Sandy's Kitchen: Squash

Showing posts with label Squash. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Squash. Show all posts
I don't know about you guys, but I love zoodles!  They are such a great alternative to pasta. They are the most brilliant noodle base for healthy gluten free pasta! I will say that if it wasn't for Medifast, I would have never gotten any of these yummy veggies in my diet. In the past, I would have turned up my nose at the word squash! Now I love squash! Almost as much as cauliflower! Almost!


Any time you find a delicious recipe using pasta, switch out the pasta with zoodles for a healthier version! Besides, with zoodles you can have bigger servings without worrying about your waistline. One cup cooked spaghetti has about 220 calories and 43 grams of carbohydrate. One small zucchini made into "zoodles" (zucchini noodles) has 20 calories and 4 grams of carbohydrate. More zoodles for me please!


Zoodles are so easy to make. I have a spiralizer that I picked up from Amazon a few years ago which makes spiralizing squash ready in minutes! You can also purchase them already spiralized, but I have so much fun playing with my spiralizer that I won't be buying them already prepared! I have had this spiralizer since 2013, but there are so many different ones to choose from nowadays.

This dish is so meal to make! You probably don't need a recipe, but I posted it anyways... more for the measurement breakdown for those following the Medifast/ Optavia plan. If you don't prefer shrimp, decrease the oil to 1 tsp if you want to use cooked chicken. Enjoy!


Shrimp Marinara Zoodles

Ingredients:
2 tsp Stacey Hawkins Roasted Garlic Oil or olive oil (2 Healthy Fats)
7 ounces thawed, cooked shrimp (1 Leanest Lean)
1 cup spiralized zucchini and yellow squash (2 Greens)
1/2 cup Great Value Italian diced tomatoes, blended (1 Green)
1/4 tsp Garlic Salt (1 Condiment)
1/2 tsp Italian Seasonings (1 Condiment)
1 tbsp Grated Parmesan Cheese (1 Condiment)

Directions:
Heat oil in a medium sized skillet over medium high heat. Add spiralized squash and cook for a few minutes until slightly tender. Add shrimp, tomato sauce, garlic salt and Italian seasonings. Cook for about 2 minutes or until heated thoroughly. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese.

1 Serving with 1 Leanest Lean, 3 Greens, 3 Condiments and 2 Healthy Fats


Are you looking for freezer friendly meals? I get asked about freezer meals all the time and for good reason! We don't always have time to cook every night, but sometimes we may have an evening or two a week to prep for future meals. We may have busy schedules, but we still want delicious home cooked meals right? Lasagna has always been a great choice when wanting a meal that freezes well! Instead of traditional carb-laden lasagna made with pasta, make lasagna using spaghetti squash. It has a mild flavor which tastes wonderful with marinara sauce. It has all the flavors of regular hearty lasagna, but this version is lighter and healthier! A dish your entire family can enjoy!


Roasted spaghetti squash, creamy ricotta cheese, sweet Italian turkey sausage, marinara sauce and mozzarella cheese! Comfort food to the max!


Spaghetti squash does have a tendency to release water when cooking. This is natural! I do find it to be less watery when I roast the squash in the oven rather cooking it in the microwave. Oven roasting is now my preferred method of choice. I think roasting makes all veggies taste better!


Begin by cutting the spaghetti squash in half lengthwise and then scooping out all the seeds with a spoon. Get all those loose goopy (is that a word?) strands that are mixed in with the seeds too! Line a baking sheet with foil for easy clean-up. Spray the squash with olive oil cooking spray and season with salt and pepper if desired.


Place the squash cut side down and bake until tender.


I love how the squash gets nice and brown around the top edges.


Use a fork along the flesh to make long spaghetti-like strands in a bowl.


Delicious spaghetti squash strands! Ready to be used or eaten!


Measure out 1 cup of spaghetti squash and place it on the bottom of a container. Sprinkle basil and garlic powder on top. Then add ricotta cheese. I used foil containers because I was freezing additional future meals for later. These foil containers are great because they can go from the freezer to the oven without cracking or breaking, unlike glass containers. I got these containers from Amazon. Click HERE for the link!


Next, remove the sweet Italian turkey sausage from their casings and cook until the sausage is cooked thoroughly. Drain the fat and set aside.


Measure out 3 ounces of sausage and spread it over the ricotta cheese. Top with tomato sauce.


Sprinkle mozzarella cheese and parmesan cheese on top. Bake for about 30 minutes or until heated thoroughly and cheese has melted.


