Stuffed Acorn Squash

This is a clean eating recipe, inspired by a recipe I read from a Clean Eating magazine.

I never was a squash fan before.  

But the sausage stuffing in this recipe makes the squash not only edible, but delicious.  

I was amazed that my whole family enjoyed it.  Plus, they look so pretty too!

This recipe will make enough to feed a large family or to freeze half of the stuffing for later!

2 acorn squash (for small family and freezing the rest of the stuffing, otherwise use 4 squash)
1 cup diced red onion
1 cup diced celery
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 cups whole wheat bread crumbs
4 roasted red peppers, drained and diced (found in a jar near the pickles/olive section)
6 tbsp chopped fresh Italian parsley
4 tsp dried oregano or Italian seasoning
1 lb mild Italian turkey sausage, removed from casing (that skin like stuff)
2 cups low-sodium vegetable or chicken stock
Olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Remove stem of squash.  Wash squash and cut in half from stem down.  Scrape and discard seeds.  On a microwavable plate, place squash face side down and microwave for 10 minutes.  Then flip them over (using hot pads) and cook another 5 minutes until tender when poked with a fork.

While squash is cooking, add approx 2 tbsp oil in a large skillet.  Add onion, celery, garlic, red peppers, and sausage to skillet.  Saute until vegetables are tender and sausage fully cooked.

Add remaining ingredients (bread crumbs, parsley, seasoning, and chicken stock) and cook until bread crumbs are fluffy and moist.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.  Stuff squash and serve!

Butternut Squash Soup

Picture by me

Recipe by Alton Brown here

This is so good.  I made it for my birthday dinner because I love it so much!

• 6 cups (about 2 large squash) seeded 2-inch wide chunks butternut squash
• Melted butter, for brushing
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt, plus 1 teaspoon
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper (I like it better with black pepper)
• 3 cups chicken or vegetable stock
• 4 tablespoons honey
• 1 teaspoon minced ginger (I used powdered ginger once and it was just fine too)
• 4 ounces milk
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Brush the flesh of the squash with a little butter and season with 1 tablespoon salt and 1 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper. On a sheet pan lay the squash flesh side up. Roast for about 30 to 35 minutes or until the flesh is nice and soft.

Scoop the flesh from the skin into a pot and add the stock, honey, and ginger. Bring to a simmer and puree using a stick blender. Stir in the heavy cream and return to a low simmer. Season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg.

Hummus

This recipe is from the show Zoom.  About 3 years ago, Brynlee used to watch this show on PBS.  She saw the children making this recipe wanted to make it too.  I printed it out, put it in my folder and didn't make it until last month.  Why did I wait so long?!!  It's a weekly staple in my house now as a great and healthy dip for vegetables or pita chips!

Here's what you will need to make it:

• 1 can of chickpeas (garbanzo beans) drained and rinsed
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 garlic clove, peeled
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 2 tablespoons tahini (a.k.a. sesame seed butter/paste)
• pita bread, cut veggies, or chips
• blender
• garlic press
• spatula
• bowl

Here's what you have to do:

1. People in Middle Eastern countries, like Lebanon, have been making hummus for thousands of years. There are lots of ways to make hummus, but chickpeas are always the main ingredient. (Hummus is the Arabic word for chickpea.)

2. Ask a grown-up for help before you begin. You will be using a blender for this recipe.

3. Wash your hands.

4. Drain and rinse a can of chickpeas, then dump them into the blender.

5. Add 1/2 teaspoon of salt.

6. Peel 1 clove of garlic and crush it in a garlic press. (If you don't have a garlic press, chop it finely with a knife.)

7. Add the crushed garlic to the blender.

8. Add 1/4 cup of lemon juice, 1/4 cup of olive oil, and 2 tablespoons of tahini. Tahini is ground sesame seeds (kind of like peanut butter) and can be found near the peanut butter in some grocery stores. Other stores may have it in the international section.

9. Put the lid on the blender and puree at low speed for 5-10 seconds until smooth.

10. Wait for the blender to stop completely. Then mix the hummus with a rubber spatula so that all the ingredients get blended.

11. Put the lid back on and puree for another 10 seconds.

12. Wait for the blender to stop completely. Then pour the hummus into a bowl.

13. You can serve hummus with vegetables, pita bread, tortilla chips or whatever tastes good.

14. Sahtayn! In Arabic it means "Two healths" - your health and my health.

Breakfast Vegetables

This recipe comes from Trevor's family. He taught me how to make it when we were newlyweds. This dish is something his dad would make and it brings back sweet memories every time we make it.

2 zucchini, thinly sliced

2 summer squash, thinly sliced

1/2 medium onion, finely chopped

3 slices Ham, fully cooked

1-2 glugs oil

In a large skillet, add oil and vegetables. Cook for 10 minutes or until tender on medium high heat. Add ham, and cook 3 for min or until hot. Salt and pepper to taste!

Yields 3-4 cups.

Cool and Creamy Cucumber Salad

This dish is so yummy, my Austrian family would serve it as a side dish often in the summer. (I lived near Vienna, Austria as a nanny in 2000). I brought this recipe home with me because I loved it so much.

My girls have been eating ever since they were babies and gobble it up.

2 cucumbers
½ cup fat free plain yogurt
½ cup fat free sour cream (or low fat)
2 TB (at least) fresh dill, diced (only use fresh)
2 TB white vinegar
1 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar

Peel cucumbers and slice thin and set aside. Stir all remaining ingredients in a medium bowl. Add cucumbers to the creamy mixture and stir until cucumbers are completely covered. Serve cold immediately or after a few hours in the refrigerator for it to taste even better!

Sliced Baked Potatoes

Sliced Baked Potatoes

4 medium potatoes with skins, washed (or however many you need)
1 tsp salt
3-4 tblsp melted butter
2-3 tsp Thyme (or other herbs of your choice)
4 tblsp grated mozzarella cheese

1. Cut potatoes into thin slices but not ALL the way through. Use a handle of a spoon to prevent knife from cutting all the way.

2. Put potatoes in a baking dish. Fan them open slightly.

3. Drizzle melted butter evenly over the potatoes. Sprinkle with salt and herbs.

4. Bake potatoes at 425 F for 50 minutes. Remove from oven and sprinkle with cheese. Bake for another 10-15 minutes until potatoes are soft when tested with a fork.

Enjoy!

These are a superb side dish to homemade chicken nuggets, and just about any other meal too.

Healthy Grilled Vegetables

We always include these delicious vegetables whenever we grill! Even the girls eat them! The best part is that you can choose any vegetable that suits your palat. Our favorites are:

2 summer squash (or zucchini)
1 bunch of asparagus
1 red bell pepper
1 clove garlic
1-2 glugs of Olive oil
Sea salt to taste

1 ziplock bag, gallon size
Foil

Slice the veggies about equal in thickness (so they'll cook evenly). Place all the veggies into the ziplock bag. Using a garlic press, crush the clove of garlic into the bag (using fresh garlic is a must). Next, add 1-2 glugs of olive oil into the bag. Add just enough to coat the veggies. Seal bag and shake until completely mixed and coated.


Grill the veggies on 2 layers of foil for more stability. Cook until tender.
Season with sea salt and enjoy!
**You can also bake this in the oven. Just arrange veggies in a single layer on a baking sheet and cook for 25-30 minutes at 450F.