Lemony Pasta with Goat Cheese and Spinach

This is another recipe from Everyday Foods that I really liked. I ended up using pinenuts instead of walnuts since that is what I had on hand but I still loved it for lunch all week long! It was also super fast to make, so great for a busy night.

Ingredients:
Salt and pepper
3/4 pound spaghettini or spaghetti (I used gluten-free spaghetti)
4 ounces fresh goat cheese
10 ounces baby spinach (10 cups)
3 cups fresh parsley, chopped
2 cups fresh cilantro, chopped
1 tablespoon grated lemon zest plus 1 tablespoon juice
1/2 cup toasted walnuts, chopped

Directions:
1. In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta according to package instructions. Reserve 2 cups pasta water, then drain.
2. In pot, stir together goat cheese and 1 cup pasta water over medium. Add pasta, spinach, parsley, cilantro, lemon zest and juice, and more pasta water if necessary to create a light sauce that coats pasta; season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with walnuts and serve.

Chicken with Mushrooms

This is another recipe found in Everyday Food that looked good and easy. You definitely need to love mushrooms to love this dish, but I do :-)! I wish I would have pounded the chicken to thin it a bit and help it cook faster but overall I thought it was good. We served ours over rice.

Ingredients
1/4 cup all-purpose flour (I used cornstarch)
1 1/2 pounds chicken cutlets
Salt and pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves, chopped
1 pound button mushrooms, trimmed and quartered
1/4 cup dry white wine
1/4 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley


Directions
1. Place flour in a shallow dish. Season chicken with salt and pepper, then coat with flour, shaking off excess.
2. In a large skillet, heat oil and 1 tablespoon butter over medium-high. In batches, cook chicken until browned and cooked through, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate and tent loosely with foil.
3. Reduce heat to medium, add thyme, mushrooms, and remaining 2 tablespoons butter, and cook until softened, 6 minutes.
4. Add wine and broth and cook, stirring, until reduced by half, 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Return chicken to pan along with any accumulated juices; top with parsley.

serves 4. per serv: 375 cal, 17g fat, 41g protein, 13g carb, 1g fiber

Spicy Chorizo Corn Chowder

This recipe was in a recent of Shape magazine and looked too good not to try. I subbed a chipotle chicken sausage for the chorizo and halved the corn for mine but really loved it! I love making something like this early in the week so I have yummy leftovers for lunch later on.

Ingredients:
1 med poblano pepper
1 T olive oil
1 link chorizo, diced (used chipotle chicken sausage)
1 med onion, diced
1 celery rib, diced
1 1-lb bag frozen corn, defrosted (used 10oz bag)
1/2 t ground allspice
1 bay leaf
1 med tomato, diced
1 large potato, peeled and diced
1 t chopped fresh thyme leaves
1 12-oz can FF evaporated milk
1 c low sodium chicken stock
2 T chopped fresh parsley
salt and pepper

Directions:
1. If you have a gas range, place poblano pepper directly on a burner grate over a medium flame. Turn with tongs until skin is blistered on all sides, wrap in foil, and let rest for 10 to 15 minutes until cool enough to handle. Scrape off the ski with your fingers, then seed, dice, and set aside. Alternatively, cute pepper in half lengthwise, remove seeds and stem, place skin-side up on a broiler pan, and heat on high until completely charred; rap in foil and proceed as above.
2. Heat oil in a large heavy-bottom pot over medium. Add chorizo and cook for 5 minutes or until browned and crispy. Use a slotted spoon to transfer to a bowl or plate and set aside.
3. Add onion and celery to pot and cook for 5 minutes or until soft, making sure to scrape up and mix in any brown bits from the bottom of the pot.
4. Meanwhile, put corn in a food processor and pulse 4 times or until half the kernels are chopped.
5. Add corn, allspice, and bay leaf to onion and celery mixture. cook, stirring occasionally for 3 minutes. Add tomato and potato and cook for 3 minutes more, stirring occasionally. Add thyme, evaporated milk, and stock; mix to combine. Bring to a boil; reduce the heat and simmer for 5 minutes or until potatoes are fork-tender. Mix in additional stock or water if soup seems too thick.
6. Stir in chorizo and poblano pepper; cook until heated through. Remove the bay leaf and discard. Add parsley and salt and pepper to taste; divide among four bowls and serve immediately.

