Leftover sardine, rice and spinach gratin (perfect for kids and tots)

I love a super healthy dish that is packed with flavor, easy to make and devoured by the children.  I was inspired by this NYT recipe!  My kids asked for seconds.  I used up 1 bunch of chard and a bag of spinach.

The NYT recipe didn’t have enough zip in flavor and used too many pots.  My version is more lemony and easier.

Packed with nutrition and flavor, yet so cheap for being organic!!  Why can’t this be served at school lunch (National School Lunch Program)?  I would totally opt into school lunch if lunches were made on site at the school and not delivered in plastic by a food service management company (FSMC).  I used to work for USDA many moons ago, specifically in the school lunch program!  School lunch and feeding children is my jam.

ingredients:

• 2 cans boneless, skinless and boneless sardines packed in olive oil (I used TJs wild caught sardines)
• 2 BIG bunches of greens chopped up(I used a leftover bunch of chard and bag of TJ’s organic spinach) — go hog wild and use 3 or 4 bunches of greens if you want!
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 2 to 4 garlic cloves, minced or smashed
• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves, roughly chopped, or 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon all-purpose flour (optional)
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1-2 cups cooked rice (I used 2 cups of leftover basmati rice)
• 1/4 cup fresh or dry bread crumbs
• zest of 1 lemon
• 1/2 – 1 meyer lemon juiced
• 1/4 cup Parmesan, grated

method

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Saute onions in olive oil.  When onions are golden, add the garlic and stir for a minute.  Then add the chopped up greens and saute until greens are cooked.  Add rice, milk, flour and salt+pepper to taste.  Turn off the stove once the milk is incorporated into the rice mixture.  Stir in the lemon zest.

Grease up a 2 quart casserole dish with butter or olive oil.  Add half of the rice and greens mixture to the casserole dish.  Layer on top one can of sardines and the olive oil in the sardines (I chopped up the sardines to evenly add a layer).  Drizzle lemon juice.  Repeat with the remaining rice and greens mixture and the second can of sardines.  Finally, sprinkle with bread crumbs and parmesan.  Crispy onions would be a great addition!

Bake for 15 minutes.  This fed 4 children with zero leftovers for me.  They all had second helpings.