I was able to make four lasagnas with my spaghetti squash. Three of those meals went into the freezer and the other one is getting in my belly! Label the containers with the name, date, and re-heating instructions. Yummy, healthy, comfort food prepped ahead of time! Enjoy!


Spaghetti Squash Lasagna

Ingredients:
1/4 cup 2% Mozzarella Cheese, shredded (1/4 Lean)
1/4 cup Part-Skim Ricotta Cheese (1/4 Lean)
1/4 tsp Garlic Powder (1/2 Condiment)
2 tsp grated Parmesan Cheese (2/3 Condiment)
1/2 tsp dried Basil (1/2 Condiment)
1 cup Spaghetti Squash, cooked (2 Greens)
1/2 cup Great Value Italian diced tomatoes, blended (1 Green)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Cut spaghetti squash in half lengthwise and scrape out the seeds with a spoon. Place spaghetti squash on a baking sheet and spray with olive oil cooking spray. Season lightly with salt and pepper, if desired. Place the spaghetti squash cut side down on the baking sheet. Bake for about 45 minutes or until squash is tender. Remove from oven and let cool.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Using a fork, scrape the flesh to get spaghetti-like strands. Measure out 1 cup of spaghetti squash and place on the bottom of an oven-safe container. Sprinkle garlic powder and dried basil on top of spaghetti squash. Then drop small spoonfuls of the ricotta on top.

Remove the Italian sweet sausage from their casings. Place the sausage in a medium sized skillet and cook over medium-high heat until cooked thoroughly. Drain the fat from the sausage. Measure out 3 ounces of cooked sausage using a food scale. Sprinkle the sausage on top of the ricotta cheese. Then add tomato sauce on top of the sausage. Next, add mozzarella cheese and parmesan cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for about 30 to 35 minutes or until heated thoroughly.

Makes 1 Serving

Each serving provides
1 Lean, 3 Greens, and 1.6 Condiments

If you decide to freeze them, place in the fridge the night before you plan to eat them. Bake at 350 degrees for about 35 to 40 minutes or until heated thoroughly.


Christmas is almost here! Less than a week away and one of the most important meal times for my family on Christmas day is breakfast! Of course, no one ever wants to wait for a delicious hearty breakfast on Christmas morning because there is too much excitement going on! That is why I usually  make a breakfast casserole. The preparation is done the night before so all you have to do is pop it in the oven while opening presents! 


This is my first time making a breakfast casserole with kabocha squash, but I loved how it turned out! Kabocha squash tastes similar to butternut squash, pumpkin or sweet potatoes. Now... I have made breakfast casseroles with sweet potatoes and white potatoes so I thought this squash would make a wonderful substitute for the higher carb laden potatoes. It makes a slightly sweet and savory casserole that my family enjoyed! That makes this mama happy!


I usually find kabocha squash at Trader Joes, but for some reason my Trader Joes no longer carried it. I finally found it at my local grocery store, Vons. They are also commonly found in Asian markets.


Take your kabocha squash and slice it in half. They have very tough skin and can be difficult to cut. Use a sharp knife and watch those fingers! Scoop out all the seeds and goop with a spoon and throw them away. Cut each half into wedges and then cut away the skin.


Cut the wedges into chunks so they can fit in the tube of your food processor. 

Preparing the kabocha squash is the hardest part in preparing the casserole. Well not hard, but time consuming. I wish they sold it already prepared in grocery stores! I know Trader Joes sells butternut squash already peeled and cut into chunks. I hope they will do the same to kabocha squash :)


Put the chunks of kabocha squash in a food processor with the shredding disc. You don't have to use a food processor but it makes it so much easier to grate and you save time! It would definitely be a great investment if you don't already have one!


Shredded kabocha squash! 

One whole kabocha squash is going to give you more than 2 1/2 cups needed for the recipe. You can freeze the chunks of leftover squash. Use them later to roast, throw them into stews or mash up as a substitute for mashed potatoes. They are so versatile!

Here is a link that explains how you can freeze them. Click HERE.


Layer the shredded kabocha squash in a prepared 9 x 13 inch glass casserole dish. If you are going to cook it the next day, I would use one of those disposable foil pans instead of a glass dish because glass can break if you put it directly from the cold fridge to the hot oven.


Next, add the red bell peppers. You can actually use any veggies you like. I had some red peppers I wanted to get rid of so I used those. Feel free to add more veggies since you still have 2 more servings of veggies per serving to make up your full Lean and Green for the day. Mushrooms, spinach, zucchini, yellow squash, assorted peppers are all good options.


