Spinach Saag Paneer from Jaffron in New Hope, Pennsylvania

Saag Paneer from Jaffron

This week I've been hanging around the East Coast. Whenever I venture back home to the NY tri-state area, there is always a few pit stops I make a point to visit while I'm over here.

One of them is New Hope, PA. It feels like a fairly isolate town--miles and miles of cows, stretches of farmlands, and rivers away. But the drive to New Hope is so pretty, and worth spending the additional 10 or 15 minutes taking the scenic route rather than the highways. There's a lot of interesting shops around new hope -- you can buy clothes or get your palms read. 

Most importantly, there are ample opportunities to eat spinach.

We decided to get spinach (along with chicken korma and sizzling salmon) at Jaffron--a small Indian restaurant tucked away a bit off of the main street. Glad we went! 

Photo courtesy of bucks.happeningmag.com

The Interior

At Jaffron, there's enough to go around.

There were six of us in total sitting at my table, and all of us agreed that the food was delicious. It is very filling and served in large family style bowls, so you can definitely share! Be prepared to be very full if you decide to stop in Jaffron the next time you're in town...it's easy to loose track of how much spinach you're eating when it's so tasty.

Spinach on,

-D

Food Porn: Five Ingredient One Pot Spinach Mushroom Spaghetti

Whenever I find good one pot meal recipes...I feel like a hoarding thief if I don't share them. 

I found this one on Kids Activities Blog  -- 'Kids Activities' because this recipe is so easy that a child can do it. And it only has 5 ingredients. So there's a big chance you already have all of these ingredients lying in your fridge, especially if you're a spinach, pasta, or mushroom lover. 

Don't tell spinach I said so, but if you don't already have spinach in your fridge, other greens or herbs could taste yummy here as well. Flat leaf parsley or rosemary sprigs perhaps? 

To get the 5 ingredient one pot recipe, check out the Kids Activities Blog here.

And be sure to follow them on Twitter, Facebook, and Pinterest! 

Tell us how it goes,

A+D

Tip Tuesday: Sprinkle Sesame Seeds in Your Diet Wherever You Can.

Seseme seeds are small but pack a big punch of deliciousness and health benefits. So to sum up this tip, you should eat them more.

This tip is basic.

Add sesame seeds wherever you can. To bread, to sauce, to salads, to meat. Sesames have seen it all and have tasted bad with (very likely) none. You can't go wrong!

If you don't believe me, check out this list of 20 health benefits of sesame seeds and you'' be asking where these seeds have been all your life!

-Spinach on

Grilled Veggie Sandwich from Hilton Road Cafe, Ferndale

This is no boring veggie sandwich.

It is a montage of goodness, rather. With tomatoes, cheese, grilled onions, broccoli, mushrooms and most importantly: fresh spinach.

This veggie sandwich is a vegetarian's tried and true alternative to the regular soups or salads--which are great. Just sometimes you crave variety...and on those days...a grilled veggie sandwich from Hilton Road Cafe in Ferndale, Michigan, is your best bet!

Enjoy,

-D

Cranberry Pomegranate Vinaigrette

 

This is a simple vinaigrette dressing for savory salads that could use a bit of sweet! Inspired by another vinaigrette recipe that my cousin found in a Bon Appetit magazine...this is a very simplified and in some ways, cheating, version. I think the key here is honey as well as something fruity. It goes VERY well with tomatoes...and spinach (duh).

You will need:

A few spoon fulls of dried cranberries

2 tbs honey

2 tbs pomegranate vinegar (this one is from Trader Joe's)

2-3 tbs EVOO (or regular olive oil)

Depending on how much (spinach) salad you're making...you can add more or less tablespoons. Basically it is equal parts everything. Then if you'd like it more sweet or tangy you can add more honey or pomegranate vinegar. 

We're thinking this would also be good on sliced cucumbers...mmm.

Spinach on,

A+D

Tip Tuesday: Nasturtiums, the Super Edible Flower

Nasturtiums are edible flowers that come in the color of the rainbow. They are beautiful and tasty on salads and great because you can literally eat the entire plant!

Bet you probably guessed the tip already...you're right. Eat this.

Eat them by themselves. Tossed with fresh spicy arugula, lettuce, and spinach. Tossed with dressing and chopped veggies. As a cake or cupcake topper. Do whatever edible madness your heart desires. Nasturtiums will only ever make it better. Better tasting. Better looking.

We found them at a salad mixing stand at Eastern Market, Detroit. But surely, they can be found for sale in more places than Detroit Market.

Enjoy!

-A+D

Food Porn: Smashed Potatoes with Spinach, Cheese and Crushed Pepper

Had to share these Smashed Potatoes with spinach, cheese and crushed peppers by Miryam from over at Eat Good For Life blog. They are vegetarian and gluten free! 

These look delish! You could also try adding a bit of artichoke hearts for a finger-friendlier version of these spinach artichoke smashed potatoes I've made before.

Be sure to follow Miryam on Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest for more healthy, vegetarian and gluten free make-at-home options.

