Spinach, Goat Cheese & Tomato Ravioli

Hi friends!

Oooh, I have a yummy recipe to share with you today!

Here are three things I’m loving on this Thursday:

#1 – Stumbling upon NBC’s Olympics website and discovering that I was able to live stream the women’s gymnastics all-around competition this morning. Sure, it sort of spoiled my watching it on TV tonight, but it was cool to be able to see it while it was happening. Gabby Douglas is so damn cute! This distraction may or may not have decreased my morning work productivity. 😉

#2 – Yasso frozen Greek yogurt bars:

I spotted these babies for the first time at my food store and nabbed the strawberry flavored ones. At just 70 calories a bar with no fat and 6 g of protein, these bars are tasty and might be my new favorite nighttime snack.

#3 – Last but certainly not least, my dinner tonight was awesome – a recipe I made up as I went along for spinach, goat cheese, & tomato ravioli:

This recipe is inspired by one of my favorite Italian restaurants in the San Diego area, who makes a goat cheese and tomato ravioli dish. I’ve ordered it almost every time I’ve eaten there because it is just that good. With these ravioli in mind, I bought won ton wraps during my last grocery store run. These ravioli turned out even more delicious than I had hoped for!

Spinach, Goat Cheese & Tomato Ravioli 

Serves 5 

Ingredients:

• 35 won ton wraps
• 6 c fresh baby spinach
• 3 vine ripe tomatoes, chopped
• 1/4 shallot, minced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 4 oz creamy goat cheese
• 1/4 c fresh basil, coarsely chopped
• 2 TBSP white cooking wine
• 3 TBSP safflower oil
• 1 TSP fresh lemon juice
• Grated lemon peel from 1/2 lemon
• 6 TBSP water
• Salt & pepper

In a large saucepan, warm the cooking wine over medium heat. Add garlic cloves and shallots, and cook for about 3 minutes.

Add tomatoes and basil, and cook for a few minutes until softened. Mix spinach in, and heat just until wilted. 

Transfer tomato/spinach mix to a large mixing bowl. Add goat cheese in small chunks, as well as the lemon juice and lemon peel. Sprinkle salt and pepper to taste, and combine well.

Place a spoonful of mixture onto the middle of each won ton wrap. Fold one half of each wrap over, and seal with moistened fingers.

*I kept a bowl of water next to me and kept wetting my hands with it. Sealing the wraps is a little tricky, but it’s important to keep squeezing the sides together in order to prevent the tomato/spinach mixture from later spilling out of the ravioli.*

Next, heat 1 TBSP of the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Place 11-12 of the ravioli in the pan, and cook until lightly browned on each side, about 2 minutes each. Pour 2 TBSP of water into the pan, then put a lid on it and let the ravioli simmer for 2-4 minutes, until the water is soaked up.

Using a spatula, remove the ravioli from heat and place onto a paper-towel lined plate to drain any excess oil. Repeat this process 2 more times until all ravioli are cooked. Transfer to a serving dish, and enjoy them while they’re nice and warm!

Nutrition stats per serving (7 ravioli): 300 calories, 14 g fat, 10 g protein, 32 g carbs