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

Tip Tuesday: Your Grilled Cheese Sandwich Has Been Missing One Green Ingredient

You know that perfectly cheesy grilled cheese you make on lazy days? You know how you always add a couple tomato slices? You're forgetting something.

Add spinach! Fresh whole spinach leaves work best. But of course, work with what your fridge provides. All spinach is good spinach. And all spinach is cheese compatible. You'll never go grill cheese without spinach again!

Spinach on,

-A+D

Food Porn: Spinach Basil Pesto

Delicious pesto. Can't live with spinach, can't live without it. It's good either way. But it's SPINACH goodness with a handful of spinach leaves thrown in. 

Miss in the Kitchen jazzes it up with shallots, Parmesan and pecans. We're going to have to try this out. Right now.

Go visit Miss in the Kitchen on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest!

Tell us how it goes,

A+D

Spinach Pie from Astoria Pastry Shop in Greek Town, Detroit

Woot woot. Test kitchen Fridays. This means we let someone else do the cooking. And we sit back and chow. 

Our latest spinach try out was at Astoria, a bakery tucked inside the main street of Greek Town area. Of course, when I saw spinach pie I had to try it. 

They didn't warm it up...but I think it was ok that way because it was ridiculously hot that day and as usual, I wore the wrong outfit thinking it would be chilly. So when you're over heating to begin with, eating things that are not also boiling hot is not a bad thing. 

Other than that, it was yummy! Instead of puff pastry or filo dough, they use more of a buttery croissant like wrap. 

Overall, it's very spinachy and feta cheesy. The way good spinach pie should be! Next time you're in Greek Town, say Opa!, then try the spinach pie from Astoria. 

-A+D

DIY Babo Juicery Money Milk

You could drive yourself to Babo in Ann Arbor, Michigan to buy a jug of their Money Milk. Or you can make like the Rita Way and turn to your own kitchen to make something very similarly delicious. As long as you've got a handful of spinach, you're in the clear. 

No measuring. No serious precise recipes. Just eyeballing and blending until you reach your own smoothie perfection. Here's the not-so-secret recipe rendition from the Rita Way (not so secret because the ingredients are all listed right on the bottle...)

You will need:

Frozen mango (as much as you like)

Frozen pineapple (as much as you like)

1/2 avocado

Handful of spinach (best part)

Orange juice

Pulse together in your blender, sip, and enjoy!

Let us know how it goes!

-A+D

Tip Tuesday: When it Comes to Bowls, Bigger is Better

Yes, what you're seeing is a bowl within a bowl. It's not as trippy as it sounds. It simply means that the bigger bowl is the better choice.

When tossing salads, mixing batters, or doing anything involving small particles of food privy to spillage or splattering, mixing spoons or whisks, and mixing bowls, always go with the bigger bowl. It may feel like more dishes using the bigger bowl...but be real with yourself. It's not more dishes. It's less messes for you and easier to do your mixing to its fullest mixing potential. 

So next time you're mixing anything, instead of sparing yourself some bowl by going smaller, spare yourself some spillage by going bigger.

Your welcome,

A+D