Enjoy!

-D

Spinach Affairs Run in the Family

When I last visited my dad I was first surprised, and then quickly not surprised anymore after realizing "well, I am his daughter..." because I opened his fridge and this is what I found:

DUN  DUN  DUN....spinach.

Not only did he have two big bags of spinach...he was also making spaghetti sauce and asked me to add spinach to it.

And then when I added a good amount of spinach to the pot, he told me to add more spinach. 

This was the ultimate paternity test. He passed. And more importantly, the spinach spaghetti was delicious. Especially considering my dad was born and raised in a country that does not eat pasta. So much so that they think 'mac and cheese' is disgusting. Pretty impressive.

-D

Red Fox Pub Spinach Dip in Royal Oak Michigan

There are many factors that go into good spinach. So sometimes it can be difficult to ID exactly what makes any particular spinach so delicious.

This time, it wasn't so difficult to figure out.

The spinach dip from Red Fox pub in Royal Oak Michigan is good for many reasons that are fairly easy to identify:

1. Because it is perfectly cheesey and zesty and warm and served with these puffy pita crackers that aren't quite bread but aren't quite crackers--just quite yummy.

2. Because it was served around a fire pit that was so fiery hot it actually lit the newspaper table setting on fire. We were quite alarmed, but it didn't distract from the flavor.

3. Because it was served with good friends and other good food.

4. Because we had it served with good beer.

5. Because Einstein got a taste. 

The bar/grill/pub is tucked inside of Diablo's and up the stairs. 

Photo courtesy of detroitrunner.com

We sat outside around the lit fire pit because it was a bit chilly but nice outside--and firepits generally make everything more fun and in this case more tasty.

It didn't take long for the spinach to arrive -- in a hot skillet. It was yum! I'd definitely order it again. 

Fall is basically here, which means if I don't go broke buying myself pumpkin spice lattes from Starbucks way too many times a week, I'll likely go broke from buying way too many pumpkin beers and ales. Unfortunately, I don't remember what this one was called. But out of the few I've tried as of late, it was one of my fav!

Red Fox is supposed to be a British style pub with British food. Not sure how British spinach and artichoke dip is. I should know this. But either way--Red Fox British spinach dip is very much worth trying!

If your newspaper placemat lights on fire like ours did, consider it a good sign.

Happy spinach,

-D

Street Spinach: Hilton Cafe Spinach Sandwich Melt

Had to share.

I knew my boss had good taste...this is yummy melt my boss got out to lunch at Hilton Cafe in Ferndale MI. If I knew this sandwich came fully equipped with spinach, I would have likely ordered it as opposed to my standard soup that day. Though I must say...if you are a soup fan, you'll be a fan of all the soup Hilton Cafe offers. 

I found this image of Effie the owner and the interior on urbane apts -- and it's very telling! I think there will likely be a lot more Hilton Cafe sourced spinach goodness featured here...because I go there all of the time. And Effie knows how to cook some spinach! 

So if you had to take a wild guess about where I am around lunch time on any given day...chances are it's here!

-D

Salmon Patty Burger with Spinach and Cajun Mayo

Salmon. Spinach. Burger. Oh my...

Forgive me for being so absent lately. It's been a rough couple of weeks. Though, I realize spinach is very important. And doesn't deserve abandonment like that. #NoExcuses

This recipe is loosey goosey. The only real requirement is 1 can of salmon. So include or exclude as you wish...

You will need (roughly):

Can of salmon

tbs mayo (about)

tbs chopped onion

1/2 tsp minced garlic

2 tbs bread crumbs 

sprig of parsley - chopped

2 tsp parmesan/asiago cheese

1 egg

salt and pepper to taste

fresh baby spinach

burger brioche/bun

For the sauce:

mayo

squeeze of lemon

cajun spice to taste

pepper to taste

Lightly oil a pan and heat to medium. In a bowl, combine salmon, mayo, onion, garlic, bread crumbs, parsley, parmesan/asiago cheese, and salt and pepper to taste. Before adding the raw egg, you can taste it to see if it needs more of anything. Separate mix into two halves, pack into patties, and pan fry. For a firmer patty, use less mayo and/or beat the egg separate and pour in only half. 

Load up the bun with fresh baby spinach. This is the key ingredient here.

Whip up a small batch of the cajun mayo, spread on the bun, top off with the salmon patty...and say AHH. 

Enjoy,

A+D

Food Porn: Zucchini, Feta & Spinach Fritters

If I were Fritter King, all noble fritters would have to have spinach. 

Right now, this isn't a rule so not all fritters have spinach. But of course, only the best of the best ones do. I haven't made these fritters...but Morgan from over at Host the Toast did. And they look delicious. 

She says the fritters are more like a vehicle for the special tzatziki sauce...but I don't know about that. From the looks of it...I would say the sauce is a vehicle for fritters. 

Either way...get the recipe here from Host the Toast! 

Follow Host the Toast on Facebook, Pinterest, and Twitter. 