serves 4. 366 calories, 11g fat, 53 carbs, 17g protein, 5g fiber, 281mg calcium, 2 mg iron, 371mg sodium

Southwestern Chicken and Spaghetti Squash Salad

This is another recipe from Eat, Live, Run and another picture as well. Food pictures taken with a flash just don't look appetizing. I am going to have to have our meals ready to eat by 5pm to get my own pictures and so far I am just not that on top of it!
I was excited to try spaghetti squash for the first time and had a lot of fun peeling it out after it was done baking...crazy how much it really looks like spaghetti! The salad was a surprise hit. I was pretty sure I would like it but even Mike raved about this one. The dressing is delish and it is a healthy yet filling meal. We will be making it again soon!

Ingredients:
for salad —
1 small spaghetti squash
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 orange or red bell pepper, sliced thin
1 bunch cilantro, minced
2 cups shredded green cabbage
2 cups thinly sliced cooked chicken breast (I used 1 can chicken, drained)
avocado for serving
for zesty buttermilk dressing—
1/2 cup well shaken buttermilk
1/4 cup mayonnaise
juice of 1 lime
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp cumin
pinch of cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp salt

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Slice your spaghetti squash in half length-wise and scoop out the seeds. Place the squash cut side down on a greased sheet pan and bake for 40 minutes, until very tender. Let squash cool before using a fork to scoop out “spaghetti” and place in a bowl. You can do this step up to three days before you prepare the salad.
Next, make the dressing. Whisk together the buttermilk, mayonnaise, lime juice, garlic powder, cumin, cayenne and salt in a small bowl. Set aside.
To prepare the salad, place the cooled spaghetti squash in a large serving bowl. Top with black beans, chicken, bell pepper, shredded green cabbage, cilantro and jicama (I left out), if using. Toss all ingredients together well. Drizzle dressing over salad {you may not want/need to use all the dressing}.
Serve salad on plates topped with sliced avocado.

**Assembled salad will stay fresh, without dressing and avocado, for up to four days covered in the fridge. Dressing will stay fresh for up to a week and is also great served as a dip with raw veggies

Butternut Squash and Quinoa Stew

It is finally cold enough to eat soup here without sweating, which I am excited about :-). I even bought my first butternut squash to try this one out. The soup came together so quickly and was healthy and delicious. The picture is actually from my leftovers for lunch the next day when it tasted even better! (and you could easily leave the chicken out and it would still be tasty)

INGREDIENTS:
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
1 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
4 cloves garlic, finely minced
4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs or chicken breasts (I used 1 can chicken breast and added it when adding tomatoes, etc)
1 can (14-oz) petite or regular diced tomatoes
3 cups chopped butternut squash (about 1 medium squash, peeled and seeded)
2/3 cup uncooked quinoa
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1-2 cups chopped fresh spinach

DIRECTIONS:
In a large 4 quart pot heat the olive oil until hot. Add the chopped onions, oregano, and garlic. Saute for 5-7 minutes, stirring often, until the onion is softened. Add the broth and bring to a boil. Add the chicken and boil until the chicken is cooked, 7-9 minutes. Remove the chicken to a plate.

Add the tomatoes, butternut squash, and quinoa. Simmer for 15 minutes until the squash is tender and quinoa is cooked. If desired, scoop out some of the squash, mash it and return it to the pot. Shred the cooked chicken and return to the pot. Add the salt and pepper, adding more salt to taste, if needed. Stir in the spinach. Cook 1-2 minutes until the spinach is wilted. Serve warm.

*In the whole batch of soup there is only 1250 calories by my best calculations, and it makes a ton!

Cafe Rio Tortilla Soup in a Crock Pot

pre-broth

YUUUM!!! My one complaint with this recipe was that it didn't make enough! I will definitely double it next time so that I can enjoy leftovers for lunches later on. I was impressed with how similar it was to the real deal. In my opinion you MUST use pico instead of salsa to give it a more authentic flavor. It was easy and delicious...make it! (I found the recipe on Peachtree Cooking)

