Spinach, Goat Cheese & Tomato Ravioli

Hi friends!

Here are three things I’m loving 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.  I ❤ Gabby Douglas, she 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. Though I haven’t been there in awhile, 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 onto a serving dish. Repeat this process 2 more times until all ravioli are cooked.

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