Adventure Begins in the Kitchen
I’ve been all about simple recipes this year. Simple chicken. Simple shrimp. Simple salmon. Why not post my favorite simple {and veggie-filled} pasta? Below is a recipe for spinach and pesto linguine that’s jam-packed with over 2 cups of spinach per serving. Dig in!
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I’m in a big ol’ baking slump. Mostly because all I want to do is be outside, preferably lake-side, these days. Partly because I’ve been spending so much time by the lake that I’ve neglected all of my chores. Bare cabinets and dusty floors are a small price to pay for fantastic memories though. Don’t you think?
I decided to whip up something for dinner that I could also bring to work for breakfast tomorrow. And since I always have eggs and veggies laying around, a baked frittata seemed not only appropriate, but possible.
FoodFash Baked Frittata (yields 2 servings)
4 eggs
1/2 cup frozen spinach
1/2 cup frozen asparagus
1/4 teaspoon garlic salt
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
2 oven safe dishes
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Beat two eggs in each dish and add half of the remaining ingredients to each. Set the oven safe dishes on a baking sheet and place on the middle rack of the oven. Bake until the eggs are fully cooked, about 30 minutes.
I wasn’t sure how satisfying these would be without milk or cheese to fluff and flavor, but I was really happy with the way they turned out. And I’m pretty excited to have something other than a boiled egg or Greek yogurt tomorrow for breakfast. Looks like I’ll be adding these to the weekday breakfast rotation!
At 12:20, I grabbed my phone, texted Kim “see you at 12:30!”, and then quickly realized I left my wallet in the purse I took out last night. Ten minutes from meeting a new friend and… no money. Thankfully she understood and we’re rescheduling for next week!
But the whole no money thing meant having to rush home for lunch. I was instantly saved by a short commute and lots of frozen veggies.
FoodFash Veggie Orzo
1/3 cup orzo, uncooked
1/3 cup frozen asparagus
1/3 cup frozen spinach
1/2 tablespoon butter
1 slice of cheese (I used havarti dill)
Prepare orzo per the package instructions. During the last minute, toss in frozen veggies. Drain orzo and veggies and place into a bowl. Add butter and cheese and stir until melted.
I used the 1/3-cup measure for the veggies since it was already on the counter and it ended up being the perfect amount of green. You could also use broccoli/edamame/peas/any green veggie as well as any variety of cheese that you’re fancying at the moment.
Have you ever arrived somewhere and realized that you had forgotten your wallet?
Rain, rain, go away! Or, now that I have this soup and a mountain of clothes that need to be hung, perhaps you can stay awhile?
Avgolemono soup is way, way at the top of my list of favorite soups. It’s creamy and lemony, filled with comfort, and brings back childhood memories of family trips to the Sponge Docks. I always assumed it was super difficult to make from scratch, but after today it appears that my assumption was super wrong. This soup is easy peasy!
FoodFash Spinach Avgolemono Soup Recipe (yield: 4 servings)
6 cups faux chicken broth (I used this one)
2/3 cup orzo, uncooked
2 teaspoons lemon zest
juice from 2 lemons
4 eggs
2 cups of frozen chopped spinach
Bring broth to a boil and add uncooked orzo and lemon zest, boiling for 7 minutes. Beat eggs and lemon juice together and gradually add 1 cup of boiling broth to the mix while beating (I added 1/3 cup at a time). Reduce heat to low and add the egg/lemon mixture back to the soup, stirring until blended. Add the frozen spinach and cook until spinach is thawed.
Not only was making this soup way easier than I expected, it was also more my style than the restaurant version that traditionally contains chunks of chicken and zero greens. This recipe is the perfect balance of light enough to keep you out of food coma zone, but hearty enough to keep you feeling full.
What meals do you crave on a rainy, gloomy day?