First Post: A Recipe for Health

Happy 2011 to all.  I thought I would share a recipe I recently created as part of our holiday celebrations that is quick, easy, delicious and healthy.  Certainly a good way to start the year!

Fregola with sauteed spinach and shrimp

1/2 c Fregola
1 pound spinach, cleaned and chopped
1 leek, sliced
1 red pepper, diced
1 garlic clove, minced
6-12 shrimp, shelled
1 c. stock or bouillon
olive oil

1.  Cook fregola in stock until tender but not mushy.
2.  While the fregola is cooking, prepare the vegetables.
3.  Warm olive oil in sauté pan.  Add leek and red pepper, cook until soft.  Add garlic and then spinach.  Cook just until spinach wilts.
4.  Add shrimp to vegetables and cook just until color turns to pink.  Add a little of the stock (bouillon) to create some sauce.
5.  Add fregola and toss.  Salt and pepper to taste.

Obviously there are many variations on this...you can add fresh or dried herbs for more flavor, eliminate the shrimp or substitute some sausage...onion can stand-in for leek...to make it extra festive, you can drizzle the final salad with crispy leeks...Try it my way or make it your own.

To a healthy 2011 for all.