Rich in cream and carbs, this four-course meal is meant to be indulgent from start to finish, but it also contains enough fresh fruit and veggies to keep it from settling too heavily. I’ve chosen the particulars of the recipes for grocery-shopping convenience (e.g. you shouldn’t be left with any half bags of spinach floating around), but it’s easy to swap out ingredients to suit the palate of the person the meal is intended for.
The Menu
Warm bread with butter
Creamy spinach and mushroom pasta
Spinach and strawberry salad
Chocolate pudding with strawberries
Warm Bread with Butter
This course can be as simple as store-bought rolls heated for a few minutes in the oven, or as luxurious as fresh-baked homemade buns (I’ll post a recipe sometime soon!) It’s meant to be an appetizer -- eat it or serve it while you cook the rest of the food. In this case, filling up on bread is a good thing. ♡
Creamy Spinach and Mushroom Pasta
This lovely creamy pasta will make up the bulk of your meal, and it’s so good that a full stomach won’t keep you from wanting more. The dish is based on this recipe -- my version is simpler and uses more pantry staples. You can of course follow the original recipe if you prefer!
Put 16 oz pasta on to boil in a pot of generously salted water. Saute half a chopped onion (or a chopped shallot), a carton of sliced baby bella mushrooms, and a few cloves of garlic in a bit of olive oil in a dutch oven or large pan. Season with black pepper and/or red pepper flakes as desired. Once the onion and mushrooms are soft, add in half a bag of spinach (roughly chopped) and 1 cup of heavy cream. Cook on low heat until the spinach is wilted. Once the pasta is done, add 1/2 cup of the starchy water it was cooked in to the sauce and stir in. Drain the pasta and add it to the pan, stirring well to coat in sauce. Add 1/4 cup of grated parmesan cheese (you can totally use really basic Kraft sprinkle cheese if that’s what you have, but you may need to add extra since it’s not as strongly flavored as The Good Stuff), stirring well to ensure it combines with the sauce. Add 1 tbsp of lemon juice (or half a squeezed lemon) and 2 tbsp of cold butter, stirring well. Taste the pasta and adjust seasonings if needed (if it’s not salty enough, add more cheese.)
Spinach and Strawberry Salad
When that feeling of not being able to eat anymore starts sinking in, a burst of fresh vegetables helps refresh the palate and give you a second wind. This salad recipe is simple but delicious. If you have the room for it, you might want to eat more of that bread alongside your veggies.
Place your remaining spinach into a bowl and toss it with thinly sliced strawberries. Other ingredients can be chosen to suit your tastes -- I recommend slivered almonds or chopped walnuts, croutons, and a sprinkling of feta cheese. Dress the salad with a simple balsamic vinaigrette, or your favorite dressing.
Chocolate Pudding with Strawberries
Finish off your meal with a dessert that’s sweet and rich but still easy to squeeze down into a heavy stomach. It’s easy to make too, especially if you go for a pre-made pudding (big recommendation for the Belgian chocolate pudding at Trader Joe’s if you can get it) -- but I’d still recommend slicing the strawberries up beforehand. With any luck, you or your partner ought to be feeling quite stuffed by now, and you’ll want to dedicate your full attention to taking care of that full tummy. ♡
