Homemade spinach and cheese ravioli

Chicken in Spinach Cream Sauce

Like most kids, mine are very fond of chicken, but will wince at spinach. So here's something where they need to go through the spinach to get to the chicken! Some trick there!
I served this dish with red rice that they love to eat. 

Cheesy Spinach Farfalle

Farfalle or bow-tie pasta is my kids favourite shaped pasta. I prepared pasta today after a long time, needless to say that it was attacked when I had barely finished clicking the pictures. I was meaning to click some more pictures with shredded cheese on the top, however it was too late. Joel was back from school and he could wait no longer!

Spinach Thoran

Its summer vacation here so am busy keeping the kids busy. Trying my level best to post in between and visit your blogs as well.

Chicken-Spinach HotDog- International HotDog Incident

Its party time and time for the first IIP of the year. International Incident Parties are hosted by the lovely Penny. I've enjoyed being a part of it from the very first party, it does help to stretch my culinary creativity and check out the fabulous creations across the globe. I've always attempted to make healthy versions of the challenges put forth, keeping in mind the theme of this blog.

Spinach Burger and the Swallowtail

In my post Mushroom Stew and New Beginings I had mentioned that we had found a pupa on my curry leaves plant.

When we returned from church yesterday here's what we found.....

an empty shell.....

......and the most gorgeous Common Mormon Swallowtail in the nesting box. (Note the corners of the wings had not yet stretched out.)

We were held spell-bound as we watched this beauty stretch out and get its footing.

Amazing how a butterfly naturally takes to a flower!

The more we watched it Joel couldn't bear the thought of parting with it. I finally convinced him that a butterfly was meant to fly free. I remember an old adage-"If you love someone, set him free....."

All stretched out and ready for take off.....

Spinach Burgers
I have been working out many options for my son who is a picky eater. Recently he was fixated on cheese sandwhiches for his snack box. When I asked him if he would take a cutlet, he said "Put a cutlet and a cheese slice and bread on the top" I was happy to hear that! The next time I plan to add some coleslaw to it. Let's see how it goes.

Ingredients-
2tbs spinach puree
3 potatoes
1large onion
5 flakes of garlic
1tsp ginger paste
juice of 1/2 lemon
1/2 cup wholemeal breadcrumbs
1/2cup chopped fresh mint
1/2tsp garam masala
1/2tsp chilli powder
freshly ground pepper
salt to taste
Preparation-

• Boil potatoes, when cool to handle peel and mash.
• Mince onion and garlic and saute.
• Combine all the ingredients well.
• Roll into burger sized patties, flatten, and roll in bread crumbs.
• Fry till crisp
• Slice a wholemeal burger bun in the middle, place a spinach cutlet, top with cheese slice.
• Cover with the top of the bun
• Serve hot.

Cottage Cheese in Spinach Curry/Palak Paneer

Palak Paneer is a popular vegetarian North Indian preparation, specifically originating from the province of Punjab. Palak means spinach in hindi and paneer meaning cottage cheese. If you would like to have a go at home-made cottage cheese, then click here. Palak paneer is a good way to get kids have their spinach. My little girl is so fond of cottage cheese that she will first finish all the cubes up and then she will look at everyone else's plate and ask for their cottage cheese!

How do you like to have cottage cheese? Do share.

Ingredients-
1 big bundle spinach leaves

1 large onion

1 large tomato

1 heaped tbs dry fenugreek leaves/ kasoori methi

1tbs ginger-garlic paste

1tbs evaporated milk/ Khoya

1/2cup milk
salt to taste
Some oil
Dry spices-
1/2 tsp ground cumin powder

1/2 tsp ground chilli powder

1/4tsp garam masala

For cottage cheese-

200gms cottage cheese

Preparation-

• Chop off the roots of the spinach and wash clean adding salt. Then chop the spinach.
• Roughly chop the onions and tomatoes.
• Cut the cottage cheese into long cubes and keep aside.
• Heat oil in a pan and saute the onions with the ginger-garlic paste.
• Add the dry fenugreek leaves/ kasoori methi. Enjoy the aroma as you stir in the leaves.
• Add the chopped tomatoes and cover the pan and allow to cook.
• Stir the mixture so that the juices blend.
• Add the chopped spinach, cover and cook.
• Once the spinach is done, stir in the evaporated milk.
• Cool the mixture and puree it. Add milk to lighten it.
• Heat the pan again with the puree. Add the dry spices and salt to taste. Add milk to get curry consistency.
• Once the curry begins to bubble add the cubed cottage cheese.
• Serve hot with rotis, or rice.

