Brussel Sprouts, Spinach & Chicken stuffed Cannelloni

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TOTAL TIME: 60 mins        

MAKES: 4 servings

INGREDIENTS

  • 2 cups of shredded Brussel sprouts
  • 2 1/2 cups of chopped spinach
  • 2 medium boiled organic chicken breasts, shredded
  • 4-5 cloves of garlic, chopped
  • 1 tsp. garlic powder
  • ½ cup crumbled feta
  • ½ cup shredded Parmesan cheese
  • 2 handfuls of shredded cheese (either mozzarella or a Tex Mex blend)
  • 1 cup of fresh pesto*
  • ½ cup unsweetened coconut yogurt
  • ½ tsp. of dried oregano
  • 1 tbsp. lemon juice
  • 2 tbsp. chopped fresh parsley
  • 14-16 oven ready cannelloni shells
  • 2 tbsp. of extra virgin olive oil
  • Salt and pepper to taste.

* Pick up some fresh pesto from your local deli or health food store if possible, rather than the bottled kind.

METHOD

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C). 
  • In a pan, heat some oil and sauté the garlic and then add the shredded Brussel sprouts and toss for a minute.
  • Next, add in the chopped spinach, followed by the shredded boiled chicken. Sauté all the ingredients for about another minute.
  • Now add half the amount of the shredded parmesan and all of the feta cheese.
  • Add the garlic powder, lemon juice and salt and pepper to taste. Mix all ingredients well one last time and set aside.
  • Now using a small spoon and your fingers start filling the cannelloni shells with the above chicken mix.
  • In a separate bowl combine the pesto and the coconut yogurt.
  •  In a 9 x 13 inch baking dish, spread 1/3rd of the pesto mix at the bottom of the dish.
  • Start lining up the filled cannelloni shells to fill the bottom of the tray. Then top with another 1/3rd of the pesto mixture and a little of the shredded cheese.
  • Finally, layer up the last of the filled cannelloni shells and repeat layering with the last of the pesto sauce and shredded cheese.
  • Bake for about 40 mins.
  • Garnish with freshly chopped parsley.

 HOLISTIC HIGHLIGHTS

I love stuffed pasta but it’s not something I treat myself to ever that often because of the amount of cheese these dishes present with. So I decided to create a dish that was more about a healthy sumptuous filling that I can enjoy, once I break into the cannelloni and the coconut yogurt brings richness to the dish, so you won’t miss the heaps of cheese.

The stuffing is a simple 6 ingredient recipe that you can make and enjoy as a side or on some toast as a snack.

MainDalerina Dsilvabrussel sprouts, spinach, pasta, cannelloni