Then sprinkle Jimmy Dean turkey sausage crumbles on top of the veggies. Use a food scale to measure out 6 ounces.


No thawing required. They will bake wonderfully into the casserole and give it the delicious flavor I remember from numerous Christmas breakfast casseroles.


Whisk a dozen eggs together.


Add your spices. I love sage because it has a sweet savory flavor that matches the flavor of this casserole. It pairs nicely with sausage and winter squash.


Pour the egg mixture over the sausage.


Sprinkle sharp cheddar cheese on top and bake for 40 to 45 minutes at 350 degrees. Enjoy!



Kabocha, Sausage and Egg Breakfast Casserole

Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups kabocha squash, shredded (5 Greens)
1/2 cup red bell pepper, diced (1 Green)
6 ounces Jimmy Dean turkey sausage crumbles (1 Lean)
12 eggs (4 Leans)
1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk (1/2 Condiment)
1 tsp dried sage (1/2 Condiment)
1/2 tsp salt (2 Condiments)
1/2 tsp ground black pepper (1 Condiment)
1 cup 2% reduced fat sharp cheddar cheese (1 Lean)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Lightly spray a 9 x 13 inch glass casserole dish with cooking spray and set aside. If making this the night before, use a 9 x 13 inch disposable foil pan.

Cut the kabocha squash in half with a large sharp knife using a rocking motion. Scoop out the seeds and goop with a spoon. Not sure what to call it, so goop it is :)

Cut the squash halves into wedges. Remove the skin with a knife. 

Cut the wedges into large chunks so they can fit into the tube of the food processor and then shred. They don't have to be cut nicely because they are going to be shredded anyways. 

Measure out 2 1/2 cups of shredded kabocha squash and spread out along the bottom of the prepared casserole dish.

Sprinkle the diced red bell pepper over the kabocha squash.

Spread the Jimmy Dean turkey sausage crumbles over the kabocha squash and peppers. No need to thaw the sausage.

Combine eggs, almond milk, sage, salt and pepper in a large mixing bowl. Whisk thoroughly. Pour the egg mixture over the sausage.

If you are cooking it in the morning, cover with foil and place in the fridge.

Sprinkle cheese on top. Bake uncovered for about 40 to 45 minutes or until cooked thoroughly. You may need additional baking time if it was in the fridge the night before. Allow to cool slightly. Divide into 6 equal portions.

Don't forget to add 2 more Greens per serving to complete your Lean and Green for the day! Enjoy!

6 Servings with 1 Lean, 1 Green, and 1 Condiment


I was craving a quick and easy noodle salad and this recipe fit the bill! Nowadays... I do not eat pasta so my noodle salad wasn't made up of noodles at all, but it was still incredibly delicious! I used spiralized zucchini in this dish. I have used spiralized yellow squash, spaghetti squash or even cabbage as my pasta. All of them would have worked for this dish, but zucchini is what I had on hand. 


Trust me when I say this... I did not miss the pasta at all. I loved the crunchiness and freshness of the veggies and there was tons of spicy Asian flavor coming from the sesame peanut sauce that complimented the veggies.


The easiest way to spiralize your veggies is with a spiralizer of course :) I have mentioned the Paderno World Cuisine Spiral Slicer being my favorite one numerous times in a variety of posts. You can get it HERE on Amazon, but I think they have a five blade spiralizer which is the same price as the tri blade one. Go check them out!


The Paderno Spiral Slicer makes the zucchini into beautiful spirals in no time at all. Measure out 2 1/2 cups.


Chop up 1/2 cup of red bell pepper. I love the red, orange, and yellow bell peppers the most because they are sweeter and have an almost fruity flavor compared to green bell peppers which have a slightly bitter taste.


Toss the spiralized zucchini and red peppers together in a medium sized bowl.


Some of the ingredients used to make the Sesame Peanut Sauce.


Along with powdered peanut butter, also known as PB2. It is less fat, calories and carbs than regular peanut butter.


You do not need to add this, but I added a very small amount to the sauce because I wanted to sweeten it up just a bit. When I mean a little bit, I mean a very light sprinkle.


Combine the sauce ingredients and mix it well.


Pour the sauce over the veggies.


Stir until the veggies are evenly coated.


I added some shrimp for my Lean that was already peeled and cooked. I just take them from the freezer and run them under warm water for a few minutes to defrost them or leave them out on the counter for about an hour. This shrimp is so convenient on busy weekdays. Love them!

A wonderful healthy meal that is so easy to make. There is absolutely no excuse for not making healthy choices when we are busy. Enjoy!


