Strawberry Spinach Ricotta Toast
(With Dave's Killer Bread - 6 Servings)
Calories 174 (14% from fat)
Fat 2.7 gram
Saturated Fat 0 gram
Trans Fat 0 gram
Chol. 7.5 mg.
Sodium 296 mg.
Carb. 31 gram
Fiber 6 gram
Sugar 13 gram
Sugar Alcohol 0 gram
Protein 8 gram
(With Whole Grain French Baguette - 12 Servings)
Calories 122 (8% from fat)
Fat 1 gram
Saturated Fat 0 gram
Trans Fat 0 gram
Chol. 3.7 mg.
Sodium 245 mg.
Carb. 23 gram
Fiber 3 gram
Sugar 6 gram
Sugar Alcohol 0 gram
Protein 5.6 gram
Ingredients
1 lb. fresh strawberries, hulled and halved
3/4 cup and 1 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar, divided
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper, ground
1 tsp. ground ginger
3/4 cup fat free ricotta
olive oil spray
1 shallot, thinly sliced
10 oz. fresh spinach
6 slices of whole wheat bread
(We used Dave's Killer Bread Good Seed Bread.)
OR
12 slices of whole grain French baguette
We made two versions of this recipe. The version on Dave's Killer Bread is more like an open faced sandwich. It should be eaten right away or the bread can get a little soggy. The version with the French baguette is more firm and crunchy, what people expect from a traditional appetizer.
The original version of this recipe was from the September 2016 SHAPE Magazine. It was much higher in calories than we liked, so we made a few changes to come up with the version you see here.
1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil.
2. Cut the strawberries and then mix them with 1 tablespoon of the balsamic vinegar. Stir in the salt and black pepper. Lay the strawberries cut side down on the baking sheet and roast in the oven for 25 minutes.
3. In a small bowl, stir together the ginger and ricotta. Once combined, set aside.
4. Heat a large non-stick frying pan over medium high heat. One it's hot, lightly coat with olive oil spray. Put the shallots into the pan and sauté for 1 minute. The reduce the heat and cook another 2 minutes, until softened. Add the spinach to the pan and cook, while stirring, for another 5 minutes, until the spinach is wilted. Put the spinach on a plate and set aside.
5. Start toasting the bread. For Dave's Killer Bread, you can simply put it in the toaster. If you're toasting the French bread, cut it into 1/2 inch thick slices. Then place it on a baking sheet and bake at 450 degrees Fahrenheit, for approximately 5 minutes, until lightly browned around the edges.
6. Put the frying pan back on the burner and raise heat to high. Pour in the remaining 3/4 cup of balsamic vinegar. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until balsamic vinegar begins to thicken, about 4-5 minutes. Pour the balsamic vinegar into a small bowl and set aside.
7. Top each slice of Dave's Killer bread with about 2 tablespoons of the ricotta mixture, or top each slice of French bread with 1 tablespoon of the ricotta mixture. Then divide the spinach mixture and strawberries evenly between each slice of bread. Finally drizzle the balsamic glaze over everything. Serve immediately.
(If the balsamic glaze has started to set up, you can make it liquid again by quickly heating it up in a microwave for about 10-20 seconds.)
Yield: 6 or 12 Servings, Serving Size: 1 Slice of Bread or 1 Slice of French Baguette