Tell us how it goes.

-A+D

Tip Tuesday: Grill Salmon Over Pineapple Skins

Photo courtesy of adashofcinema.com

A Dash of Cinema gives these really awesome step by step instructions on how to cut a pineapple. If you're stumped when it comes to whole pineapples -- you should check out the tutorial here. 

Once you've mastered cutting whole pineapples, however, eventually the question might arise...what to do with those leftover hides? What to do with the pineapple skins that are rough and spiky on the outside, but sweet with scrapes of pineapple meat on the inside?

Buy your whole pineapples on the same grocery shopping day that you buy salmon or any other fish to throw on the grill. Instead of using a cedar plank or grilling basket...use the pineapple skins that you would have otherwise thrown away. Grill the salmon on the fruity side, so the rough spiky side is facing the coals/gas and so instead of burning, the salmon absorbs the fruitiness of pineapple. I have yet to try this! 

Happy grilling,

A+D

Rosemary & Parmesan Crusted Chicken Over Coconut Creamed Spinach

Going to be honest, this creamed spinach did not turn out to be particularly creamy, but it was still very tasty, so it made the spianch blog cut. 

Instead of using cream or milk, I like to substitute or add in coconut milk. Simply because I love coconut milk. To make this dish, I just layered on parmesan chicken over a bed of the creamed spinach and baked it. It's very simple...good with rice or bread...or mini croissants, which is what we did :)

You Will Need:

(Approximately)

1-2 tbs mayo

2 chicken breast

1 tbs white Italian cheeses

1 tbs white cheddar

1-2 tbs cream cheese

Dried rosemary (or fresh)

1/2 can coconut milk

Parmesan cheese (a generous sprinkle)

2 c. frozen spinach (thawed)

salt + pepper to taste

1/4 white/yellow onion

In a large bowl mix together all of the cheeses, a sprinkle of parmesan, coconut milk, spinach, white onion, and salt and pepper. 

When done, scoop mixture into a baking dish. 

Slice each chicken breast in half so that you have four thin cuts all together. This helps cook faster, more evenly, and cut back on portions. 

Lather each piece of chicken with a bit of mayo then top with salt and pepper, a generous sprinkle of Parmesan cheese and the dried rosemary. If you have fresh sprigs of rosemary, use that! 

Layer the chicken over the bed of spinach. 

Bake in the oven for around 30-40 minutes at 375 degrees F, checking occassionally for the chicken to brown. 

We threw some of these quick, yummy, croissants in the oven, too. 

Since the chicken is cut thin, it'll cook relatively fast. So once the parmesan browns, it is very likely done! 

Serve with a scoop of the creamed spinach and a side o f bread and butter...yummm,

Bon Appetit!

-A+D

Panera Bread's Spinach and Artichoke Souffle

So basically, this is what happens to spinach and artichoke souffles when Spinach Blog meets Panera Bread. 

Some people might not consider Panera very special since it's kind of fast food. But, I assure you, Panera's spinach and artichoke souffles are pretty special. Panera recognizes this, too, because they stop serving them at 11 am. Maybe even earlier. What other thing on Panera's menu do they STOP serving at a certain time? Exactly.

If you're a morning person and/or spinach fan, you should definitely try this one! They also have a couple others which also have spinach, I believe. But this one is my favorite one. It is also vegetarian friendly. It is very cheesy though, so unfortunately not for vegans. 

Crisp on the outside, spinach goo cheese on the inside. Nothing else quite so delicious comes to mind off the top of my head...

-A+D

Cajun Shrimp and Spinach/Arugula Tacos

It doesn't take a wise man or women to understand that tacos are yummy. So by default, tacos stuffed with Cajun spiced shrimp, spinach, cheese and other greens would automatically be even more yummy. Serve in warmed corn tortilla and then you're golden.

You will need: 

Medium sized shrimp (enough for however many people coming X however many you can eat)

Cajun seasoning

Salt + pepper to taste

Lemon

1/2 small white onion (or whole if you're making a lot)

Spinach arugula mix

Corn tortillas

Shredded 5 cheese blend (or your favorite sharp cheese)

A little veggie oil

First peel and devein your shrimp. Chop the onion into small dices and throw in with the shrimp. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and Cajun season. Stir to cover shrimp evenly with your makeshift marinade.

Sizzle the shrimp in pan on medium heat until they turn pink and white/until they are cooked. They cook very fast so it will likely take only around 5 minutes.

Cut up the spinach and mixed greens and prep all the taco toppings in bowls. Shredded cheese in one, green mix in the other. If you're feeling zesty throw in a bowl of guac, black beans, and/or corn. 

Wait until the very end to prep the corn tortillas so that they are warm and brown at serving time. We used prepackaged raw corn tortillas that we heated in a pan until brown. 

Put all your ingredients out on the table and dig in! We were low on shrimp that day, so I added in some chicken, seasoning it the same way as the shrimp. And served it with refried beans and corn on the side. 

Sprinkle on a bit of lemon...

Enjoy,

A+D