Review: Mushroom Pie with Spinach Crust

I made Mollie Katzen's Mushroom Pie with Spinach Crust (from "Enchanted Broccoli Forest"). The recipe called for "thick yogurt" and I decided to use a non-fat greek yogurt. I am not sure if that was right, because the yogurt flavor was strong. Overall, the recipe was good and I think I would make it again. (I tend to try new things instead of reusing tried and true recipes - unless they are quick ones.) I did dirty quite a few dishes. The original recipe suggests four servings. However, I felt that it makes 8 filling servings.

I ran the recipe through WW recipe builder and 1/8 the pie is only 3 points! I think it would be 3 points if you followed the exact recipe too. I made slight adjustments for the "modifications" that I made: 1. I used 9 ounces of spinach instead of 12; 2. I was also slightly short on mushrooms; 3. I shredded two slices of reduced-fat swiss cheese instead of using already grated swiss cheese. I didn't melt any additional cheese on top of the pie and only mixed it in the filling; and 4. I reduced the white flour in the pie crust from 3/4 cup to 2/3 of a cup to adjust for the lack of spinach.

Not bad for a filling meal. And I think if you wanted to eat 1/4 the pie, 6 points isn't bad either. And if you are a quiche person, the spinach crust is genius!

Spinach & Beans

I made Fitnessista's Bean & Spinach dish. So simple. So good. If I remember correctly, saute 1/2 onion in a little olive oil. Add garlic. Stir in lots of baby spinach (almost 1lb) until wilted. Add desired amount of beans. Season with salt, pepper & lemon juice. I used hot sauce instead of cayenne. 

Polenta Pizza with Caramelized Onions, Mushrooms, Spinach & Gorgonzola

I have a new food love and it is polenta. One of the many polenta dishes that I have recently made include polenta pizza. 

All you need to do is make the crust and add whatever toppings you fancy. I happen to fancy caramelized onions and cheese. 

Polenta Pizza

1/2 cup skim milk

1 cup coarse cornmeal

2 onions, chopped

1-2 packages sliced white mushrooms (I don't know what size)

1 bunch of washed spinach

1 cup Gorgonzola cheese

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

2. Spray cookie sheet with non-stick spray.  

3. Cook the polenta until thick and then spread onto the cookie sheet to form the crust. 

4. You don't know how to cook the polenta? In a sauce pan, combine 1/2 cup skim milk with 2 1/2 cups water (you may want to season with salt). When it begins to boil, reduce heat (to simmer), and add 1 cup cornmeal in a steady stream. Whisk until the mixture is thick. 

5. Sprinkle "crust" (remember you spread it onto the cooking sheet?) with salt and pepper. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm (at least one hour).

6. Caramelize the onions and saute mushrooms & spinach until desired texture is achieved. 

7. Bake "crust" until it begins to brown (25 minutes). 

8. Take "crust" out of oven, sprinkle with Gorgonzola cheese and add toppings (vegetables). 

9. Bake until cheese melts.

The spinach was very crispy and next time I will make this pizza only using onions, mushrooms, and cheese. 

Per reader request, here is the NI for the crust based on 1/4 of the pizza:

The NI with the toppings (note it was calculated using raw onion and I believe the sugars in caramelized onions would increase the calories):

Recipe was taken (slightly modified) from the New York Times and I have also seen similar polenta pizza recipes in cookbooks (I think Vegetarian Times). 

Spinach Orzo Pasta Salad

1-16 ounce package uncooked orzo pasta

1-10 ounce package baby spinach, finely chopped

1/2 red onion, finely chopped

1/2 tsp dried basil

1/4 tsp ground pepper

Cook orzo as directed; drain and rinse with cold water. Transfer to a large bowl and stir in the remaining ingredients.

Toss with 1/2 cup olive oil and 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar.

Sprinkle with feta cheese before serving.

***Thanks for sharing this recipe Kari!***

Spinach Lentil Soup

Racking in at 20 grams of fiber per serving, this tasty soup is fiberlicious! I made a whole pot of spinach lentil soup with very little prep time. I used pre-diced onions ($.99 a bag at TJ's and the recipe used 1/2 the bag) and pre-shredded carrots. The recipe does not specify what type of lentils to use. I chose tiny black lentils and I think this reduced the cooking time. I will definatly make this dish again and it beats all canned lentil soups hands-down. It's even vegan.

Spinach Lentil Soup

1 cup shredded carrots

1 large onion, chopped

1 tablespoon olive oil

6 cups water

1 (16 ounce) jar salsa

1 1/4 cups dried lentils

3/4 teaspoon salt

1 (10 ounce) package fresh spinach, torn

In a large pot, saute carrots and onion in oil until tender. Add the water, salsa, lentils and salt. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer until the lentils are tender (50-60 minutes, but it took mine about 30 minutes). Stir in the spinach and simmer until the wilted (about 5-10 minutes).

6 (1 1/2 cup) Servings: 208 calories, 3 grams fat, 686 mg sodium, 36 g carbs, 20 g fiber, 18 g protein. Exchanges: 2 vegetable, 1 starch, 1 very lean meat, 1/2 fat.