Hi! Thanks for tuning in to #FitFriday. Today-I thought it might be fun to share one of my favorite recipes with you. Every Sunday I prepare a weekly menu and shopping list. One of the dinners that I truly look forward to cooking is Friday night pasta! During yoga teacher training, I learned that many yogis believe you are what you eat. In fact, going through my yoga certification curriculum introduced me to a change in diet and the philosophy of ahimsa.
Ahimsa is practiced in the yoga community and often yogis become vegans or vegetarians. Ahimsa is known as non-harming. For some, that involves removing all meat and dairy from their diets. While having a mostly vegetarian diet is good, going completely meat and dairy free doesn't work for every individual. A kinder option is for each person to discern what is best for their bodies and their health. And...not shame people for their choices. On my journey, I have found that if I eat natural plant-based foods that are high in nutritional value and easily used by the body, the delicate internal balances remain in check.
After making the choice to become a vegetarian, I had to find new recipes and learn to cook differently than I had for most of my adult life. And, after consulting my Doctor, I wanted to make healthy informed meal planning choices. At first I was worried that meals would no longer be enjoyable, because, I love food! To my surprise-I learned that many of the meals taste so much better than my old dishes. And, I have found ways to adapt some of the cherished recipes passed down from my Grandmother and Great-Grandmother. After researching many vegetarian websites-I found one of my favorites--www.cookieandkate.com. She has a fantastic recipe for stuffed shells that I am going to share with you today. Here it is:
Best Stuffed Shells: Author: Cookie and Kate Prep Time: 30 minutes Cook Time: 35 minutes Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
Yield: 8 servings Method: Baked Cuisine: Italian Diet: Vegetarian
This stuffed shells recipe features cheesy, saucy shells stuffed with a delicious spinach and ricotta filling. Make these stuffed shells for dinner tonight. Recipe yields about 28 shells, about 8 servings.
Ingredients: 1 pound frozen spinach, 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, 12 ounces jumbo shells, 4 cloves garlic, peeled and cut into several segments, 15 ounces ricotta cheese or cottage cheese, 8 ounces mozzarella, 2 ounces parmesan, 1/4 cup chives or green onions, freshly ground pepper to taste, 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes to taste (omit if sensitive to spice), 3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt, to taste, 1 large egg, lightly beaten with a fork, 24 ounces marinara sauce (I use Rao's), fresh basil.
Instructions:
1) Preheat the oven to 375 with racks in the middle and upper third of the oven. Bring a large Dutch oven or stockpot of water to boil over high heat. Generously salt the water.
2) Place frozen spinach in a colander and run cool water over them until they've fully defrosted. Then, squeeze out as much excess water as possible, and set aside.
3) Add the pasta shells in handfuls so they don't break on the way in. Cook until pliable, about 6-8 minutes, stir often so they don't stick to the pot. Drain off the water and stir in a bit of olive oil to prevent the noodles from sticking. Set aside.
4) Chop the garlic until fine, or use a garlic press. Chop the green onions until fine. Using a large mixing bowl, add the spinach to the garlic and green onions. Kate suggests using a food processor, but I do this by hand as I find it yields a better result for me.
5) Add the ricotta and parmesan, black pepper, red pepper flakes and salt. Blend well, Taste, and add additional salt, pepper or red pepper flakes if desired. Finally, add the egg and process until blended. Set aside.
6) Use 2 (9 x 13 inch baking dish). I use glass dishes and recommend that for best results. Spread 1 cup of marinara sauce across the bottom of both pans.
7) Stuff each intact shell with a heaping spoonful of the green mixture. Place each stuffed shell in the baker in rows. Spoon the marinara sauce over the tops of the shells. Top the shells with the mozzarella. Kate recommends covering the dishes with aluminum foil, but I put them in the oven uncovered. I like to bake the dishes until they are golden on top.
Notes:
Change it up: For less cheesy shells, use half as much mozzarella or omit it completely. For standard cheesy shells (no greens), double the ricotta. You could also replace the greens with about 2 cups cooked or roasted vegetables.
Make it dairy free/vegan: see Recipe from Cookie and Kate: https://cookieandkate.com/best-stuffed-shells-recipe/
If you want to give a vegetarian recipe a try-I think this is a great way to start. In my experience, if the body is happy, the mind will be light and peaceful--a state that we can safely say is something that we-yogi or non-yogi--all strive for.
Check back here next Friday for more #fitfriday tips and suggestions. See you soon. Warmly, Susan