Sandy's Kitchen: Squash

Showing posts with label Squash. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Squash. Show all posts
These zucchini hash browns are really good! They remain kind of soft and you have to be careful when flipping them, but they are so worth making! You can always put the entire mixture in a skillet and cook it all together as zucchini hash. Give them a try and enjoy this healthier twist on hash browns!


Zucchini Hash Browns

 Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups shredded raw zucchini (3 Greens)
1 tbsp chopped onion (1 Condiment)
1 egg (1/3 Lean)
2 tbsp reduced fat grated parmesan cheese (1 Condiment)
1/8 tsp garlic salt (1/2 Condiment)
1/4 tsp pepper (1/2 Condiment)
1 tbsp light butter (1 Healthy Fat)

 Directions:
Grate the zucchini into a colander. Squeeze out any excess water. Add the onion, egg, garlic salt, and pepper to the zucchini. Mix well. Melt half of butter in a medium skillet over medium heat. Form 3 to 4 small thin patties in a skillet (half of mixture). Cook for about 6 to 8 min, turning once. Remove from pan and set aside. Add 3 to 4 more patties and cook until done.

 Makes 1 Serving
Each serving provides
1/3 Lean, 3 Greens, 3 Condiments and 1 Healthy Fat per Serving
Serve with 2/3 Leaner or Leanest Lean Option

 Some 2/3 Lean or Leaner Options:
1 whole egg plus 4 egg whites
1 cup 2% cottage cheese
1 cup plain low fat Greek yogurt
4 Morning Star Farms Veggie Sausage Links
2 Morning Star Farms Veggie Sausage Patties
4 ounces grilled chicken breasts
4.6 ounces grilled shrimp (add 1 more Healthy Fat)
1 1/3 cup liquid egg whites or egg beaters (add 1 more Healthy Fat)

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This is a really quick and easy recipe to throw together that only requires a few ingredients. I love recipes like these, don't you? It kind of reminds me of chili so this would be perfect for those cold days coming up real soon. 

If you aren't in the mood for Mexican, change it up to Italian. Just change the rotel tomatoes to Italian diced tomatoes, skip the salsa, use 1 tsp Mrs. Dash Italian Medley Seasoning instead of the taco seasoning mix, and sprinkle 1 tbsp of grated parmesan cheese on top. Enjoy!


Mexican Beef and Zucchini Skillet

 Ingredients:
5 oz ground beef (93%), cooked (1 Lean)
1/2 cup rotel tomatoes with some of the liquid (1 Green)
1 cup raw zucchini, chopped (2 Greens)
2 tbsp salsa (2 Condiments)
1/2 tsp taco seasoning mix (1 Condiment)

 Directions:
Combine ground beef, rotel tomatoes, zucchini, salsa, and taco seasoning mix in a medium skillet. Cook over medium-high heat until zucchini is tender, about 5 minutes.

1 Serving with 
1 Lean, 3 Greens, and 3 Condiments per serving

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Don't know what to do with all that zucchini you have in the fridge? How about a quick and easy zucchini and tomato dish? This can be whipped up in a matter of minutes and you will have all your greens for the next three days! Yes! No cooking... well of course you have to still make your lean but at least you have your green. I love the addition of basil and parmesan cheese that gives this dish  an Italian taste. I also like the addition of splenda so that it has a slight sweetness to it. Enjoy this dish!


Zucchini and Tomato Skillet


Ingredients:
1 clove garlic, minced (1 Condiment)
1 tsp olive oil  (1 Healthy Fat)
1/2 packet stevia - optional (1/2 Condiment)
1/2 teaspoon salt (2 Condiments)
1/2 tsp dried basil (1/2 Condiment)
1 1/2 tsp grated reduced fat grated parmesan cheese, divided (1/2 Condiment)
Dash of pepper
3 cups zucchini, unpeeled, sliced 1/2-inch thick (6 greens)
1 1/2 cups tomatoes, peeled and diced or it can be canned with less than 5 g of carbs per 1/2 cup (3 Greens)

Directions:
Cook garlic in oil until until garlic is brown. Add sugar, salt, pepper, basil, and zucchini. Saute for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add tomatoes and cook for about 1 minute or until heated thoroughly. Divide into 1 1/2 cup servings. Sprinkle with 1/2 tsp parmesan cheese.