Ingredients:
•1 onion, diced
•1 Tbsp. vegetable oil
•1/2 tsp cumin
•a dash (or two) cayenne
•1/2 tsp. chili powder
•5 c. chicken broth
•3 Tbsp. fresh cilantro, finely chopped
•juice of 1/2 lime
•pepper, to taste
•1 can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
•2-3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
•2 Tbsp. taco seasoning
•1 Tbsp. paprika
•vegetable oil (to taste)
•pico de gallo or your favorite fresh salsa (definitely use pico!)
•2-3 avocados, diced
•2 c. pepper jack cheese
•tortilla strips
•cilantro (for garnish)
•lime wedges (for garnish)

Instructions:
•In a small skillet, saute onion in 1 Tbsp. oil until onions become slightly soft. Stir in cumin, cayenne, and chili powder and saute an additional minute or two.
(*I skipped this and just dumped it all in the crock pot and it was fine!)
•Transfer seasoned onions to a small crock pot. Add chicken broth, cilantro, lime juice, pepper and pinto beans to onions and simmer on low-heat for at least 2-3 hours.
 (*also, I didn't grill the chicken, just dumped the breasts and spices in the crock pot as well...easy and tasted great)
•In the meantime, combine taco seasoning and paprika. Brush chicken with oil and rub with taco seasoning/paprika mixture. Grill chicken over medium-heat until cooked through, try to turn only once during the grilling process. After cooking on one side, flip chicken, add small amount of water to pan and cover. Remove from grill. Let rest for 10 minutes and shred.
•In individual bowls layer chicken, about 1/3 c. pico de gallo or salsa, 1/3 c. diced avocado, and 1/3 c. pepper jack cheese. Ladle about 1 cup of chicken broth directly over the layers. Top with tortilla strips and garnish with cilantro, sour cream, and lime wedges, if desired.

Cuban Style Pork

Can I just say that is one of my favorite food pictures?! I love it when a dish photographs so well, especially if it was tasty, because I know people are more likely to try it! This meal, which I saw on The Daily Dish, had been on menu for a few weeks and kept getting pushed off over and over again for one reason or another. I am so glad we finally made it though, Mike and I loved it! I bought a can of black beans with jalapenos and lime juice and the spiciness of those with the sweetness of the pork was a perfect combination!

Ingredients:
- 1 lb pork tenderloin, fat trimmed (I used pork loin chops)
- 1 large yellow onion, thinly sliced
- 4 cloves of garlic, minced
- 1 orange, zest and juice, divided
- Juice of 2 limes, divided
- 2 tbsp olive oil, divided
- 1/3 cup of water
- Salt & pepper, to taste
- Optional: 1 lime, zested and cut into wedges, for garnish
- Optional: remaining orange zest, for garnish
- Optional: cilantro, for garnish

Method:
1. Use a fork to pierce the pork tenderloin (this will help in the marinating process), and then cut the tenderloin into two-inch chunks.
2. In a large ziploc bag or glass container, combine the pork chunks, onion, garlic, the juice and zest of half of the orange (set the other half aside for now), the lime juice, 1 tbsp of olive oil, and salt & pepper.
3. Once the bag or container is sealed, shake up the ingredients to mix them all together, and refrigerate for a minimum of 30 minutes. (Note: the longer you let the meat marinate, the more flavorful it will be).
4. In a large pot, heat the remaining tbsp of olive oil over medium-high heat.
5. Using tongs, transfer the pork (only!) to the pot. Leave the onions aside for now.
6. Cook the pork chunks for 3 to 4 minutes on each side, or until they turn golden brown.
7. Remove the browned pork from the pot and onto a plate.
8. Add the onions to the pot and cook for a few minutes, or until they start to lightly brown.
9. Then add the pork back into the pot and stir together with the onions.
10. Add 1/3 cup of water, the remaining juice of the orange, and another lime's juice to the pot and once it begins to bubble, cook the pork and onions covered for about 15 minutes.
11. Serve and garnish with orange and lime zest, lime wedges, and cilantro (optional).

Pork and Green Chile Stew - Crock Pot

You may have noticed I have not been posting as frequently here because it is my busy season with photography. Because of that we have been doing lots of old favorites, super simple stuff or take-out. I have still been trying to mix in a couple new things a week though, because I really do love to try new things, and I have been searching for healthy crock pot meals. Skinnytaste is always one of the first sites I visit and that is where I found this YUMMY stew. I absolutely loved the flavors! Definitely my favorite new recipe in a long time.