Other spinach recipes you might like are-

Spinach Rice

Pasta in Spinach Cream Sauce

Spinach and Lentil/Palak Dal

Spinach Rice

Spinach Rice another delicious and nutritious way to get your kids to eat their spinach. I have used Enriched Spinach Puree again for this dish. I served the rice with poppadams. If your kids are like mine, the poppadams will be over long before they've even started on the rice!!!

Ingredients-

1 cup rice
2-3 tbs Enriched spinach puree
1/2 cup grated carrot
1/2 cup shelled peas
1 chopped onion chopped
2 tsps ghee/clarified butter
1tbs grated cheddar cheese
5 cloves of garlic chopped
2 small cinnamon sticks
6-8 whole peppercorns
3 cardamoms
salt to taste
1 tsp lemon juice

Preparation-

• Cook the rice and keep aside.
• In a heavy bottomed dish heat 1tsp ghee, add the chopped onions and garlic and whole spices and saute till you begin to get the aroma of the spices.
• Add the peas, and grated carrot and cover and cook.
• After the veggies are cooked add the cooked rice, and Enriched Spinach Puree, and salt and mix.
• Switch off the heat and add the lemon juice.
• Top with grated cheese or ghee and serve hot with poppadams.

You can also check

Pasta in Spinach Cream Sauce

Pasta In Spinach Cream Sauce

As I had promised in my previous post here's a way to use your Enriched Spinach Puree for pasta. Pasta in spinach cream sauce as the name suggests is rich in spinach and cream.
I have used elbow macaroni, do use your child's favourite pasta to make it fun for him/her.

After I had finished preparing it and tasting it, I was quite happy with myself. Now I had to face my jury's verdict. Jury- my 4year old son and 19 months daughter. Joel tasted some and rolled his eyes (while I waited with bated breath) and pronounced "I don't like it". Then came Judith- she winced, but politely gave it a second shot and no more! I thought to myself "Now what do I do?" That's when I remembered tomato sauce! Having added some, I requested Joel to give it one more shot promising not to force him if he didnt like it. To my relief he loved it and complained no more, instead finished the meal quickly. Judith followed suit. Actually I also liked it better with the tomato sauce.

Have you cooked pasta with spinach? Do share.

Ingredients-
1tbs olive oil
1 cup elbow macaroni
5 tbs fresh cream
2 tbs enriched spinach puree
1 small onion finely chopped
5 cloves of garlic finely chopped
1tsp oregano
salt to taste

Preparation-

• Boil water, drop in the macaroni when the water is boiling and cook al dente. Drain the pasta, wash in cold water and keep aside. Reserve the water.
• Chop the garlic and onion fine.
• Heat oil in a pan add the garlic and onion and saute.
• Add the fresh cream; stirring till it thickens.
• Pour in the enriched spinach puree and stir. If you would like the sauce a little lighter add the reserve.
• Add the salt and oregano seasoning.
• Finally add the boiled pasta and mix into the spinach cream sauce.
• Serve with or without tomato sauce according to your family's taste buds.

Enriched Spinach Puree

There are so many ways to prepare Superfood Spinach. Many moms complain that its very difficult to get their kids to eat their spinach! Most kids will eat their veggies as long as its in the invisible mode! You make the dish look appealing and if they cant see the veggie as a chunk that they need to eat, there are more chances of you getting it down. I would like to share with you all that I have tried with this wonderful superfood. In many of the recipes that I have tried I use the puree form. I do not just blanch and puree it but enrich it with other ingredients. This puree can be used in many recipes which I will post soon.

Ingredients-

1 bundle spinach leaves

1 medium sized onion

1 medium sized tomato

1 heaped tbs dry fenugreek leaves/ kasoori methi

1tbs evaporated milk/ Khoya

2tsps ginger-garlic paste

Some oil

Preparation-

• Chop off the roots of the spinach and wash clean adding salt. Then chop the spinach.
• Chop the onions and tomatoes.
• Heat oil in a pan and saute the onions with the ginger-garlic paste.
• Add the dry fenugreek leaves/ kasoori methi. The aroma as you stir in the leaves is great!
• Add the chopped tomatoes and cover the pan and allow to cook.
• Stir the mixture so that the juices blend.
• Add the chopped spinach, cover and cook.
• Once the spinach is done, stir in the evaporated milk.
• Cool the mixture and puree it.
• Your Enriched Spinach Puree is ready to be used to make a variety of delicious spinach dishes!

You can use Enriched Spinach Puree in

Pasta in Spinach Cream Sauce

Spinach Rice

Spinach and Lentil/Palak Dal

I've been wanting to blog on Superfood Spinach since a while and finally got down to it. Spinach and lentil is a very healthy combination and very easy to make as well. Again a page from my mom's recipes. Highly recommended for kids.