Spinach Artichoke Panini

Ingredients:

1/2 Tbsp Earth Balance buttery spread

2 cups lightly packed fresh spinach, chopped

1/2 cup artichoke hearts, chopped

1 tablespoon sun-dried tomatoes, julienned

shredded mozzarella cheese, or dairy free cheese alternative

4 pieces whole-grain bread

Directions:

Preheat panini press/grill pan.  

In a medium skillet, melt butter over medium heat.  Add spinach.  Stir until it wilts.  Stir in the artichoke hearts and sun-dried tomatoes, stir until heated through.  Spread half of the mixture on one slice of bread and the other half on another.  Top each mixture with cheese, if using.  

Close the sandwiches with the remaining two slices of bread.  

Spray the outside of the bread with a light coating of olive oil spray.  Cook sandwiches in panini press until it is crispy and cheese is melted, about 2 minutes.  Slice in half and serve immediately.

Recipe taken from: http://happyhealthymama.com/2011/04/hot-lunch-in-a-hurry-spinach-artichoke-panini.html

Tortellini Salad

This dish can be served warm or cold.  Delicious both ways.

Ingredients:

1 package (13 oz) fresh cheese tortellini

1 medium zucchini, haled and sliced

1/2 cup Italian salad dressing (or more to taste)

1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved

1 can (14 oz) water packed artichoke hearts, rinsed, drained and quartered

1 jar (11 oz) pitted Greek olives, drained

1 carton (8 oz) miniature fresh mozzarella cheese balls, drained

Directions:

In a large saucepan, cook tortellini according to package directions.  Drain; transfer to a large bowl.  

If planning to serve warm, sautee zucchini, tomatoes, and artichokes in a large skillet until warmed through.  If planning to serve cold, omit this step.

Add remaining ingredients, toss to coat.  If serving cold, refrigerate.

Recipe adapted from: http://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/Connie-s-Tortellini-Salad

Pan Pizza

Ingredients:

green pepper

mushrooms

olives, 

sun-dried tomatoes

oregano

shredded mozzarella cheese

spaghetti/pizza sauce, low sodium

Dough: (makes 2 crusts)

• 5 1/2 cup bread flour
• 2 1/3 cup warm water
• 3/4 Tbsp salt
• 1 1/4 tsp yeast

Directions:

For the Dough:

Combine bread flour and water and mix with a mixer on low speed until blended.  Set aside and let sit for 15 minutes.  Add the salt and yeast and mix on low speed for 5 minutes.  Place in a bowl lightly covered with oil (dough may be sticky, this is OK).  Cover and let sit for 20 minutes.  Uncover and punch-down dough again.  Cover and set aside for a third time for 20 minutes.  Finally, uncover and punch-down dough.  Cover and set aside for at least 2 (or up to 8) hours.

About an hour before baking time, divide dough in half.  Refrigerate half for later use. 

For the Pizza:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Spray an 8 x 11 baking pan (I used a jelly roll pan)  with cooking spray.  Spread the other half of the dough out in the pan and let sit for 15-30 minutes.  Then, evenly spread about 1 Tbsp olive oil over the dough.  Top with tomato sauce, mozzarella cheese, and vegetable toppings.  Sprinkle with a bit of oregano and bake for 15-20 minutes.  

Serve with a tossed green salad.

To save time, dough can be made ahead of time and kept in refrigerator or freezer.

Recipe taken from: http://www.simplylifeblog.com/2012/11/pan-pizza-mindfulness/

Simple Vegetarian Baked Ziti

Ingredients:

8 oz uncooked ziti pasta

2 cups sliced mushrooms, chopped

1 medium onion, chopped

1 Tbsp minced garlic

2-3 cups fresh spinach, chopped

1 cup ricotta cheese, low fat

2 cups canned crushed tomatoes

2 Tsp dried basil

3/4 cup shredded mozzarella

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Cook pasta according to package directions, drain and set aside.
Meanwhile, coat a large skillet with a bit of olive oil over medium heat.  Add onion and cook for 3-4 minutes.  Add mushrooms, garlic, and cook for another 5 minutes, until mushrooms are soft.
Add spinach and cook until wilted, about 5 minutes.
Remove skillet from heat and stir in ricotta cheese and dried basil.  Add mixture to the bowl with the cooked pasta, then add the tomatoes and 1/2 cup mozzarella.  Stir well.
Transfer the mixture to an 8x8 baking pan, sprayed with nonstick spray.  Top with remaining mozzarella.  Bake until hot and bubbly, 10-15 minutes.
Serve with tossed salad for a complete meal.

Recipe taken from: http://www.healthforthewholeself.com/2011/01/simple-vegetarian-baked-ziti/