Ingredients:

2 lbs* boneless pork loin roast, lean, all fat trimmed off (I used the same amount pork loin chops)
salt and pepper to taste
cooking spray
2 tbsp unbleached all-purpose flour (I used cornstarch)

3/4 cup diced onion
2 cans (4.25 oz each) whole green chiles, sliced into thick rounds (I used diced)
2 tbsp chopped jalapeño, or more to taste

10 oz can diced tomatoes and green chilies - Ro*Tel Mild
1/2 cup fat-free low-sodium chicken broth

1 tbsp cumin
1/2 tsp garlic powder

salt and fresh ground black pepper, to taste


Directions:
Cut pork into 2-inch pieces. Season with salt and pepper.
Heat a large non-stick skillet on high heat; when hot lightly spray the pan with oil and brown the pork over medium heat on all sides, about 3 - 4 minutes total. Sprinkle 1 tbsp of flour over pork and stir to cook 30 seconds, sprinkle remaining flour over pork and cook an additional 30 seconds.
Add browned pork to the crock pot, along with the remaining ingredients.
Cook on LOW for 8 hours or HIGH for 4 hours (if using a Dutch oven, cook on low heat for 3-4 hours). When done, adjust season, salt and pepper to taste if needed.
Makes about 5 cups.

*Weight after all fat is trimmed.

Servings: 6 • Serving Size: little over 3/4 cup •  Points+: 6 pts Calories: 253 • Fat: 9 g • Carbs: 5.5 g • Fiber: 0.5 g • Protein: 33 g • Sugar: 1.5 g • Sodium: 836 mg (without salt)

Crustless Spinach and Feta Pie

I had this on our menu for dinner during the week and then ended up needing a breakfast item for a dinner with family so I made it for that. We cut it into 10 pieces, which were pretty small, but with all the other options available it was fine. I think if this is your main dish, it probably would serve 4-6. It is healthy, easily adaptable to make it gluten-free and was pretty tasty too. It was another winner from Skinnytaste!

Ingredients:
10 oz frozen spinach, thawed and liquid squeezed out
1/2 cup scallions, chopped
2 tbsp chopped fresh dill
2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
1/2 cup (2.5 oz) reduced fat crumbled feta (I used garlic-herb version)
2 tbsp grated Asiago cheese
1/2 cup white whole wheat flour (I used gluten-free all purpose flour)
1 tsp baking powder
2/3 cup fat free milk
1 tsp olive oil
2 large eggs, beaten
1/2 tsp kosher salt
fresh cracked pepper to taste
cooking spray

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400°. Lightly spray a pie dish with cooking spray or your misto.
Mix spinach, scallions, dill, parsley, feta cheese, and in the pie dish.
Sift flour and baking powder in a medium bowl. Add remaining ingredients to the bowl and blend well. Pour into pie dish.
Bake 28 to 33 minutes or until knife comes out clean from the center. Let it stand at least 5 minutes before serving.

Servings: 6-8 • Serving Size: 1/6th • Points+: 3 pts • Calories: 125.9 • Fat: 5.3 g • Protein: 8.8 g • Carb: 12.3 g • Fiber: 2.5 g • Sugar: 1.7 g Sodium: 433.1 mg

Pepperoni Pasta Bake

I love creamy cheesy pasta dishes, so even though I knew I wouldn't get to eat this recipe from Everday Foods magazine, since I've never seen jumbo gluten-free pasta shells, I still wanted to make it! Unfortunately the rest of my family doesn't love those types of pasta dishes quite as much as me. They liked these for the most part, but I know I would have appreciated them much more! I tried a little bite of the filling and I do think I would some salt next time. I also loved that I was able to get some extra veggies in the meal with the addition of zucchini to the cheesy filling.

Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups part-skim ricotta
1 1/4 cups grated zucchini (about 1 medium)
1/3 c chopped fresh basil leaves, plus more for serving
1 large egg, beaten
coarse salt and pepper
3 cups marinara, divided
28 jumbo pasta shells (7 oz), cooked according to package instructions
26 small pepperoni slices (2 oz)
3/4 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
In a medium bowl, combine ricotta, zucchini, basil, and egg; season with 1/2 t each salt and pepper.
Spread 1 cup marinara in a 9x13 inch broiler proof baking dish.
Fill each shell with 1 heaping Tablespoon ricotta mixture and arrange in an even layer in dish.
Top with remaining 2 cups marinara, then pepperoni and mozzarella. Cover with foil and bake until sauce is bubbling, about 30 minutes.
Heat broiler, remove foil, and broil until cheese is browned in spots, about 3 minutes. Top with additional basil and serve.

