mini spinach + mushroom stuffed peppers

I’ve been on a pepper kick lately.  This is mostly due to the fact that they’ve been on sale.  I can’t pass up a sale on organic peppers.  Especially when they’re the mini variety. 

So cute.

So sweet.

So crunchy.

So….stuffable?

Yes!

Do you know what else I can’t pass up?

A 50% off sale on this goat mozzarella.  I wasn’t sure what to expect.  I like goat cheese but have never tried a mozzarella or cheddar variety.

It was very soft but not quite as soft as fresh mozzarella.  The flavor was much more mild than typical crumbly goat cheese. 

It’s now my new favorite cheese.  I will be stocking up.

The decision making process about what to put in the peppers took far too long.  Spinach + cheese?  Thyme?  Topped with basil?  Would the flavors compete?  What about mushrooms?  Would it be too wet?  Would they work with the sweet pepper flavor?  This is what goes on in my head at the grocery store and why I would benefit from recipe planning.

Despite all of my concerns they came together. 

Addicting to say the least.

Mini Spinach + Mushroom Stuffed Peppers

• 1 pint mini sweet peppers
• 1.5 cups portabella or button mushrooms, finely chopped
• 2 cups spinach, finely chopped
• 3/4 cup goat milk mozzarella, shredded
• 2 teaspoons garlic, minced
• 1 Tablespoon fresh thyme, chopped
• 1/2 Tablespoon safflower oil
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• pepper
• basil to top, chiffonade

1. Wash peppers, slice lengthwise, and de-seed. 
2. Set your oven to broil.
3. Place a sauté pan over medium heat with the oil.
4. Place the peppers cut side up on a baking sheet, and broil for 2-4min until slightly softened.  Remove from the oven.
5. Add the mushrooms, spinach, garlic, salt, and pepper to the pan and sauté for 3min, stirring frequently. 
6. Add the fresh thyme in for the last 1-2min and stir.  The spinach should be just wilted and the mushrooms starting to soften.  Take off the heat.
7. In a bowl, toss the mushroom mixture with the shredded cheese and then press the stuffing into each pepper, until just coming out over the tops.
8. Broil 2-4min, until bubbly and lightly browned.
9. Top with basil, a few grinds of pepper, and serve immediately.

notes:  Cow’s milk mozzarella or sharp cheddar cheese would work great in place of goat’s milk mozzarella.  If you don’t like mushrooms double the spinach instead [I did this for Chris].

Don’t let their messy look deceive you.  These little peppers are packed with flavor.

For dinner, I served them over buttered + salted quinoa topped with avocado.

We ate the entire batch.

We’ve been in a bit of a dinner rut over here, so this was a nice change of pace.  Appetizer or appetizer turned dinner.  Take your pick.  Either way you won’t be sorry.

Ashley

lemon + honey cabbage salad

Are you hungover on chocolate?  And Thai food?  And wine?

I am.

So today, you’re probably looking for a nice light recipe, right?

I have just the thing!

Especially if you’re in a salad rut. 

Lately, I’ve become really sick of the large tubs of mixed greens and spinach.  They all taste earthy.  I had a bad run-in with beets a year ago, and anything with an earthy flavor makes me quiver.

A few types of leafy greens I never grow tired of: romaine, leafy red + green, kale, and butter lettuce

I also have a thing for cabbage.  It’s such a nice change of pace.

So.

Crunchy.

This is a remake of a salad I recently had at The Empire Lounge, in Louisville, CO. 

It was a brussel sprout salad with pecorino cheese + walnuts, that came tossed in a honey lemon vinaigrette.  The best part was that it came piled high, just the way I like it. 

So simple, but so pleasing.

I changed things up a bit, using cabbage instead of brussel sprouts.  For a bit of softness, I mixed in green leaf lettuce as well.

The pecorino cheese really put this over the top, but feta or goat cheese would be excellent as well.  If you’re looking for a little more pizzazz, I would suggest tossing in dried cranberries and/or chopped orange slices.

Lemon Honey Cabbage Salad with Pecorino + Walnuts

serves 4 side salads 

• 4 cups green leaf lettuce, shredded
• 4 cups green/red cabbage, shredded
• 3/4 cup walnuts, chopped
• 1 cup pecorino cheese
• salt + pepper

Lemon Honey Dressing

• 1/4 cup walnut oil
• 5 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons lemon zest
• 1.5 Tablespoons honey
• 1/8 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
• pinch of black pepper

1. In a dry sauté pan, set to med-low, toast the chopped walnuts for 4-6min until lightly browned.  Stir frequently then set aside to let cool.
2. In a large bowl, combine the shredded lettuce + cabbage.
3. Toss with 3/4 of the cheese + 1/2 cup of the walnuts.
4. Whisk [or in a blender or magic bullet] all of the dressing ingredients together until well blended.
5. Pour desired amount over the salad and toss until evenly distributed.
6. Portion out and top with remaining cheese + walnuts, and a sprinkle of salt + pepper if desired.

tips/substitutions: Almond oil or olive oil will work instead of walnut.  Most sharp, strong cheeses would work well: goat, feta, extra sharp cheddar, fresh parmesan, etc.

I promise this will dig you out from your salad rut. 

And tomorrow, you’ll see what I made for last night’s dessert.

It had to do with my roasted maple cinnamon almond butter.

Which you need to make.

Pronto.

Ashley