Spaghetti Squash w/ Ratatouille

I'm sorry that it's been a while since I have posted anything but I do have a good reason! Basically I've had to be on a miserable diet due to my GI track being super lame (full of bad bacteria, not full of good bacteria). It's an "anti-candida diet" and is based around consuming minimal sugar, because sugar is what feeds the bad stuff that I'm basically trying to kill off. Lovely, right?

Well, cutting out things such as: basically all processed food, all refined sugar, maple syrup/honey, bread/baked goods, fruits, any vinegar, potatoes, corn, alcohol (!), caffeine, dairy except for plain unsweetened yogurt, peanuts, etc.... Calls for a lot of food prep, confusion, grocery shopping, starving and basically no extra time to blog. I actually made the worst pancakes ever yesterday..... I was planning on blogging them!

So I've been experimenting a bit and spending a lot of money on crazy ingredients. I'm starting to think I should get some sort of frequent buyer discount for Bob's Red Mill brand items!

But to the point of this post. I made roast spaghetti squash with ratatouille that was exceptionally good and really satisfying, which is tough to come by on this darn diet! It's an awesome work week lunch to pack up.

Praise the lord I can still eat meat, because it was delicious with chicken - And I would just die otherwise. I bet it would be wonderful with ground beef in the sauce, or served with meatballs! It's a fairly simple recipe to prepare (the hardest part about it is cutting the damn squash open) and it is LOADED with vegetables. Squash, eggplant, onions, peppers, zucchini, peppers, tomatoes.... How much healthier can you get?

If you aren't on a painful diet like mine, I would suggest sprinkling a little parmesan cheese on top. Also, I altered this recipe because I couldn't find a tomato sauce without sugar added at the grocery store, so I used a can of crushed tomatoes instead and added a teeny tiny pinch of stevia (the only sweetener I'm allowed) to cut the acidity.

This photo is my lunch packed for work. I added some steamed broccoli in there for even more veggies and it was a great meal. It's filling, well seasoned, satisfying and just all around delicious and guilt free. I'd make this whether I was on this diet or not! If you happen to be on a highly specific diet, do check the tomato cans for added sugar!

This recipe does make quite a bit, so be prepared for leftovers for lunch or to share with family and friends!



Spaghetti Squash w/ Ratatouille

Ingredients:
1 spaghetti squash
1 large onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium eggplant, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
2 zucchini (or summer squash), chopped
Salt, pepper and red pepper flakes to taste
1/4 cup red wine (if you aren't on a crazy diet)
6 oz can tomato paste
14 oz can diced tomatoes
28 oz can crushed tomatoes
1 tbsp Italian seasoning
Pinch of sugar (or stevia)

Directions:
To prepare the squash:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. 
• Slice the squash in half (if it is impossibly hard to cut, poke a few holes with a sharp knife and microwave it for a few minutes) and remove the seeds. Brush lightly with oil and season with salt and pepper.
• Roast in oven for 35-40 minutes or until it's tender. Let it cool enough to handle and then use a fork to scrape the sides to create the "spaghetti". 

For the sauce:

• Heat a couple tbsp of oil in a pot over medium heat. 
• Add the onion and bell pepper and cook until just slightly soft. Add the garlic and stir, then add remaining chopped vegetables. Season with the salt, pepper and red pepper flakes. 
• Reduce the heat to low, cover and cook for about 15 minutes. Stir occasionally. 
• Add the red wine and stir to scrape any pieces stuck to the pan. Let that cook down for a minute or so then add in the remaining ingredients. 
• Cover and lightly simmer for another 15 minutes or so.
• Top spaghetti squash with sauce, and optional parmesan cheese.

Cheesy Tater Tot & Brussels Sprout Casserole

Cheese. Tater tots. Brussels sprouts..... Three of my favorite things all baked up in a delicious casserole that is flavorful and comforting. It's a great accompaniment to chicken or steak and it's easy to throw together. I would assume as well that it might be a good way to sneak some veggies into a picky child's diet!

Even if you aren't a fan of brussels sprouts (which blows my mind because they are the most fantastic vegetable on earth), I'm confident you'll like this. It all blends in very well together! 

