Herbed Spaghetti Squash

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A new found fall-favorite! I have been obsessed with all things squash lately...and I stumbled across some great looking spaghetti squash in the store yesterday and just couldn't pass it up! If you like squash...you will LOVE this variety. Called spaghetti squash because when it is cooked..the fibrous strands of squash peel away from the outside and look almost noodle-like. This is a GREAT healthy alternative to pasta! Spaghetti squash contains many nutrients, including folic acid, potassium, vitamin A, and beta carotene! Not to mention it is super low in calories (averaging only 42 calories per cup). Making this a guilt free way to trick yourself into thinking you are having a carb-loaded dish! I challenge you to be adventurous and PLEASE pick one up next time you're at the store - you will not be disappointed! 

Herbed Spaghetti Squash
 Recipe brought to you by Dash of Love
(modified from a recipe by Emeril Lagasse)

Ingredients:

1 medium spaghetti squash – about 2 ¼ pounds

2 ½ tablespoons margarine

1 cup finely chopped mixed soft herbs – I like to use a mixture of basil, chives and parsley

1 clove garlic – finely minced

Salt & pepper – to taste

Directions:

*Preheat oven to 375 degrees

*Using a sharp knife, cut the squash in half lengthwise and place it (cut side down) in a baking dish. Add enough water to the pan to come up ½ inch up the sides of the pan. Cover with foil and bake for 45 minutes.

*Turn squash over, cover with foil again, and bake for another 15 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool slightly.

*Using a spoon, remove the seeds and discard.

*Using a fork, gently pull the strands of squash away from the peel and place the squash strands into a mixing bowl.

**Enjoy this herbed spaghetti squash on its own as a side dish OR add some of your favorite red sauce or pesto to turn this into a healthy pasta alternative!

**Serve back in the squash halves for a festive meal!   

Curry Chicken Salad

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Chicken salad has always been one of my favorite foods but any store bought versions are just dripping in full fat mayo and oil...so I have always made my own. This chicken salad is packed with tons of flavor and not to mention...its healthy! Greek yogurt, low fat mayo and red grapes make this recipe an exciting and exotic twist on a classic.

Curry Chicken Salad

Ingredients:

3 cups boneless skinless chicken breast – cooked and cut into small pieces

2 tablespoons curry powder (or more if desired)

¼ cup light mayonnaise

¼ cup non-fat plain greek yogurt

2 teaspoons mango chutney

1 teaspoon minced ginger

1 cup seedless red grapes – halved

½ cup thinly sliced green onions

½ cup celery – finely chopped

Salt & pepper – to taste

Directions:

*Combine mayonnaise, greek yogurt, mango chutney, ginger, salt & pepper.

*Add in remaining ingredients

*Serve on its own, in a whole-wheat pita, in your favorite sandwich bread or atop a bed of greens.

Grilled Bread Salad

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The warm, fresh out of the oven, french bread that sits by the register at your local supermarket is a tough thing to pass up. Who doesn't love warm carbs? I always find that I take it home, have a slice with dinner and then the rest of the loaf turns into a hard slab before I use it all! Slightly stale bread can be turned into a great side dish with minimal effort. This recipe calls for ciabatta bread, but I have made it with ordinary crusty day-old french bread and it turns out great! This salad can be turned into a substantial meal simply by grilling some chicken or fish and tossing it in - or serving it on the side. This salad is also great with just some ordinary drained, canned tuna mixed in!

Grilled Bread Salad

 Recipe brought to you by Dash of Love

(modified from Fitness magazine – June 2010)

Ingredients:

3 medium tomatoes - cut into 1” chunks

1 small fennel bulb - halved, cored and very thinly sliced

½ small red onion - thinly sliced 

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

Salt & pepper – to taste

4oz loaf ciabatta bread – thickly sliced

1 large garlic clove – halved lengthwise

3oz crumbled goat cheese

½ cup fresh basil – roughly torn

Directions:

*Combine the tomatoes, fennel and red onion in a large bowl.

*Whisk together 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and vinegar, salt and pepper in a small bowl.

*Pour half the dressing over the salad and toss well. Set aside remaining dressing.

*Heat a grill (or grill pan) to medium-high.

*Brush the ciabatta with remaining olive oil. Grill 2-3 minutes per side (or until lightly toasted).

*Transfer ciabatta to a plate and rub with the halved garlic clove. Let cool slightly and cut into 1” cubes.

*Add the goat cheese, basil and bread to the salad. Pour remaining dressing over the top.

Butternut Squash Soup

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Another great fall recipe favorite of mine is butternut squash soup. This one is made extra special by adding potato and using fat free cream cheese and soy milk to up the creaminess factor (without adding a ton of fat like using heavy cream). Perfect dinner for a crisp fall or winter night.

Butternut Squash Soup
modified from allrecipes.com

Ingredients:
1 butternut squash
1 large potato - peeled and cubed
2 tablespoons margarine
olive oil
1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary
salt+pepper - to taste
1/2 chopped onion
3 stalks celery - chopped
2 garlic cloves - minced
2 cups low sodium chicken stock
2 cups water
3 teaspoons dried marjoram
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon sage
1/8 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
1 cup milk (or soymilk)
4oz light or fat-free cream cheese
Crumbled goat cheese (for sprinkling on top of soup)

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees
2. Peel squash and cut in half lengthwise. Scoop out seeds from the center and discard. Cut squash into small cubes. Coat with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper to taste + rosemary and arrange on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake for about 25-35 minutes, or until well caramelized and tender.
3. Place celery, garlic, potato, and onion in a large pot with 2 cups of chicken stock, marjoram, bay leaf, sage, cayenne pepper salt & pepper. Bing to a boil and then simmer for 30 minutes.
4. Reduce heat to low. Remove bay leaves and add *see below* 2 cups of water, milk, cream cheese and squash to pot.
5. Using an immersion blender, puree soup.
6. Heat pureed soup until warm (do not let boil).
7. Serve with some crumbled goat cheese on top.