3 servings with all your Greens (1 1/2 cups), 1.16 Condiments and 1/3 Healthy Fat per serving


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Today was such a beautiful day here in Colorado. The weather was perfect for a small hike and a lunch time picnic. It wasn't too hot nor too cold and there was a very nice breeze that seemed to follow us along our walk to cool us down. Our favorite local place to go hiking is Red Rock Canyon. We found the perfect spot for our little picnic at a bench with a beautiful view of Garden of the Gods (a local attraction). I was trying to decide what to make for our picnic and I decided on revolution rolls. Have you heard of these amazing rolls? They are delicious and although they look too good to be true, they are 5 and 1 compliant. I ran the recipe by Nutrition Support and they stated 1 roll counted as 1/6 Lean and less than 1 Condiment! They are an excellent substitute for bread. They kind of remind me of light flaky puff pastries but they still work great for sandwiches.


I decided to make bbq ranch chicken salad sandwich with the revolution rolls. I know it sounds kind of strange, but it is actually really good! Trust me! You will like this! Hubby was skeptical at first, but I urged him to give it a try and now he is in love with this sandwich! This chicken salad is easy to make and only requires three ingredients: grilled chicken, bbq sauce and ranch dressing. For our sides, I had about 3/4 cup of crispy zucchini and squash chips (1 1/2 Green). Hubby had regular potato chips. These particular chips take a long time to make, but it is well worth the wait. They remind me so much of potato chips. If you would like the recipe for these chips, please go HERE. I also had a small side spinach salad which was made up of 1 cup of baby spinach (1 Green) and 1/4 cup of chopped tomatoes (1/2 Green). This was a complete lean and green meal.


Here are a few photos I wanted to share with you from our fabulous picnic! My King Charles Cavalier, Peanut, is always in the lead and seems to think he is the boss. I love the mountain scenery!


Stopped to strike a pose!


Hubby giving the thumbs up because he found the location where we will have our picnic. This is the view of the Garden of the Gods (the rock formations in the background) we had while we enjoyed our lunch.


A nice and shady location to sit and enjoy our time together!


These are the revolution rolls filled with the BBQ ranch chicken salad. As you can tell from the photo, they make great sandwich or hamburger buns! Hubby was all ready to dig into his sandwich! Such a huge sandwich it was!


Poor Peanut! He wanted some too! Sorry! Those puppy dog eyes won't win this time!


These are the revolution rolls right when they came out of the oven. They are light and flaky and would also make wonderful desserts! Imagine melting 1 tbsp light cream cheese (1 condiment) mixed with half a packet of stevia (1/2 Condiment) drizzled over the top of one these guys! Maybe add a little bit of cinnamon. Can you say "Heaven"? Or you can spray some I Can't Believe It's Not Butter Spray over the top and sprinkle cinnamon and stevia! Better yet, slice one of these in half and spreading some chocolate pudding inside. Uh oh... now I am getting hungry LOL. Or how about drizzling Walden Farms caramel or chocolate syrup over the top and eating one of these with your soft serve ice cream. The possibilities are endless! Let's move on and focus on how to make these rolls before I drool all over my computer keyboard.


Here is a roll with the cream cheese icing! (1 tbsp of light cream cheese and half a packet of splenda as an additional 1 1/2 Condiments) Sooooo gooood!

How do you make them? First add the cream of tarter to the egg whites. If you do not have cream of tarter, there are other substitutes such as lemon juice and white vinegar. It helps to firm up beaten egg whites to form those stiff peaks.


