Showing posts tagged spinach
Healthy, Hearty, AND Delicious Chicken Meatball Soup
This is a great meal for when you feel like eating super healthy, but don’t want to sacrifice flavor! Below is a recipe I adapted from Bon Appetit. You can also make the meatballs for a pasta dish or just to have as a snack!
Spring Minestrone with Chicken Meatballs
Serves 4. I usually only make half of the broth and all of the meatballs.
Ingredients
- 6 ounces ground chicken (about 3/4 cup)
- 1/2 cup brown rice breadcrumbs
- 6 tablespoons finely grated Parmesan, divided, plus more for garnish
- 4 garlic cloves, 2 minced, 2 thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
- 1 large egg, whisked to blend
- Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper
- 1 tablespoon grape seed oil
- 1 leek, white and pale-green parts only, sliced into 1/4” rounds
- 2.5 cups low-salt chicken broth
- Cooked Basamati rice (see fool-proof here)
- 3/4 bunch of broccolini (or broccoli)
- 1/2 cup 1/2” rounds peeled carrots
- 1 cup (packed) baby spinach
- Chopped fresh basil
Preparation
1. I suggest portioning out everything French style (mis en place if you will).
2. Mix chicken, breadcrumbs, 3 tablespoons Parmesan, 2 minced garlic cloves, chives, egg, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a medium bowl.
3. Form into 1/2”-diameter meatballs (makes about 28).
4. Heat oil in a small pot over medium heat. Cook meatballs until golden all over, about 3 minutes (they will finish cooking in soup).
5. Transfer to a plate; set aside.
6. Add leek to pot and cook, stirring often, until beginning to soften, about 3 minutes.
7. Add 2 thinly sliced garlic cloves; cook for 1 minute.
8. Add broth and 2 cups water; bring to a boil. Add carrots and simmer until pasta about 5 minutes.
9. Add broccolini and simmer for a minute.
10. Add meatballs and simmer until carrots and broccolini are tender, and meatballs are cooked through, about 3 minutes.
11. Add spinach and stir until wilted.
12. Season with salt and pepper.
13. Garnish with parmesan and basil which really make the soup. You can eat it without it, but it’s so much better with the two.
A beautifying green smoothie
This morning my friend M.E. busted out her blender to make us a green smoothie before our walk (video coming on Monday of my arm exercises).
Her blend is thick, but it’s amazingly filling for having no protein.
Here’s the recipe from The Beauty Detox Solution, a book by Kimberly Snyder who promotes eating right to be more beautiful and healthy.
- 1 bunch of romaine lettuce
- 1 1/2 cups of water
Blend
- 2 stalks celery
- Big handful spinach
- 1 apple
- 1 pair
Optional:
- Banana
- Parsley
- Cilantro
(I’m not a fan of the herbs, but M.E. likes them.)
I only drank half of mine and was totally satisfied before our walk.