Serves 4: 694 cal; 28g fat; 39g protein; 72g carb; 3 g fiber

Crazy Pizza

Guess what?! My kids LOVED this dinner!!! That has not happened in a looong time, so it was exciting :-). It is no surprise though, this is basically pizza in a casserole form...what's not to love. It is not gluten-free so I ate leftovers instead but the rest of the family ate up their crazy pizza so fast I couldn't believe it! Thanks taste buds for the super easy and fun recipe!

(I doubled it and baked in a 9x13 pan)
Ingredients:
8 oz extra lean ground beef or turkey
1 3/4 cup pizza sauce (I used a jar of spaghetti sauce)
1/2 cup sliced mushrooms
1/2 cup chopped green pepper
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/3 cup sliced ripe olives (I left out)
1 can Pillsbury refrigerated buttermilk biscuits - 7.5 oz can
2/3 cup grated mozzarella cheese

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray an 8x8 inch baking dish with cooking spray. In a large skillet brown meat. Add mushrooms, green pepper, onion and olives (I chopped mine super small in a food processor first). Mix well to combine. Stir in pizza sauce. Remove skillet from heat. Separate biscuits and cut each biscuit into 4 pieces. Gently stir biscuit pieces into meat mixture. Pour mixture into prepared baking dish. Bake 20 minutes. Sprinkle shredded mozzarella cheese evenly over the top. Continue baking until cheese melts, about 10 minutes. Place baking dish on a wire rack and let set 5 minutes.

Rice and Bean Enchiladas with Creamy Tomatillo Sauce

After one not-so-successful recipe attempt this week (the chili bean stuffed peppers were yucky :-(!), I was a little nervous about these enchiladas. They had potential to be a huge success but also a miserable failure. I L-O-V-E-D them! Rachael Ray recipes aren't always the healthiest but you can nearly always make some substitutions to help them out. I couldn't wait for lunch the next day to eat some more! And even my meat-loving husband had no complaints about these meatless enchiladas.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup long-grain white rice (I used brown rice)
1 15 ounce can pinto beans, drained
1 2/3 cups shredded monterey jack (I used 2% Pepper Jack, adding some nice heat)
2 scallions, sliced
1 3 ounce package cream cheese, cut into 1-inch pieces (I used 1/3 fat version)
1 2/3 cups jarred salsa verde (I used green enchilada sauce)
2/3 cup heavy cream (I used FF half and half)
1/2 cup chopped cilantro, plus more for garnishing
1/4 cup vegetable oil (I heated mine in microwave, so no oil)
8 6 1/2 inches corn tortillas

Directions:
In a small saucepan, bring 1 cup water, the rice and 12 tsp. salt to a boil over high heat. Lower the heat to low, cover and cook until the water is absorbed, about 15 minutes. Fluff with a fork and transfer to a medium bowl to cool slightly. Add the beans, 1 cup Monterey jack, the scallions and cream cheese; stir gently.
Meanwhile, using a blender or food processor, blend the salsa verde, cream and 1/2 cup cilantro until smooth.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees . In a medium skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Using tongs, carefully place 1 tortilla at a time into the hot oil and fry, turning once, until softened, 5 to 10 seconds per side. Transfer to paper-towel-lined plates to drain. (I place 3 tortillas in a paper towel, wrap them up and micro for 30 seconds to get them soft)
Mound 12 cup of the filling down the center of each tortilla. Roll up tightly, then place seam side down in a 7-by-11-inch glass baking dish. Pour the sauce over the top and sprinkle with the remaining 1/3 cup Monterey jack. Bake until bubbly, about 20 minutes. Top with more cilantro.

Baked Potato Soup

I was really excited to try this healthy-fied version of potato soup. It is definitely one of my favorite things and I trust Gina of Skinnytaste to keep it tasting good even if it is good for you. This is so not bad for, yet still so delicious. I loved it and my oldest, Ella, who is the other potato soup lover in the house, loved it too!