*If you don't have an immersion blender put the veggies into a food processor or blender (in small batches) with the 2 cups of water and blend until smooth. Return to pot and add milk and cream cheese

**If you would like to freeze some of the soup. Puree everything without the milk and cream cheese and freeze. Reheat in microwave and stir in milk and cream cheese.

Butternut Squash Pizza

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One of my favorite fall food items (pumpkin will always be #1 in my heart) is butternut squash. Such a versatile ingredient that smells almost as delicious roasting as it is to eat. One of the best ways I have found to use butternut squash is to make pizza with it! Here is a recipe that you can modify a thousand ways to suit your pizza craving. Lots of veggies and a whole wheat crust are great ways to enjoy this fall-time fave.

Butternut Squash Pizza
modified from allrecipes.com

Ingredients:
1/2 butternut squash
1 cup onion - thinly sliced
2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary
salt+pepper - to taste
Olive oil
1 pizza dough crust (homemade or store-bought)
1 tablespoon cornmeal
Any thinly sliced roasted veggies you like (zucchini, eggplant, asparagus, tomato, etc.)
Thinly sliced prosciutto (if desired)
1/4 cup grated asiago or parmesan cheese (or mixture of both)
Crumbled goat cheese

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees
2. Place sliced onion and squash in a roasting pan. Sprinkle with rosemary, salt, pepper and olive oil (toss to coat)
3. Roast any other desired veggies in a separate pan with olive oil, salt & pepper
4. Bake for 20 - 30 minutes (until onions are lightly browned and squash is tender). Slightly mash this mixture.
5. Increase oven temp to 450 degrees
6. Place pizza crust on baking sheet (sprinkle cornmeal on baking sheet if using homemade)
7. Top pizza crust with squash and onion mixture. Top with other roasted veggies, sliced prosciutto, and cheeses.
8. Bake for 10-15 minutes until lightly browned.

Blueberry Oatmeal Breakfast Cake

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Some of my favorite classic breakfast items are the ones packed with blueberries. Blueberry waffles, blueberry muffins, blueberry scones, etc. etc. But most of these breakfast goodies are packed with sugars and extra empty calories. Blueberries themselves are literally bursting with nutrients and flavor while being very low in calories. Here is a recipe that I have messed with over the years to create a satisfying blueberry breakfast 'cake' that packs a healthy punch with under 140 calories per delicious square.

Blueberry Oatmeal Breakfast Cake


Ingredients:
1/3 cup flour
1 cup wheat flour
1/3 cup splenda
3/4 cup quick cooking oats
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup low fat vanilla soy milk
1/4 cup no sugar added applesauce
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries 

Directions:
*Preheat oven to 400 degrees
*In medium mixing bowl combine flour, oats, sugar, baking powder and salt.
*In another bowl combine soy milk and cornstarch (until cornstarch is fully dissolved) then add in applesauce.
*Pour wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Stir until moistened (will be slightly lumpy)
*Fold in the blueberries
*Spoon batter into a non stick 8x8 baking pan (spray lightly with cooking spray)
*Bake 20-25 minutes (cool 5-10 minutes)
*Cut into 9 squares

Katy's Chicken

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While living in Houston, TX during my husbands hockey season, some of the girls and I would rotate cooking dinner for each other while the boys were on the road. I love my ethnic food and so this dish that my friend Katy prepared was so delicious that I stole the recipe and have made it MANY MANY times since then. This recipe is SO incredibly easy because it requires very few ingredients, virtually no prepping, and no standing in the kitchen while it is cooking! It sounds simple, but the chicken comes out with such great flavor and tenderness that it seems as if it took a lot of time and effort to prepare. I have included her original recipe for authenticity (and the fact that fatty chicken thighs are just so tasty!) but have also included the variations (in red) that I have used to make this a much lighter meal (with still packing GREAT flavor!). 

Katy's Chicken (Filipino Chicken Adobo)
recipe modified from: Katy Irmen

Ingredients:
1.5 - 2lbs chicken thighs (1.5-2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts - cut into bite size pieces)
1/2 cup soy sauce (use low sodium soy sauce)
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons light Karo corn syrup (you can omit this ingredient altogether or add splenda or agave syrup instead) 
4 crushed garlic cloves
(I also add 2 tablespoons grated fresh ginger)
6 cups cooked rice (substitute brown rice - Niko Niko is my favorite)













Directions:
*Cook rice according to package directions
*Combine all ingredients (except rice) in a medium-large pot and let chicken marinate for 30 minutes to 1 hour.
*Bring pot to a rapid boil, then lower heat.

*Let simmer on medium-low heat (covered) for 30 minutes - then remove cover and continue to simmer until chicken is cooked through (usually an additional 15-30 minutes depending on size of chicken pieces)
*Spoon chicken and some sauce over rice and enjoy!