Zucchini "Noodles" 
with Sesame Peanut Sauce

Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups spiralized zucchini (5 Greens)
1/2 cup red bell pepper, diced (1 Green)
4 tbsp powdered peanut butter (2 Snacks)
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar (1/4 Condiment)
1 tbsp soy sauce (1 Condiment)
1/2 tsp garlic powder (1 Condiment)
1/2 tsp ground ginger (1 Condiment)
2 tsp sriracha sauce (2 Condiments)
2 tsp sesame oil (2 Healthy Fats)
2 tsp water
Light sprinkle of a NuStevia packet (Optional)

Directions:

Combine spiralized zucchini and diced red pepper in a medium sized bowl. Set aside.

In a small bowl, whisk the powdered peanut butter, water, apple cider vinegar, soy sauce, garlic powder, ground ginger, sriracha sauce and sesame oil together until mixed thoroughly.

Add the sesame peanut sauce to the zucchini and red pepper. You can also add a light sprinkle of NuStevia. Stir until the vegetables are coated evenly.

You can also add your favorite Leaner Lean or Leanest Lean. I chose shrimp! Because shrimp is a Leaner Lean, you would still need to add another healthy fat per serving.

2 Servings with 3 Greens, 2.6 Condiments, 1 Healthy Fat and 1 Snack per Serving


Nothing is better on a very cold day than a hot, comforting, homemade bowl of soup or stew! It isn't quite cold here in Vegas yet, but trust me... it does get cold here! Maybe not as cold as the Northern states, but coming from a girl who has only lived in the South most of her life (well... except for the few years I lived in Colorado), it gets pretty darn cold in my opinion. Now... you don't have to have soup only on cold days, but it sure does help keep your body warm and toasty all the way down to your toesies!


One of my favorite soups is a rich, hearty beef stew that is full of flavor. I love making my beef stew with lots of white potatoes, sweet potatoes, and carrots. Those ingredients have a lot of carbs in large quantities so I decided to try kabocha squash instead of the starchier white and sweet potatoes.


Kabocha squash is a winter squash, also commonly known as Japanese pumpkin. It has a deep, rich, sweet flavor with a fluffy chestnut texture . It is a cross between a pumpkin and sweet potato but it can also be compared to an acorn or butternut squash.


I will not lie. Cutting into one of these suckers is not easy. It has hard thick skin that can be difficult to cut. I actually dread cutting these up because yes... I would like to keep my fingers. All 10 of them!

Cut the kabocha squash in half with a large sharp knife. I stick the knife in the middle of the squash and work my way around until I have two parts.


Once I have them cut in half, I scoop out the goop and seeds.


I cut each half into 4 or 5 wedges. It really depends on how big your squash is and how big you want the wedges. Then laying each piece flat, I cut the skin off with a knife.


Cut the peeled wedges into chunks.


Add the beef stew meat and kabocha squash to a slow cooker. Then add tomato sauce.


Add your beef broth to the mixture. I chose to use 3 cups of broth and it was plenty of liquid for me. Some like more liquid in their stews. If that is the case, add 4 cups instead of 3 cups of beef broth.


Add Italian seasoning, garlic powder, salt and pepper if desired. As you can tell, the marinara sauce and Italian seasoning will give this stew an Italian spin. 


Another great spice to use in place of  the Italian seasoning is Stacey Hawkins Viva Italiano Blend. It tastes delicious in tomato based soups such as this one! You can purchase this spice on Stacey's website, www.StaceyHawkinsShop.com. I need to order more because I am all out! 


Give it a good stir!


Cook 7 hours on Low or 4 to 5 hours on High. That's it!


When you serve this beef stew to your family, they will think you slaved all day in the kitchen! That is why I love slow cooker recipes! You can have delicious meals without spending all day cooking! Enjoy!

Slow Cooker Beef and Kabocha Stew

Ingredients:
28 oz raw Beef Stew Meat (4 Leans)
4 cups Kabocha Squash (8 Greens)
3 cups low sodium Beef Broth (3 Condiments)
2 cups Great Value Italian diced tomatoes, blended (4 Greens)
1 tsp Garlic Powder (2 Condiments)
1 tsp Italian Seasoning (2 Condiments)
Salt and Pepper to taste, but don't forget to count them as Condiments!

Directions:
Combine all ingredients in a slow cooker.
Cook on Low for 7 hours or High for 4 to 5 hours.

4 Servings with 1 Lean, 3 Greens, and 1.75 Condiments per Serving


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