Spaghetti and "Meat" Sauce with Spinach and Cheese Muffins

If there is one food I know my son will eat all of without a fight, it's spaghetti, and there is no easier way to get that boy to eat veggies than to puree them into a sauce to go on the spaghetti! Most tomato sauce recipes call for sugar to cut the acidity of the sauce, but I use carrots instead! It gives us a nutrient boost while sweetening the sauce! If you like a chunky sauce, you can skip the puree step, but I prefer a smooth one. You can add any veggies you want, I sometimes like to add zucchini, mushrooms and spinach or kale, if I have them on hand, but this is my base recipe. Cauliflower and broccoli even go well pureed in this sauce! We aren't eating meat anymore, so I used vegetarian soy crumbles, but you can use ground beef, turkey, or chicken if you're a meat eater! I typically like to cook 1/4 cup bulgur in the sauce after I've pureed it, before adding the crumbles, adding an additional 2 cups chicken stock. However, my commissary doesn't carry it, so, unless I've gone to the closest grocery store in town, which I typically don't just because of the inconvenience, it's not always in my sauce. It adds more fiber and has a meaty texture, we really like it. This makes 8 cups of sauce! You can cut the recipe in half, if you want, or do what I did and freeze the remainder in ziplock bags in one cup portions for easy lunches later!

The way the spinach muffins were made in the recipe I used made them just okay, they weren't anything too terribly fantastic. However, when I ate the leftovers the next day, I reheated them in the microwave and drizzled with balsamic vinegar and let it soak in for a couple of minutes while I made my salad. SO much better with the basalmic, so don't skip that step!

 

Here is how I made the sauce:

1 large onion, diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 green bell pepper, chopped

2 carrots, chopped

2 stalks celery, chopped

1/2 cup chicken stock or white wine (I really like it with red, too, but my husband doesn't)

1 28 oz can diced tomatoes, with juices

1 1/2 tsp dried thyme

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

1 tsp dried basil

1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

1/4 tsp crushed red pepper

1/4 tsp salt

1, 12 oz package soy crumbles

 

In a large pot over medium heat, add onion and garlic and cook until beginning to soften, a couple of minutes. Add in the rest of the veggies and saute until tender, about 5-10 minutes. Add in stock or wine and cook until exavorated. Stir in tomatoes, and seasonings, bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer, uncovered, 30 minutes to an hour, stirring often (Cover it if you want to let this simmer longer. The longer you simmer, the more the flavors will blend). Transfer to a food processor and pulse a few times to break up large pieces, then let whirl around on low speed until pureed to your liking. Return the sauce back to the pan, add in the soy crumbles, and simmer until heated through, about 5 minutes. If you're going to add bulgur, add it with the extra water when you add the crumbles, bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cook until tender, about 15 minutes.

This recipe makes roughly 6-8 cups

 

For the Spinach Muffins:

1, 14 oz package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained, or 12 oz fresh spinach

4 egg whites, lightly beaten

1/2 cup part skim ricotta cheese

1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese, plus more for garnish

1 clove garlic, minced

1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

balsamic vinegar

 

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

 

If using frozen spinach, squeeze dry (I let mine thaw in the fridge overnight instead of in the microwave so I don't have to wait for it to cool). If using fresh, pulse in the food processor until finely chopped.

 

Add spinach to a bowl and stir in remaining ingredients, except for vinegar. Use your hands, it's easier to combine! Divide the mixture between 8 muffin cups and bake until set, about 20 minutes. Drizzle with balsamic and let stand for 5 minutes to let them finish setting up and absorb the vinegar (Seriously, don't skip the vinegar, it really takes these from okay to awesome!). Run a thin silicone spatula around the edges and gently lift out and sprinkle with extra Parm! Enjoy!

This recipe makes 4 servings, two muffins each!



Steak and Eggs with Creamed Spinach in Tomato Cups (Bonus! Leftover Idea!)

My husband made a stir-fry a few days ago and used all but three of these little steaks, and I needed to use them up. I needed a recipe that included more protein, since these steaks are small, I also love breakfast, it's my favorite meal of the day, so I like to make breakfast for dinner from time to time! I was thinking of maybe doing a hash or... a breakfast casserole, but with steaks, I like them to be front and center, not hidden. I would ordinarily have used sunny side up eggs, but I wanted to squeeze in some more vegetation, so I went with scrambled, since I could incorporate them right into the egg. When thinking of an accompanying veggie side, I thought of how my favorite steakhouse side is creamed spincach, but how it has too much liquid for a plate, and how yummy spinach is with tomatoes! Voila, dinner was now a concrete idea, just to get it cooked (I only made this for three, but I'll post the amounts for four):


For the steak and eggs:
4 small, lean steaks, extra external fat trimmed (I can't remember what cut we used, I think it was eye of round)
grill seasoning
worchestershire sauce
1/4 to 1/2 green bell pepper, chopped (Depending on how many eggs you use)
1/4 onion, chopped
1/4 jalapeno, minced (optional)
4-6 eggs (However many you want. I made one egg for me, one for my son, and two for my husband)
1 tablespoon evaporated skim milk

Preheat a large skillet (Or a grill, if it's not freezing death cold where you live!) to medium-high heat. Season one side of the steak with grill seasoning and add, seasoned side down, to the heat, then season the other side. Cook for 2-4 minutes (Depending on how you like it, I like mine mooable, so I went with 2, my husband likes his medium, so his was on for three), flip, sprinkle with worchestershire, and cook for an additional 2-4 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a small skillet, saute bell pepper, onion, and jalapeno until just slightly tender but still crisp. Beat eggs with milk and a little salt and pepper, then add to pan. Reduce heat to medium low, and let cook slowly, gently folding eggs occasionally (This will result in moist, fluffy eggs. If you cook them too quickly, they'll be dry). When cooked to your preferred level of doneness, remove onto plates (If you're like me, here is where you would generously give the gift of hot sauce!), and top with a steak. Enjoy!

For the creamed spinach:
1, 16 oz bag frozen chopped spinach
1/4 cup onion, chopped (Half of a medium)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup evaporated skim milk
1/4 tsp pepper
1/8 tsp salt
1/8 tsp freshly grated nutmeg (I gave about 10 grates)
4 roma tomatoes, halved and scooped out (I saved the insides to chop up and add to my frittata in the morning)
freshly grated parmesan cheese

In a microwave safe bowl, thaw spinach in the microwave on high for about three minutes, scoop into a clean dish towel, and squeeze all of the water out until no more comes out.

Meanwhile, cook the onion and garlic in a small pot sprayed lightly with cooking spray until tender, stir in milk and seasonings, bring to a boil, then simmer until thickened. Add spinach and simmer, uncovered, until milk has reduced to desired consistancy, stirring occasionally.

Spoon into tomato cups and sprinkle with parmesan cheese! I've made this before with blue cheese, and broiled the stuffed tomatoes for a couple of minutes, which is excellent, as well!

 

Leftovers??

If you happen to have extra creamed spinach and tomatoes, what do you do with them? For me, the answer to any leftover veggie dilemma is a breakfast frittata! My breakfasts are always a cup of veggies with an egg, in various forms, but frittata is my favorite!

I had two stuffed tomatoes leftover from when I made the steak and eggs. I first sauteed about a tablespoon or two or diced red onion, then added the tomatoes, diced up, and sprinkled the spinach filling over the top (I also topped the spinach with a quarter of a jalapeno, chopped, because I need my food to be spicy!). I then poured a beaten egg over the top, covered, and let it cook over medium-low heat until it was cooked through, about 5 minutes, and sprinkled parmesan cheese over the top!! Yummmmmm!!