Next add stevia and cream cheese that is at room temperature to the egg yolks. Mix well and then gently fold the egg yolks into the egg whites until combined, but be careful to not over mix otherwise the peaks will fall. Use a whisk for this.


Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. I sprayed it lightly with cooking spray. Then make 6 equal blobs. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 to 35 minutes. Mine were done in 25 minutes but it could have been the high altitude in Colorado.


I used two rolls which counted as 1/3 Lean and 1.3 Condiments. You can have 3.3 oz beef or pork, 4 oz of chicken or 4.6 oz of shrimp or fish, or 1 1/3 cup egg beaters. This is where a food scale comes in handy. Try the revolution rolls and BBQ ranch chicken salad recipes together. You just might fall in love like my husband and I! Enjoy!


Revolution Rolls
(Great for sandwiches or making a pastry)

Ingredients:
3 eggs at room temp (1 Lean)
3 tbsp light cream cheese at room temp (3 Condiments)
A pinch or 1/16 tsp cream of tartar (you can use white vinegar or lemon juice as a substitute)
1 packet stevia (1 Condiment)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Separate egg whites from egg yolks, putting whites in one bowl and yolks in another bowl. Add cream of tartar (or vinegar or lemon juice) to egg whites. Beat egg whites on high until stiff peaks form. Set aside. 

 Add cream cheese and stevia to yolks. Whisk egg yolk mixture until blended. Gently whisk yolk mixture into egg whites being careful to not over mix otherwise the egg whites will fall. On a cookie sheet lined w parchment paper, make six equal sized blobs, not touching.

 Bake at 350 for 30 to 35 minutes (Mine cooked in 25 minutes). They are great warm, but awesome cold and can be toasted without any problems! Freeze the left overs in plastic wrap or individual sandwich bags or keep them in the fridge for up to 5 days in a large ziploc bag. Toast them to make them crispy again.

 Makes 6 Rolls or 3 servings
2 Rolls = 1/3 Lean and 1.3 Condiments

 If using regular cream cheese instead of light cream cheese:
2 Rolls = 1/3 Lean, 0.16 Condiments (not even a Condiment), and 1 Healthy Fat

 You need to add 2/3 Lean to your day such as:
 3.3 oz beef or pork
4 oz of chicken
4.6 oz of shrimp or fish
1 -1/3 cup egg beaters
2 Morning Star Farms Sausage Patties
2 eggs

 If you have one roll, you can have:
4.16 oz beef or pork
5 oz of chicken
 5.8 oz of shrimp or fish
1 - 2/3 cup egg beaters

Click Here to Print

BBQ Ranch Chicken Salad Sandwich

Ingredients:
2 Revolution Rolls (1/3 Lean and 1.4 Condiments)
3 oz chicken breast, grilled and cut into chunks (1/2 Lean)
0.66 ounces of 2% reduced fat cheddar cheese, shredded (1/6 Lean)
1 tbsp G Hughes No Sugar Added BBQ Sauce (1 Condiment)
2 tbsp Light Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing (1 Healthy Fat)

Directions:
Cook chicken breast on grill, broiler or George Foreman Grill until cooked thoroughly. Cut into small chunks. Add BBQ sauce, ranch dressing and cheddar cheese to chicken and stir until blended. Serve on two revolution rolls.

Makes 1 Serving
1 Lean, 2.4 Condiments and 1 Healthy Fat

Click Here to Print

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So far so good! It is Day 3 of the 30 Day Challenge to stay OP and I have had no cheats whatsoever! That is amazing for me. Usually I have a hard time staying OP at night because of the night time munchies and I did not have a single bite of anything last night! No cake, no cookies, no leftover pizza from the hubby, no nothing! I am coming to believe the old saying if you put your mind to something you really can accomplish it! As promised, I did not weigh myself today either. The scale is hidden away... well... not completely hidden since I am the one who hid it LOL, but it is away from plain view. I will not be taking it out until next Monday. Considering I am a daily weigher and I am a part of Daily Weighers Anonymous (DWA), that is another big step for me. Since starting this challenge and the Halloween challenge, I have also been drinking more water (if that were possible!) than usual. Of course as you can relate, the bathroom and I are on a first name basis. I think I am in there more times than not!  So... overall... I am feeling really good about now!

