Spaghetti Squash

At the end of February I had the pleasure of going on vacation to Mexico with some of my best friends from high school.  We went to celebrate the wedding of Ali and Jamil!  I was honored to be a bridesmaid for one of my oldest childhood friends.  It was a beautiful wedding!  Oh, and the relaxing was nice as well!

Ashley, Molly, and I on the train at the airport

We finally made it!

Can't beat that view!

Jamil and Ali

Ashley, Molly, Ali, Maureen, and I (High school friends)

Beautiful bride!

This is a great low carb and healthy dinner!  It can be your new meatless Monday dish.  Did I mention it is super easy too!  This is more of a meal suggestion then a true recipe post.  I was intimidated by spaghetti squash for a while, wondering if it could possibly taste good and how do you really cook it.  Play with this and make it your own in regards to sauces, toppings, etc just like you would with normal noodles.  And yes, it does taste great!  Even my picky husband likes it!

Spaghetti Squash

Ingredients:

• 1 spaghetti squash
• Jar of spaghetti sauce
• Parmesan cheese
• Ground beef (optional)
• Veggies (optional)

Preheat oven to 375.  Cut spaghetti squash in half (I have my amazingly strong husband do this task because uncooked squash is tough).  Scrape out the seeds and pulp.  Place each half on a baking sheet with the rind side up.  Bake for 30-40 minutes.

While squash is baking, heat sauce in pan on stove.  Cook ground beef or saute any veggies you might be adding to your sauce.  Allow to simmer while squash is cooking.

After squash is finished, hold one half, with an oven mit on, vertically and use a fork to scrape the inside with long strokes going from top to bottom.  Short strokes will leave you with little strands.  Continue this until you have removed all squash.  You will see the strands look just like spaghetti.  Repeat with other half.

Serve with sauce and other toppings!  Enjoy!

Ratatouille

Who participates in meatless Monday's???  While I have attempted a few times, we have not been successful.  Even if you are a meat lover, I think you will find this recipe fulfilling.  I know my picky husband did!

I served this with brown basmati rice.

Ratatouille
Source:   Southern Living Magazine- January 2012
Ingredients:

• 1 green bell pepper (I omitted because I don't like peppers)
• 1 red bell pepper  (I omitted because I don't like peppers) 
• 1/2 pound zucchini
• 1/2 pound yellow squash
• 1 large onion, coarsely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves minced
• 3 Tbps. olive oil
• 2-14.5 oz cans diced tomatoes
• 1 small eggplant (about 1 lb.), peeled and cut into 1 inch pieces
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 2 tbsp. chopped fresh basil or 2 tsp. of dried basil (what I used)
• Cooked Brown Rice

Directions:

1. 1. Cut first 5 ingredients into 1-inch pieces.
2. 2. Sauté onion and garlic in hot oil in a large skillet over medium heat 5 to 7 minutes or just until onion is tender. Stir in tomatoes and next 2 ingredients, and sauté 8 to 10 minutes or just until eggplant begins to soften. Stir in bell peppers, zucchini, and squash; cover and cook, stirring occasionally, 8 to 10 minutes or until vegetables are tender and liquid is slightly reduced. Stir in basil. Add salt and freshly ground pepper to taste, and sauté 3 minutes.

Serve over or with brown rice.

Chicken Sausage and Veggie Bowl

One of Alex's best friends, Scott, and his wife, Katie, are having a baby!  Alex always gets frustrated when I say "they are having a baby" and quickly reminds me that "they" are not having a baby, but "she" is having a baby.  Details, details.  I was so excited when I heard the news and couldn't wait to start planning a shower.  With the help of a few other girls, we put on a good spread of food and Katie got many of the essentials for their new baby boy!

 What is a baby shower without a diaper cake?

 The food table:  we served brie bake, veggie platter, chicken salad sandwiches, fruit, sausage balls, hamburger sliders, pasta salad, and my spinach artichoke dip.

Summer and Jessica

Scott's mom (soon to be grandma to baby Buchholz) and my wonderful mother-in-law, Susan

Joanna, who is due one month after Katie, Jessica, and Summer

Yummy desserts!  We decorated with blue hydrangeas since it is a boy!

Katie's friends

There's the mom to be, Katie, Mrs. Kimberlin, and Kay (another one of the grandma's to be)

Unfortunately, the next night I came down with a stomach bug and couldn't enjoy all the left over food.  It was a rough experience.  My stomach took a full week to recover, but only missed one day of work thank goodness.

Since I wasn't feeling so hot the next week, we kept our meals simple.  I grabbed a package of Trader Joe's chicken sausage and figured we could mix it in with some veggies from the garden.  

This recipe was super easy and quick!  Feel free to change it up with whatever veggies you have in the refrigerator.  

Chicken Sausage and Veggie Bowl

Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp. olive oil
• 1/2 of an onion, chopped
• 2 zucchini's, chopped
• 1 squash, chopped  
• 2 chicken sausage links, sliced
• 1-2 tsp. minced garlic (your preference depending on how much garlic you like, I did 2 tsp.:)) 
• salt and pepper to taste

Heat pan over medium heat.  Add olive oil.  Add onions and garlic, saute for 1 minute; add zucchini and squash, saute for 5 minutes; add sausage and cook until sausage is browned.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  

Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

This soup was amazing and super healthy.  It did take a little while to make, which most soups do, but it was well worth the wait!

I realized last night, in the almost 5 years that we have been married, I have never used my roasting pan.  I broke it in last night.

This is a great soup to make for someone who is vegetarian, vegan, or dairy free.  I loved the flavor and the guiltless feeling of knowing it was super good for you too!

I had no idea if Alex was going to like it, but he did!  He was pleasantly surprised at the sweet and rich flavor the soup had.

I got this recipe from Tosca Reno's cook book that goes along with The Eat Clean Diet.  I highly recommend both the book, The Eat Clean Diet Recharged, and the cook book.  I like her approach to good nutrition vs. being so focused on cutting foods out or just losing weight.

Let me know what you think!

Roasted Butternut Squash Soup
Source:  The Eat Clean Diet Cookbook

Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup of extra virgin olive oil
• 2 large butternut squash
• 1 sweet onion, cut into large chunks
• 1 bulb of garlic
• 1/2 tsp.  rice bran oil (I used olive oil)
• 2 cups low-sodium, low fat chicken or vegetable stock (I used one can of what I had in the pantry)
• 2 Tbsp. fresh lime juice
• sea salt and fresh black pepper to taste
• ground nutmeg

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  

Prepare a large roasting pan by pouring the 1/3 cup of olive oil into it, letting it coat the bottom.  Cut the squash in half and remove seeds and string.  Place squash in roasting pan, cut side down.  Prick the skins with a sharp knife.  Place onion around the squash.  Using a sharp knife cut the top of the garlic bulb off and drizzle with rice bran oil or olive oil. (NOTE:  before cutting off the top of the garlic, hold over the sink and rub all the excess coating off the garlic so it doesn't come off in the pan.)  Place in the roasting pan with the other vegetables.  Bake for 45 minutes to an hour or until tender.  Remove and let stand.  

The roasted garlic makes this dish!

Scrape the baked squash into a large stock pot.  (I held the squash with an oven mitt because it was still warm)  Add the roasted onion and squeeze roasted garlic flesh in as well.  (some of the onion was a little over cooked, don't add this because it will give it a burnt flavor:)).  Add chicken stock and lime juice and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes.  Using a hand blender (or other food processor) to puree the soup until it is evenly smooth.  Ladle into soup bowls and garnish with nutmeg, salt and pepper (since I used regular chicken broth I did not need to add any salt).