Finding new ways to incorporate my veggies into my stomach has been interesting. I’m trying to include at least one veggie into my dinners. This is something I always intend to do, but have been slacking at considerably. I’m such a meat and potatoes girl. A pizza and ice cream girl. I like carbs and I like sweets and I like junk food. It’s a struggle to get my head into thinking otherwise. But I started this new year with a bang and so far have been pretty successful.
This was a smitten kitchen recipe which I slightly altered to make it work with the ingredients I had.
Baked Orzo with Kale and Cheese
(inspiration)
Ingredients
2 tbsp olive oil
1 celery stalk, diced
1/2 onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
4 oz uncooked orzo
1/2 tsp tomato paste
3/4 cup vegetable broth
1/2 tsp lemon zest
2 oz shredded mozzarella
3/4 oz grated Parmesan
2 medium tomatoes, diced
1/2 head kale, sliced into thin ribbons
salt and pepper, to taste
Directions
1. Preheat your oven to 350. Heat a large pan over medium heat. Add the olive oil and saute the celery for 3 minutes. Add the onion and garlic and cook for 5 more minutes. Stir in the orzo and tomato paste and cook for 2 more minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the mozzarella, Parmesan, tomatoes, kale, lemon zest, vegetable broth, and salt and pepper. Stir well to combine.
2. Transfer the mixture to a baking dish. Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for 20 more minutes.
* serves 2
* shared with Mix It Up Monday & Mealtime Monday
This dish looks so warm, comforting, and tasty! I have grown to love kale over the years and now it seems I can’t get enough! Can’t wait to try this dish.
I like the idea of using orzo in a pasta bake–have never thought of doing that!
I LOL’d when I read “veggies into my stomach”. I have to put my CSA farm share veggies into my Friday night pizzas because otherwise I’ll degenerate into pepperoni-and-cheese gooeyness. Which is not necessarily a bad thing
I never cook with orzo–but this looks good and I’ve bookmarked it to try it.
Thank you!