Here is a great recipe to use up your summer squash!


I made a few changes to the recipe because I did not have any tomatoes, although sliced tomatoes would have worked really well in this dish. You could even try using Italian diced tomatoes from the can. I just used all zucchini and yellow squash that I had gotten over the weekend at the local farmer's market because I had a ton! You can use any type of cheese you want, but I decided to use 2% reduced fat Italian cheese blend because of the addition of basil and garlic. I also sauteed the squash in a butter and olive oil combination instead of using cooking spray as the original recipe suggested so I could get my healthy fats in. You can also grill or broil the squash, but just remember to toss the squash in the butter and oil combination and then cook whichever method you prefer. I also only used 1/4 tsp of salt instead of 1/2 a tsp and it was plenty for me. If you don't have any garlic cloves, use 1/4 tsp of garlic powder which is equivalent to 2 garlic cloves but only 1 condiment! That is one of the reasons why I tend to use garlic powder more often than garlic cloves because you get more flavor with less condiments. The medifast crackers aren't necessary but help provide a little crunch and is used in place of panko crumbs the original recipe requires. This was a very yummy dish and I am sooooooo happy I have two servings of it! Now I have part of my lean and green for tomorrow. With this dish, I plan on having 1 cup of egg beaters but you can also have 3 oz of chicken instead. I hope you enjoy the recipe!


Summer Squash Gratin

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups sliced yellow squash, 1/4" slices - should yield 1 cup cooked (2 Greens)
1 1/2 cups sliced zucchini, 1/4 " slices - should yield 1 cup cooked (2 Greens)
1 1/2 cups sliced tomatoes, 1/4" slices - should yield 1 cup cooked (2 Greens)
2 Cloves garlic, minced (2 Condiments)
1 cup shredded reduced fat shredded cheese (1 Lean)
1 package crushed Medifast crackers - optional but helps make it slightly crunchy (1 Optional Snack)
1 tsp olive oil (1 Healthy Fat)
1 tbsp light butter (1 Healthy Fat)
1/4 teaspoon of salt (1 Condiment)
1/4 tsp black pepper (1/2 Condiment)
1 teaspoon dried basil (1/2 Condiment)
1/8 tsp pepper (1/4 Condiment)
2 tbsp grated reduced fat parmesan cheese (1 Condiment)

Directions:
Slice zucchini and squash into 1/4" slices. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Melt butter and add olive oil to a large skillet over medium-high heat. Saute squash and garlic for 6 to 7 minutes until tender crisp. Set aside.
 Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spread squash into an 8 x 8 baking dish sprayed with cooking spray. Then layer the tomatoes on top. Combine cheese and basil with the medifast crackers and sprinkle over the entire dish. Bake for 25 minutes or until top is golden brown. Sprinkle with grated parmesan cheese.

2 Servings with
1/2 Lean, 3 Greens, 2.12 Condiments, and 1 Healthy Fat per Serving

You still need 1/2 a Lean more

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I am down another pound today. Yay! The plan really does work as long as you stick with it! Also, I am happy to report that I lost all the weight I gained during my 3 1/2 week vacation in Vegas. Now I have to lose the 10 lbs I gained before Vegas. I will get there soon enough! One packet at a time! I am feeling better since re-starting Medifast a week ago and my headaches have also gotten better so good news for me! I am just happy I am starting to have some normalcy in my life since hubby got back from deployment. Everything is starting to fall into place and I am getting settled here in Colorado. Enough about me, I wanted to share what I had for lunch today as my lean and green. This is another one of those easy and versatile dishes that I love because it uses only a few ingredients.We all love those easy recipes that still taste good, right? I used zucchini and cabbage because I didn't have any yellow squash and it was mighty tasty! Nothing like buttered veggies with garlic and herb seasoning. Yum! Very good for a quick meal. Hubby even liked it except I made his with chicken since he is allergic to shrimp. Two thumbs up from the hubs! Enjoy!


