to be honest, I love how undemanding yet flavorful this dish is! The recipe makes two hefty portions and let me warn you, we were full after eating only half! So truly a great brunch option! 😉

Spinach,corn & egg Strata1

Spinach, Corn & Egg Strata

Prep time: 10 mins | Bake time: 45 mins | Total time: 55 mins

Ingredients:

  • 4 pieces bread
  • 2 handfuls of spinach
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 cup milk
  • 1/4 cup corn kernels
  • 2 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • 1 tsp oregano powder
  • salt and pepper as per taste
  • 1/3 cup mozzarella cheese

Directions:

  1. The night before, tear up bread into small pieces and slice up the spinach. Place in 2-4″ ramekins. Top with corn kernels. Whisk together eggs, milk, garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, salt and pepper. Pour over bread and spinach. Top with cheese and cover with cling film. Place in refrigerator overnight.
  2. In the morning, preheat oven to 375 F/180 C. Remove cling film and cover each ramekin with aluminium foil. Place on a baking tray and bake for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes remove aluminium foil and continue to bake uncovered for another 20-25 minutes or until egg mixture has set and strata has puffed. Serve warm.

Recipe adapted from Naturally Ella

Share this recipe:

Ooh-So Healthy Spinach & Cottage Cheese Pancakes

pancakes5

I am a huge fan of breakfast for dinner. Mainly because I love the simplicity of it. Plus our work schedules do not allow us to have an early dinner hence eating light at night is a way to go for me.

My Sunday was jam-packed with activities so I couldn’t stock the fridge for the coming week but luckily my favorite soppu (is a Kannada word & in English it simply means ‘greens’!!) vendor knocked on our door Monday morning to deliver fresh spinach and that saved me an impromptu visit to supermarket. 🙂

I wanted to make something new from this super-fresh spinach but I simply didn’t have time to get my mind around it until dinnertime! I was tired of eating same old Spinach-Cottage Cheese Gravy with flat-bread. Plus I wanted it to be quick (as usual!!! 😉 ) hence I decided to make one simple dish with the combination of Spinach, Cottage Cheese and Flour! And this is how Spinach & Cottage Cheese Pancakes were born! And of course I HAD to healthify them!!! 😉

Serves: 2, Makes around 10 pancakes

Ingredients:

  • 1 bunch fresh spinach rinsed thoroughly and dried, approximately 200 gms
  • 5-6 big cloves of garlic
  • 2-3 green chilis
  • 100 gms cottage cheese
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 2 Tbsp chickpea flour
  • 2 Tbsp millet flour
  • 1 tsp flax-seed powder
  • 1/4 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp red chili flakes
  • 2 tsp oil, plus more to grease the skillet

Directions:

pancakes
Place the green chilis, garlic and spinach in a blender. Sprinkle a bit of salt and blend them till pureed smooth. *Add water gradually as required.

pancakes1
Grate cottage cheese
pancakes2
Mix spinach puree, cottage cheese, chickpea & millet flour, flax-seed powder, chili flakes, baking soda, oil, salt and pepper in a large mixing bowl. Add water gradually till pancake-styled batter is formed.
pancakes3
Spread the ladle-full of batter on a greased skillet and spread it evenly. You can keep the size as per your comfort zone. See the color?!! 🙂

pancakes4
Turn them very carefully after 2-3 minutes of cooking on one side over a medium flame.
pancakes5
Serve them simply with tomato ketchup or dollop-full yogurt along with a bowl of soup or as is!

*Note:

You can have number of variations with this recipe:

  1. You can add a bunch of mint leaves along with spinach for added freshness and zing.
  2. You can add grated carrots and/or boiled corn in the batter.
  3. You can use these pancakes as a base and make a mix-vegetable filling or egg filling to stuff it with.

Possibilities are endless! So keep thinking and improvising!

Enjoy!!! 🙂

Share this recipe: