Monday, January 31, 2011

Freeze Dried Spinach-Ski County Pasta

THRIVE Freeze Dried Chopped Spinach is a great addition to your food storage.  There are 45 servings of the nutritionally spinach in a can.  Spinach has been shown to fight cancer and improve functioning in the heart, eyes, and brain.
How does it compare to fresh or frozen? 
In the can the pieces of spinach at first appeared pretty small, yet when rehydrated the finished product is what I expect cooked spinach to look like.  It tastes like spinach.
How to use it?
Use it on sandwiches, in salads, in pasta dishes, or store it away for a rainy day. As with all THRIVE freeze dried products,
Shelf Life and Allergen info
Chopped Spinach is GMO-free and guaranteed to taste fresh and delicious, lasting two years if opened and 25 years if sealed.
The best part? 
It is so easy to use the amount I need. No more spinach wilting in my refrigerator!


Ski Country Pasta

1/2 c. sliced almonds
1/2 c precooked bacon or bacon TVP (rehydrated)
4 c. penne pasta
2-6 cloves garlic (I like it with 6)
1 cup Freeze Dried spinach, rehydrate in 4 cups hot water. Drain.
1/2 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
5 Tblsp. Balsamic vinegar
2 c. grated Monterey Jack cheese
1/2 c. fresh chopped basil (optional, but tasty)

1.Cook pasta al dente (until it's done) in salted water. 
2. Meanwhile: Toast almonds over medium heat for about 4 minutes. Add bacon during the last minuet.
3. Add garlic and chopped spinach, to almond mixture. Stir over medium heat unt
4. Whisk mustard and vinegar together in large bowl, and then mix in drained pasta, cheese, cooked spinach mixture, bacon, and basil. Serve warm, topped with toasted almonds.

Serving suggestions: Add cooked cubed chicken breasts for a more substantial protein-filled meal.