Garlic and Herb Squash Stir Fry

Ingredients:
3/4 cup zucchini, sliced (1 1/2 Greens)
3/4 cup cabbage or yellow squash, sliced (1 1/2 Green)
7 oz shrimp or 6 oz chicken, cooked (1 Lean)
1 tbsp light butter - I like Land 'O Lakes light butter spread with canola oil with 5 grams of fat  (1 Healthy Fat)
2 tbsp water
1/2 tsp Mrs. Dash Garlic and Herb Seasoning (1 Condiment)
1 tbsp reduced fat parmesan cheese, grated (1/2 Condiment)
Dash of salt or pepper (optional)
Cooking spray

Directions:
Spray skillet that has a cover with cooking spray. Over medium high heat, melt butter in the heated skillet. Add veggies and stir fry for several minutes until the veggies are tender crisp. Add  shrimp or chicken, water, and seasonings. Cover and simmer for 4 to 5 minutes or until desired doneness. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese.

1 Lean, 3 Greens, 1.5 Condiments, and 1 Healthy Fat (you will need to add 1 more healthy fat if using shrimp)

Click Here to Print


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Spaghetti squash is one of those veggies that is excellent for low carb diets or just an overall healthy diet. Actually according to Wikipedia, it is a fruit but commonly thought of as being a vegetable.We quickly learn how to re-create our favorite dishes with other alternatives such as cauliflower which is used as pasta in mockaroni dishes, the base for pizza crusts or as a substitute for rice. We learn to adapt without trying to skimp on taste. :) The yellow strands that come from inside of the spaghetti squash look similar to spaghetti noodles (hence the name). The flavor is mild which allows it to be a great substitute for pasta dishes. I have to say lo mein is one of my favorite Chinese dishes and I never dreamed I could have something similar on the Medifast plan. Don't get me wrong. Spaghetti squash does not taste entirely like pasta noodles and has a flavor all of it is own, but it works well as a pasta substitute. It gives the dish a hint of sweetness with a tad bit of crunchiness from the strands. Personally, I love spaghetti squash so I knew I would like this dish. When I first made this dish, I used 2 tsp of teriyaki sauce, but because teriyaki sauce is a bit on the sweet side and the spaghetti squash strands have a hint of sweetness, I thought it was a tad bit sweet. I plan on using 1 tsp teriyaki sauce and 1 tsp soy sauce next time. Of course, there will be a next time! I ate this with grilled chicken that was marinated in 1 tsp teriyaki sauce overnight. I have never tried spaghetti squash until I began Medifast and now I wonder why I didn't try it sooner! Give it a try because until you do, you just never know what you are missing! Enjoy this low carb dish!


Spaghetti Squash Lo Mein

Ingredients:
1 cup spaghetti squash, cooked (2 Greens)
1/2 cup shredded cabbage (1 Green)
1 tsp sesame oil (1 Healthy Fat)
1 clove garlic, minced (1 Condiment)
2 tsp lite soy sauce sauce (2/3 Condiment)
1 tsp teriyaki sauce (1 Condiment)

Directions:
For a tutorial on how to cook spaghetti squash, please go HERE.

Heat sesame oil in skillet over medium - high heat. Add garlic and saute until golden brown. Add spaghetti squash strands, cabbage, soy sauce, and teriyaki sauce. Cook until heated thoroughly for a few minutes. Serve with your favorite lean.

3 Greens, 1 Healthy Fat and 2.6 Condiments

Click Here to Print
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