Welcome to another episode of my Work from Home Lunch series, which has really gone on for far longer than I honestly thought it would!  We’re here the day before Election Day in 2020, meaning that the world is an interesting (and honestly, pretty stressful) place right now.  I’ve been focusing my energy to positive spaces today, trying to stay busy mentally with work and personal projects, and feeding myself healthy, nourishing meals to keep my spirits up.  This lunch happened to be one of them, and I wanted to share this simple lunch in case anyone else out there needed something green but satisfying to power through this crazy time.

This meal is essentially a warm salad, which I have been all about as we’ve transitioned into fall weather (which, here in Southern California, means almost nothing).  It’s as simple as sautéing some greens in garlic and olive oil, and topping with a delicious combination of chili crisp and labneh, both of which add serious flavor and texture to this meal. 

If you haven’t heard of chili crisp, it’s essentially chilis, garlic, and onion fried in oil until it all becomes very fragrant and very crunchy.  They sell it all around now, including at Trader Joe’s, and you can even find some recipes to make it yourself at home.  I bought a jar at Trader Joe’s and will put it on anything.  I’m obsessed with the savory, roasty, and lightly spicy flavors it brings to dishes, along with a satisfying crunch that really helps brighten up anything where a little texture is needed, such as on avocado toast or here with sautéed greens.

Labneh may also be an unfamiliar ingredient, but I’ve started to see it around more and I have been buying this brand pretty regularly.  It’s essentially yogurt or kefir that has been strained into a thick, super creamy cheese that is similar in texture to mascarpone, but with a tangy, sour component.  This can be easily swapped with sour cream or Greek yogurt if you don’t have any on hand, which will provide that rich creaminess to this dish which helps make it delicious.

Recipe down below, photo up top!  This made enough for me to have one big serving for lunch, so feel free to scale up if you need to feed more people! 

Sautéed Greens with Labneh and Chili Crisp

Ingredients:

• 2 cups of baby spinach
  • Swap with chard, kale, beet greens, or any green of choice! 
• 2 cloves of garlic, crushed and chopped
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp chili crisp
• 2 tbsp labneh
• Salt to taste

Method:

1. Add olive oil and garlic to a sauté pan, and place over medium high heat.  Sauté the garlic until fragrant and the pan and oil are fully warm, about 1 minute.
2. Add the greens to the sauté pan, and toss using tongs.  Cook until spinach is fully wilted down and tender, tossing occasionally, about 3-5 minutes.
3. Transfer cooked greens to a serving plate.  Top with a dollop of labneh, sprinkle with chili crisp, and a pinch of salt to taste.
4. Grab a fork and enjoy!