Ingredients:
2 russet potatoes, washed and dried
1 small head of cauliflower, stem removed cut into florets
1 1/2 cups fat free chicken broth
1 1/2 cups 1% reduced-fat milk
salt and freshly cracked black pepper
1/2 cup light sour cream
10 tbsp reduced-fat shredded sharp cheddar cheese
6 tbsp chopped chives, divided
3 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled (we used turkey bacon)

Directions:
Pierce potatoes with a fork; microwave on high for 5 minutes turn over and microwave another 3 - 5 minutes, until tender. Or if you prefer to use your oven, bake at 400° for 1 hour or until tender. Cool. Peel potatoes.
Meanwhile, steam cauliflower with water in a large covered pot until tender. Drain and return to pot. (I used a ziploc steamer bag)
On medium heat, add chicken broth, milk, potatoes and bring to a boil. Use an immersion blender to puree until smooth. (I put it all in a blender, blended it, then put it in a pot on the stove to heat it)
Add sour cream, half the chives, salt and pepper and cook on low another 5-10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Remove from heat. Ladle 1 cup soup into each bowl. Top each serving with 2 tbsp cheese, remaining chives, and bacon.

Servings: 5 • Size: 1 cup • Points+: 5 pts • Calories: 207.6 • Fat: 7.8 g • Carb: 22.5 g • Fiber: 2.4 g • Protein: 11.9 g

Fresh Corn Salad

I have been saving this recipe from Better Homes and Gardens for awhile and decided to add it to our menu for Ella's family birthday party. It was the one new recipe I was trying for the big event and luckily it turned out to be a hit. I loved all the fresh crisp flavors and if you don't add all the arugula at once, the rest saves well and you just add the leaves when you are ready to eat again. I will definitely be making this again and again! Maybe next time I'll remember to get a picture of my own before we eat it all!

Ingredients
1/2 cup cider vinegar
1/4 cup sugar
1 t kosher salt
1/2 t coarsely ground black pepper
4 ears fresh corn
1/2 cup finely diced red onion (cut to same size as the clusters of corn kernels), soaked in ice water for 20 minutes and patted dry (I totally forgot to do this, but it was fine)
1/2 cup cucumber, seeded, not peeled if unwaxed, then diced to same size of onions
1/2 cup red or orange sweet pepper, diced to same size as onions
1/2 cup cherry or pear tomatoes, halved or quartered
3 T parsley, finely torn
1 T basil leaves or buds, pulled apart
1 T fresh jalapeno, seeds and veins removed, very finely diced*
1/2 t sea salt or kosher salt
2 cups small arugula leaves

Directions
1. For dressing, in a glass bowl whisk together vinegar, sugar, the 1 teaspoon kosher salt, and black pepper until sugar is dissolved. Let dressing stand while preparing salad.
2. For salad, cut corn kernels from cobs. In a large bowl toss corn and remaining ingredients except sea salt and arugula leaves.
3. To serve, transfer salad to large serving bowl. Season with the 1/2 tsp. sea salt. Add the dressing; gently thread in arugula leaves. Serve immediately. (Cucumbers and tomatoes will begin to break down.) Makes 8 servings

Serves 8: Calories 77, Protein(gm) 2, Carbohydrate(gm) 17, Fat, total(gm) 1, Dietary Fiber, total(gm) 2, Sugar, total(gm) 10

Sausage and Spinach Rice Bowls

I found this meal idea on Fabulously Delicious. It was easy, fast and super tasty. I ate it for I think 4 meals as leftovers over the next few days and still loved it! Sometimes I topped it with some shredded cheese too, which made it even better. Next time I want to try it with quinoa...I think it would be fab!

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups cooked rice (I brown rice, but I think I'll use quinoa next time)
1 tsp. olive oil
1 lb. hot Italian turkey sausage links, casings removed
1/2 onion, chopped
5 cloves garlic, minced
1 4-oz can sliced mushrooms
(I added 1 14 oz can of artichokes, drained)
1/2 cup chopped roasted red bell peppers (jarred or fresh)
1 1/2 cups chopped fresh spinach

Directions:
In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add sausage and onion; cook, stirring to crumble sausage, until sausage is cooked through and onion is tender. Stir in garlic; cook 2 minutes more. Add mushrooms and peppers, stir to combine, then add spinach. Cook until spinach is just wilted. Stir in rice, mix well to combine and continue cooking until heated through.