Spinach Calzones and the Produce Promise

For 6 years, since starting this blog, I’ve been on a mission to convince my children that  fruits and vegetables are not only going to help them feel great, but also that they taste great!  Last night I felt success!  We were at church, and all the 12 year old girls were being introduced to the group.   When it was Erica’s turn, and the girl introducing her said “Erica’s favorite food is…” I cringed.  I actually didn’t know what she had told them, and I was sure she was going to say pizza or cookies. But she had answered- ORANGES!  Her favorite food is oranges! I was definitely proud of her!

Getting kids to love fruits and vegetables early enough in life to enjoy the benefits is a noble goal.  When fruits and veggies are a big part of your families life:

• Their risk for disease will decrease
• Their Weight will be easier to manage
• The aging process will slow down,
• They will sleep better
• They’ll have more energy
• And best of all, they’ll be happier

The promises of eating more fruits and vegetables are so fabulous that every good parent should desire for their kids to fall in love with produce.  Today’s recipe is a great way to make spinach taste amazing!  We first shared this recipe a year ago in our Valentines meal plan, but we’ve enjoyed it so many more times since then, I wanted to share it on the blog.

Spinach Calzones and the Produce Promise

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Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: spinach, Spinach Calzones, vegetarian

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Rise Time: 45 minutes

Servings: 4 servings

Calories: 587kcal

Ingredients

• 1 pkg yeast or 1 tablespoon of yeast
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 cup warm water
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 1/2 cup white flour
• 1 1/2 cup whole wheat flour

Filling

• 3/4 cup mozzarella cheese
• 1 cup marinara sauce
• 1 cup chopped fresh spinach

Instructions

• Combine yeast, sugar and warm water and let set for 5 minutes.  Add olive oil.  Mix 1 cup of the white flour, and 1 cup of the whole wheat flour with the yeast mixture and knead until dough becomes soft and pliable. Add remaining flour if too sticky to touch, but only enough to allow the dough to be pliable and not sticky. Let dough rise, in a warm place, for about 30-45 min., until double in size.
• Roll out a small portion of the dough at a time, cutting two equal sized hearts with a cookie cutter. Fill middle with filling, thin layer marinara sauce, cheese, and spinach, and then crimp edges with a fork. Set on baking tray. Bake at 425 for 10-15 minutes until lightly browned. Test to make sure dough is done baking. Serve with marinara sauce for dipping.

Notes

Additional Filling Ideas:

• Pineapple Tidbits
• Diced Green Pepper
• Sliced Black Olives
• Sliced Mushrooms

Tried this recipe?Mention @SuperHealthyKids or tag #SuperHealthyKids!

Nutrition

Calories: 587kcal | Carbohydrates: 80g | Protein: 25g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 29mg | Sodium: 1144mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 7g

Calzones are a great place to add veggies.  We’ve made these with broccoli, mushrooms, spinach, and carrots and onions before.  Each time, my kids gobbled them up!  Here is our final recipe: