Recipe Time: Roasted Acorn Squash with Greens & Beans Quinoa!

Growing up, we received oodles and oodles of fresh summer squash from my grandfather's garden each year. This would have been awesome if I had liked squash, but.... (big surprise) I didn't.

My mother always prepared it in one of two ways - sliced and sauteed OR mushed and mixed in a casserole dish with lots of butter, Saltine crackers and God knows what else. I obviously preferred the latter.

For a long, long time, I actually didn't know that other types of squash even existed! Or that there were other ways to prepare them! So when I received a cute little acorn squash from my CSA last week, I clearly had no idea what to do with it. So I used one of my 'Phone-a-Friends' and dialed up my girl Sarah Kagan over at Beyond the Batter. "She'll know what to do with this thing...", I thought to myself.

And of course, like the culinary genius that she is, Sarah had a great recipe in her back pocket for acorn squash and even better - she proceeded to rush right over and whip up the most fabulous dinner for me and my man. What a gal!

So today, I'm sharing it with you. It's worthy of some blog-time. And who knows... maybe you too have no idea what to do with the damn thing!

Preheat the oven to 375F. While the oven is heating up, cook 1 cup of quinoa according to package directions.

Slice 1 medium-size acorn squash and empty out the seedy middle (you can even save the seeds and roast them later!)

Now cut the ends off the squash and slice it into 3/4 inch pieces.

Place the squash in a large mixing bowl and coat with 1-2 Tbs. oil of your choice (I recommend coconut oil). 

Lightly sprinkle the mixture with cumin powder and sea salt to taste (and cinnamon - we were forced to use cinnamon sticks because that was all we had on hand but ground cinnamon would be much easier!).

Cover a baking tray with parchment paper and roast in the oven for 30-40 minutes until tender (flipping halfway through).

Grab 1 can of white beans and rinse in a strainer until the water runs clear.

In a large mixing bowl, add the beans to the cooked quinoa...

...and mix well! (There's Sarah!).

Now for your dressing: In a small bowl, mix together the juice of 2 lemons, 1-2 Tbsp. of olive oil, 1-2 Tbsp. of red wine vinegar, and sea salt, pepper and red pepper flakes to taste. Pour over your quinoa/bean mixture (if you want to add more later, you can! that part's up to you!)

Meanwhile, saute one bag of frozen kale (16 oz.) with 1/2 bag of frozen broccoli (8 oz.) - or use fresh veggies if you have them!

Add them to the quinoa mixture and you're done!

Serve the quinoa atop a few slices of acorn squash and enjoy how the flavors blend together so beautifully! 

If it's even possible, this dish made our little viewing party of HOMELAND that much better! Terrorist plots... mental breakdowns... and yummy acorn squash. Could my night get any better?

Thanks, Sarah!

Oh...and if you'd like to curb a sweet tooth the vegan way, check out Sarah's recipe for her Pumpkin Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies! I taste-tested (and approved!) more than a few last night!

Spaghetti Squash: A Healthy Twist on a Classic Meal!

Image courtesy of justtosaywetried.tumblr.com

Who here loves spaghetti as much as I do? Spaghetti was ALWAYS my go-to dish in the elementary school cafeteria. When that savory smell started wafting through the halls of my school, I couldn't get to lunch fast enough. Who cared about taco day or sloppy joe day (or my white shirt, for that matter) when there was spaghetti to be eaten! My love for spaghetti didn't stop at school though, spaghetti was a staple in my family. My grandmother made it for us when we went to visit, my mom threw it together for a quick dinner and even my dad had a special spaghetti sauce recipe up his sleeve.

Shamefully, I never knew how to make spaghetti. My version of spaghetti involved a saute pan, a jar of Classico and a package of spaghetti noodles. Walah! Done in under 10 minutes! Now, while a jar of Classico or Prego isn't all that bad in the taste department, let's be honest! Homemade is just SO MUCH BETTER!

Image courtesy of steamykitchen.com

So today, I stole Adam's spaghetti recipe and added my own twist to make it healthier! Have you ever heard of spaghetti squash? This winter squash is pretty unusual. It's a close relative of the melon and the cucumber, but once you cook it, the flesh falls apart into strings of 'spaghetti'. Besides being so fun to make (kids will love scraping the inside and watching it transform into spaghetti), spaghetti squash is an excellent addition to your meal because it's full of...

OMEGA-3 AND OMEGA-6 FATTY ACIDS - I'm sure fish come to mind when you hear the term omega-3's, but fish are not the only way to get them! The omega-3's in spaghetti squash help prevent heart disease, cancer and arthritis inflammation, and the omega-6's found in squash promote brain function.

CAROTENOIDS - Carotenoids are the natural pigments found in plants - they make the tomatoes red and the squash yellow. Spaghetti squash, and other winter squash, are chock full of them. The beta-carotene and alpha-carotene found in spaghetti squash are converted by your body into the form of vitamin A that you need to maintain normal vision and glowing skin. They also act as antioxidants, helping your body prevent and fight inflammation. Now tell me, does your pasta do that?

FOLATE - I talk a lot about folate. The natural form found in food is EXTREMELY important in preventing birth defects and helping the body repair damage. Folate can play a major part in cancer prevention, and you need to make it an important component of your diet. Eating spaghetti squash is an easy way to do just that!

POTASSIUM - Bananas aren't the only good source of potassium! C'mon, you can be a little more creative than that! Spaghetti squash provides a solid contribution to your required daily value of potassium, which your body uses to keep your muscles and nerves functioning! 

VITAMIN C - Your body needs vitamin C to support a healthy immune system. Vitamin C scavenges your body for cancer-causing free radicals and helps to neutralize them. It also makes collagen, a type of skin tissue that aids in wound healing and repair.

So you see, you could make spaghetti the old-fashioned way OR you could increase your meal's nutritional content by substituting spaghetti squash. If you cook it correctly, the squash tastes fairly neutral and won't affect the taste of your favorite dish! Even Adam was pleasantly surprised! 

So here we go... healthy spaghetti with spaghetti squash!

First, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Rinse the outside of the squash and pat it dry.
Then, if you're not a man, find one. Sometimes you need a little extra muscle to cut the squash in half length-wise.

Now get rid of the man (j/k) and scoop out the center.
You'll want that part to look clean and smooth when you're finished.

Fill a baking dish with 1/2 inch of water and lay the squash in (cut side down). Pop into the oven and set your alarm
for 45 minutes. Cooking can take anywhere from 45-60 minutes, so you'll want to check it along the way.
Meanwhile, on to the sauce...

I like to prep everything before I start cooking. NOTE: This recipe is for 1 batch of spaghetti (makes 3-4 servings).
You can easily double to have tomorrow's dinner ready and waiting! Finely chop 2-3 cloves of garlic.

Finely chop 1 medium-sized red onion.

Chop 1 package of white button tomatoes.

Chop 1 can of small black olives (or leave these out if you don't care for them). At this point, you can also
use a potato peeler to peel a few carrots. I use the potato peeler because it gives me see-through slices that I can't
create with just a knife.

In a saute pan over medium-high heat, add 1-2 Tbs. of extra virgin olive oil.

Throw in the garlic, red onion, and carrot slices (optional). Cook for 2-3 minutes.

Now, instead of using ground beef, we opt for lean ground turkey. I swear you won't notice the difference and
you'll be doing your body a favor.

Add the turkey to the garlic/onion mixture and cook all the way through (approx. 5 minutes - no pink left).
While it's cooking, spice it up a bit with a dash of pepper, garlic salt, dried basil or red pepper (whatever you like)!
Once it's cooked, if your pan is swimming in oil or fat, just dump a bit out (if you don't, the sauce will end up soupy).

Now add the mushrooms and cook for 2-3 minutes until they start to soften.

Throw in the olives, 1 can of diced tomatoes and 1 large can of crushed tomatoes.

Because I'm obsessed with spices, I add a bit more at this point. Make it your own!

Now I don't believe in sugar, but Adam does. It will make your spaghetti taste a little more sweet. Add 1 Tbs. at your own discretion (by no means is this a requirement). 

While the sauce is heating through, add 1-2 Tbs. of balsamic vinegar.

Once it's heated through, you're done! Look at that beautiful sauce! 

Now for the squash... it's done with you can pull it into strands with a fork and it still retains it's shape. We had a
humongous squash and it took exactly 1 hour. A small or medium squash will be closer to 45 minutes.

Have fun scraping the insides into spaghetti. I recommend putting the strands in a strainer
to remove excess water (just like you'd do for pasta). 

Then plate that healthy spaghetti up and enjoy! Think anyone will notice the difference?

Butternut Squash: Fill Me Up, Butternut Baby!

Image courtesy of reclaimyourself.wordpress.com

Yesterday marked my 4 year anniversary of living in NYC. It's a big deal that I've lasted this long because...

1) I didn't have a plan. Within three weeks of deciding to move, I was on a one-way flight to the Big Apple.
2) I had only $2,000 to my name at the time.
3) I knew only 2 people in the entire city.
4) I didn't have a job or any particularly hopeful job leads.
5) I had no idea what I was getting myself into.

My very first job in NYC was in this building.

It's actually a miracle that I've survived this long. The first week, I happened to strike up a conversation on the subway with an older gentleman and guess what? He became my first NYC boss. I worked on Wall Street, literally right across the street from the apartment where I was crashing with a friend. I literally walked 10 feet for my interview, and I was offered the job within three weeks of moving to the city - right about the time that my bank account needed a  major miracle. I started working soon thereafter, found an apartment in Chelsea to call my own and have since lived in 12 different places (in keeping with my gypsy reputation).

What does this story have to do with butternut squash? Not much, other than the fact that I long for the days when I had a car to transport butternut squash home from the market. Those things are heavy! Pre-2008, I would have picked out my squash, thrown it in the trunk and cruised home pain-free. No such luck now, but hello, arm muscles! I just couldn't pass that squash up. It was the newest crop to hit the market and I just had to have some!

Butternut squash is a winter squash and while it looks like a vegetable, it's actually a fruit - a large, pear-shaped, golden yellow colored fruit. It has a nutty flavor, reminiscent of pumpkin. The American Indians used to call it 'the apple of God' because it's seeds were believed to increase fertility.


While the thought of a bunch of little Lauren's running around is nothing short of frightening, I can definitely get behind butternut squash's nutrition benefits...

CANCER FIGHTER - Butternut squash is packed with antioxidants that help fight cancer-causing free radicals.

BIRTH DEFECT DEFENDER - Folate's good for everyone, but pregnant women need it especially to prevent brain and spinal cord birth defects.

ELECTROLYTE REPLENISHER - The potassium content in butternut squash helps your body maintain proper fluid balance. Not only that, it also helps with muscle development, blood pressure, proper cellular functions and bone health. Not bad for one little mineral alone.

IMMUNE BOOSTER - Just 1 cup of butternut squash supplies almost 50% of your daily requirement of vitamin C, which means you will be well on your way to a strong immune system and healthy tissue!

BEAUTY ENHANCER - Butternut squash gets its color from beta carotene, which your body converts into vitamin A. Just 1 cup of butternut squash supplies almost 300% of your DV. Vitamin A ensures that you have strong eyes, beautiful skin and healthy mucous membranes.

Not to mention, butternut squash is virtually fat free, cholesterol free and sodium free! Can I get a 'Hallelujah! Amen!'?

I am obsessed with the site Naturally Ella, so of course, I went straight to her to find a lip-smackin' delicious butternut squash recipe. With no further ado, Twice Baked Butternut Squash (see recipe for exact measurements).

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Find a squash that feels heavy for its weight - no bruises or discolorations.

After viewing the video tutorial below on how to properly cut a butternut squash without drawing blood, cut the
squash in half and scoop out the squash seeds.

Like so.

Fill a baking pan with 1/2" of water and place the squash inside (cut side down). Bake in the oven for 45-60 minutes
until tender (mine took almost 60 minutes, but you can do this the day before serving to speed things up).

While the squash is baking, dice the shallots, grab a medium saucepan and saute them in a bit of olive oil until soft.

Add the quinoa and water to the shallot mixture, bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook 12-15 minutes
until the water is absorbed and your quinoa is nice and fluffy like above.

When your squash is cooked, remove it from the pan and scoop the insides into a mixing bowl (leave a 1/4"-1/2" edge).

Add the gorgonzola cheese, leaving some extra for the topping.

Now add the cooked quinoa and mix everything together. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Scoop the mixture back into the squash shells. Make sure you drain the water out of your baking pan first!

Sprinkle the tops with the extra gorgonzola.

Bake 10-15 minutes more on 400 degrees until the cheese has melted and the tops start to brown.

This dish goes great with roasted chicken and asparagus! Look at that beauty!

Please, for your own safety (and for the safety of your children), watch this video before approaching your squash with a butcher's knife.

Here are a few more recipes to try...

WINTER PANZANELLA

Image courtesy of smittenkitchen.com

PASTA WITH BUTTERNUT PARMESAN SAUCE

Image courtesy of simplyrecipes.com