Today was a long long day. I worked until 5 and it was absolutely dead for a good part of the day. However, we did get a huge rainstorm which seems to have made the humidity drop a bit (thank God!) When I got home I was starving and needed something quick to fix.
I took 2 Perdue ground chicken patties and threw them into a preheated pot with a little olive oil.
I threw them in frozen. I didn't have time to thaw them so whatever :)
Next I put milk, spinach, basil, and oregano in my blender (the base of my cream sauce)
Once the chicken starts to cook make sure you crumble it with a knife. You want chunkier pieces.
I blended the milk mixture for about three minutes. It is going to be pretty frothy but don't worry it will decrease as it cooks.
Next I added 3 tbsp of whole wheat pastry flour to the olive oil and chicken. I cooked it for about two minutes and then added my milk mixture. The flour will act as a thickening agent for the sauce.
Nice and green!
Cook the sauce on medium heat until it begins to boil. While it is cooking start another pan full of water to make pasta. Use whatever pasta you like. You could use elbow macaroni or small shells and make this into a green mac and cheese and finish it off in the oven. Kids would love this recipe because it tastes just like mac and cheese, its green, and it provides them with a serving of vegetables! They will never taste the spinach!! For my dinner I used the spelt pasta I bought at the Dutch Farmers Market last week (my new obsession!!!)
One the sauce begins to bubble add your cheese. I used a variety of cheeses. If you are looking for a more traditional mac and cheese you could add 2 cups of cheddar and a tbsp of cream cheese. The cream cheese will make the sauce really thick and creamy like a traditional mac and cheese. I decided to throw about an ounce of the Tuscan goat cheese I had, 1 1/2 of 2% mozzarella, about a small handful of Parmesan cheese, and about 1/4 cup of the soft ricotta crumble cheese I had.
Turn the heat down to low and let the cheese melt into the sauce. Add whatever seasonings you would like. I added some crushed red pepper flakes, rosemary, salt, pepper, and fennel seeds.
Cook the sauce for an additional 5-7 minutes. As you can see from the pictures below the frothyness wears off towards the end.
Close up!!!
Next just add the pasta to the sauce.
Cook for another minute so the flavors can melt together.
Next put some on your plate and enjoy!! I garnished my with some fresh cracked pepper and Parmesan cheese. One of my favorite things to eat with a cheesy pasta dish is green beans! I steamed them in the microwave with some water for about three minutes. When I was eating them I ended up cutting them up and added them to my pasta for a little crunch!!!
My look a little weird, but it came out great. Like I stated before its a great way to sneak in a vegetable serving without anyone noticing!
Close up again....sooo yummy...
After dinner I relaxed for a little bit and started researching some websites for free yoga videos. I used to take Yoga last summer and absolutely loved it. I have back problems and since I started running again this summer I feel like I have a lot of pressure between my shoulders. I wanted to start doing Yoga again, but to be quiet honest it's a bit ridiculously expensive!!
My favorite yoga is Yin Yoga. Unlike traditional flow yoga where you transition positions at a fast pace, yin yoga has a variety of poses that you hold for 3-5 minutes each. It is supposed to help the connective tissue in your body. I always feel great after a yin yoga class so I wanted to do one tonight because my legs were tight from running.
I found this video on You Tube that focuses on the Yin Yoga poses that work your back and hips-exactly what I needed to stretch out for running. I suggest at least trying the video. It's pretty simple, she shows you the move to hold and you hold it for 3-5 minutes. The annoying aspect is that you have to keep pausing the video but I am a visual person so I like seeing someone show me the move before doing it.
If you are looking for a SUPER relaxing yoga video try this one! It has you go through a Sun Salutation a few times and then has you go through sleep yoga! Sleep yoga is literally where you lie down and she talks you through how to pace your breath and how to relax. I almost fell asleep during this one! It's not a super active Yoga but I felt super refreshed afterwards!!!
Well I am off to relax for a little bit. I have been super tired lately (hopefully I am not getting sick) so I am trying to take it easy. Have a nice night :)
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