Recipes for spinach cream cheese, roasted red pepper cream cheese, and cream cheese chicken with veggies
It makes me feel sad when people don't get enough veggies everyday {read: more vitamins, minerals, fiber, antioxidants, etc.!}
Which means I am always {always!} trying to come up with new ways to squeeze a few more nutrients into people's diets.
Sometimes veggies can make a good thing even better, and this cream cheese is a perfect example.
Cream cheese = good. Cream cheese + spinach = gooood. Cream cheese + roasted red pepper = reeaally good!
Remember when you paid extra for the cream cheeses with herbs & things in them? Well, silly you, you can make it yourself in mere seconds!
And then you can do things like smear it on homemade everything bagels, dip crackers in it, or use it in a sauce to coat chicken and {more} veggies for an easy & almost effortless meal.
There are multiple ways for how you can use this tasty spread.
The spinach cream cheese tastes more like regular cream cheese because the spinach doesn't add much flavor - just extra nutrients and green color.
The roasted red pepper version has lots of delicious smoky, peppery flavor.
I usually combine the two. However, it's not as pretty & certainly does not photograph like the individual ones. But if that doesn't matter to you, then by all means combine the two!
Or use whatever veggies or herbs you want in your cream cheese. Your imagination is the only limit for the flavors you can create.
You just need an 8 oz. block of cream cheese and your vegetable{s} and/or herbs of choice. {Note that the recipe calls for 4 oz. of cheese, so I cut the block in half to make the two flavors. If you want one flavor, then double the ingredients.}
Be sure that your add-ins are completely dry because you don't want to add any liquid to the cream cheese. It'll make it too runny. I did not follow this advice for my roasted red pepper version and ended up having to strain the cream cheese overnight because it was a soupy mess. Do as I say, not as I do.
I included the recipe for both the spinach and the roasted red pepper version.
And since I'm feeling extra nice, I included the recipe I created with my leftover cream cheese. It's not really a must-follow-the-exact-directions recipe. You can use any veggies you have in your kitchen. Use shrimp or tofu instead of chicken if you want. Feel free to add any extra herbs or seasoning you have that you feel like using that day.
It's pretty much just an easy weeknight meal that takes little thought to put together. Oh, and it uses only one pan!
Ingredients
- 3 cups fresh spinach regular or baby
- 4 oz cream cheese softened
- pinch red pepper flakes
Instructions
- Add all ingredients to a food processor and process until completely incorporated.
- Keep refrigerated, tightly covered when not in use.
Notes
Ingredients
- 1 whole roasted red bell pepper dried as much as possible and roughly chopped
- 4 oz cream cheese softened
- pinch red pepper flakes
Instructions
- Add all ingredients to a food processor and process until completely incorporated.
- Keep refrigerated, tightly covered when not in use.
Notes
Cream Cheese Chicken and Veggies
Ingredients
- 2 tsp olive oil
- 2 medium chicken breast about 8-12 ounces
- 2 medium carrots sliced
- 1 medium onion diced
- 1 medium bell pepper any color, diced
- 2 green onions sliced
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1/8 tsp paprika
- 4 oz. mushrooms sliced
- 1 small tomato cored & seeded and diced
- 1/4 cup spinach cream cheese or roasted red pepper cream cheese
- 2 TBSP water
- 2 TBSP fresh lemon juice
Instructions
- Heat oil over medium-high heat in a large skillet. Add chicken and cook for about 4 minutes on one side. Flip and add carrots, onion, bell pepper, and green onions to skillet. Season everything with garlic powder, salt, pepper, and paprika. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add in mushrooms and cook until they release their juices, about 5-7 minutes. Stir in tomatoes and cook for 3 minutes. Transfer to a plate and cover lightly to keep warm.
- Add cream cheese, water, and lemon juice to skillet. Bring to a boil, and simmer for 2 minutes until it thickens slightly. Pour sauce over chicken & vegetable mixture. Serve with whole wheat pasta or quinoa if desired.
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