After a girls weekend of well deserved decadence, I am trying to reboot my bod and eat "clean" this week. For me this means eating healthy whole foods (read lots and lots of veggies!) prepared simply and preferably homemade.
Everyone keeps saying to eat your greens for optimal health, but it's hard for me to get excited about salads in the winter. Luckily there are loads of ways to get spinach into warm meals and to reap all the great health benefits from this hard working green!
The idea for this meal struck while I was driving home from the grocery store: Spinach Pesto Hummus to go with my already cooked and ready to go Spaghetti Squash. While making the Pesto I threw some mushrooms into a pan to cook along with some eggs. The result was this colorful, yummy, high protein, high fiber, filling lunch!
Spinach Pesto Hummus Recipe:
Into food processor throw 2 large cloves of Garlic. Chop completely and let sit for 10 minutes. Then add one bag of baby Spinach and 1 can of drained/ rinsed Chick Peas. While running processor stream in Extra Virgin Olive Oil until it takes on a hummus like texture. You can add a little cool water in place of using too much oil, 1-2 Tbsp should be enough to make it smooth. Salt to taste.
You know all those broken little chips at the bottom of the bag? This is a GREAT solution for using them up :) I keep a little Tupperware in my pantry where I collect up all those little broken chips and when it fills up I know it's time to make some Vegetarian Mexican Black Bean Lasagna!
Loaded with Veggies, this is not a lasagna you need to feel guilty about. Zucchini, Mushrooms, Onions, Garlic, Black Beans and Corn, are all layered with Salsa, toasted Corn Tortilla chips and little shredded Cheddar on top to increase the yum factor. Here is how I do it:
Ingredients:
1 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
3 Zucchini, diced into very small pieces
1 Onion, diced
1 pint sliced Mushrooms, chopped even smaller
2 large cloves of Garlic, chopped
1 tsp Cumin
1/2 cup frozen Organic Corn, thawed
1 can Black Beans (drained/ rinsed)
handful Cilantro, chopped
2-3 cups broken Corn Tortilla chips
Salsa, whatever type you like
1 cup Cheddar Cheese, shredded (1/2 cup should be enough if you are looking to cut fat and/ or calories!)
#1. Preheat oven to 350, and make the Veggie medley: into a hot pan add the oil. Give it a minute to heat up and then add the diced Zucchini. It should sizzle when it hits the pan! Saute for several minutes, stirring occasionally, allowing the Zucchini to brown. Then add the Onions, Garlic, Cumin, Mushrooms and allow it all to cook and soften a bit and become aromatic. Then add the Corn and Beans, stir and remove from heat. Top with Cilantro.
#2. Spray or brush a casserole pan with Canola Oil. Use half your broken chips to cover the bottom. They form the bottom "crust".
#3. Pour Veggie medley on top of chips.
#4. Top Veggie medley with Salsa (as much or as little as you like.)
#5. Top with the remaining Chips and shredded cheddar. Bake for 30 minutes. If not brown enough on top you can broil it a couple minutes at the end of cooking. Serve with Avocado and a couple dollops of Plan Greek Yogurt and a little more freshly chopped Cilantro.
