How to turn "no food" into a comfort food dinner

Posted by amanda in beans, easy, healthy, quick, recipe, spinach, vegetarian, yogurt

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Well the end of the semester is upon me. That boatload of essays and tests, not to mention the planning of our upcoming trip to Amsterdam in May, has really taken a cut from my buying-food-dressing-it-up-and-eating-it-time. Not to mention that the playoffs started last night, and for reasons I still don't understand, this means I will be glued to the set for a few hours most nights, already shirking my other responsibilities, not to mention my belly.

So, out of a despair-inertia-hunger cocktail, last night, I put the three things in my kitchen together to make a surprisingly not embarrassing dinner, an iron and protein packed staple that may have made its way into my heart for good.

For two meal-sized servings, in all of 5-6 minutes, you will need;

• 1 can chili-style beans (Heinz) - however, it is my firm belief that kidney beans with a little seasoning of your choice would cut it too, or even white beans fried in garlic, though that would more closely resemble an earlier post.
• a few generous handfuls (4-5) of fresh spinach, prefereably baby, cleaned 
• A dollop of cold, plain yogurt. My favorite is Astro's balkan style.
• optional garlic for frying (may be more relevant if you don't have the seasoned beans already)
• Enough olive oil to go once around your pan.
• Above mentioned frying pan/skillet

Go for it:

• Heat the olive oil in your skillet, at medium heat.
• Toss in your beans (rinsed and seasones, unless you are using the chili style beans); heat until almost sizzling. Try not to mush them too much.
• Lay a thick layer of fresh spinach over the hot beans.
• Allow the spinach to wilt enough to turn it over, into the bean mix so it's under some hot beans.
• Repeat with a new layer of spinach, twice, or until all your spinach is used up.
• Remove from the heat. I like to leave my last batch of spinach more still a bit fresh, to vary the texture.
• Split your total into 2 servings. If you are saving one for another day, let it cool before sticking it in the refrigerator, though I do recommend putting it in tupperware speedily so the beans don't get stuck to your pan. That serving can be microwaved later, or tossed back into a skillet to heat. Serve what you are eating in a bowl.
• Drop a large dollop of plain yogurt into the middle of your beans; salt the yogurt slightly if you like.

No need to let cool, because the yogurt will do this for you.

And voila! Iron, protein, probiotics, calcium, and innumerable other health necessities, in a really hearty couch-worthy dinner (just make sure you don't spill any!)