The tots are roasted to get nice and crisp then tossed with shaved and sauteed brussels sprouts, with shallots, garlic, cheese and sour cream. I season it with just salt, pepper and Italian herbs - Simple comfort food!

When I served this for dinner, everyone in my family not only loved it, but were excited about a dish that is unique yet uses a nostalgic childhood favorite ingredient. 

A bit of crumbled bacon would be a delicious addition to this recipe, as well. We were eating it with steak and chicken so I didn't feel the need to add another meat to the table, but on another day it would have been great. 

It will please kids and adults alike and is easy to prepare.... No need to even peel potatoes!




Cheesy Tater Tot & Brussels Sprout Casserole

Ingredients:
28 oz bag frozen tater tots
3 cups shredded brussels sprouts
1 clove garlic, minced (or more if you prefer!)
3 shallots, chopped
1 1/2 cups sour cream
1 egg, scrambled
2 tsp dijon mustard
1 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/3 cup parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper to taste
1 tbsp Italian seasoning
Red pepper flakes optional

Directions:

• Cook tater tots according to package directions then reduce oven heat to 375 (most tots are cooked at 425).
• In a skillet, heat a bit of oil over medium heat. Saute shallots for a few minutes, just until they start to turn translucent. Add in garlic and brussels sprouts and cook until they start to turn lightly golden brown - about 5 minutes. Let cool for a few minutes. 
• Mix in the sour cream, egg, dijon mustard, 1 cup of the mozzarella cheese, half the parmesan and the seasonings into the brussels sprout mixture. Toss tater tots to coat.
• Pour mixture into lightly greased casserole dish. Top with remaining cheese and some extra seasoning if desired. 
• Place 375 degree heated oven and bake until cheese is melted and golden brown; About 15-20 minutes.

Peanut Butter S'Mores Bars

The first week in March seems to be a big time for birthdays. My sister and I are a day apart and there were multiple people in the office right around this time as well. I wanted to make something easy to share with classic flavors everyone would love...... So chocolate and peanut butter it is!

I came across this recipe and knew it would be great. A graham cracker cookie stuffed with chocolate, peanut butter and fluff..... What could be better than that killer combo?! It reminds me of the blonde brownies my mom used to make when we were kids, which is a glorious thing. I don't know a single human who wouldn't love this treat....Sweet, salty, chewy, fudgy, chocolately.....

Mmmmmmmmmm.....

My nana lost her taste a while ago and can only taste very few random things. After she ate this at my birthday dinner (yes I cooked my own birthday dinner and dessert), she told me it was the best brownie she had ever had in her life. She could actually taste it! If that isn't enough to convince you to try this recipe, I give up!

I brought a batch to work and my colleagues loved them. It's such a great treat because the flavors are so classic but it's still a unique treat. I made one batch gluten free and they came out great. You can find gluten free graham crackers at the grocery store, just be prepared to spend about $5/box! (If you eat gluten free all the time like me though, you will surely be used to these wild prices!)

Put the Spring Break prep diet on hold and trust me, you'll be happy you made these!





Peanut Butter S'Mores Bars

Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/4 cup flour (or gluten free all purpose flour)
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
6 graham crackers, crushed into fine crumbs (of GF graham crackers)
14 oz milk chocolate

1/2 cup peanut butter
7 oz Fluff

Directions:

• Line a 8x8 pan with parchment paper
• Beat the butter and sugar until fluffy. Add the egg and vanilla and beat until combined. Slowly beat in the flour, baking powder, salt and graham cracker crumbs. 
• Press 2/3 of the dough into the baking dish. 
• In the microwave or a double boiler, melt the chocolate and the peanut butter and stir to combine. Pour over the dough and let sit in freezer until hardened - just 15 minutes or so. 
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
• Spread the fluff over the hardened chocolate. 
• Roll out the remaining dough and place on top of fluff. (Optional to top with a sprinkle of coarse sea salt)
• Bake in preheated oven for about 25 minutes or until the top is nice and golden brown. 
• Let cool completely before cutting to avoid a gooey mess! 

(Recipe adapted from Pinchofyum.com)

Fresh Quinoa Salad

Want a healthy, flavorful and vibrant dish perfect for lunch in the office or a side dish to dinner? Look no further my friends, I have just the recipe. This quinoa salad is tossed with a zesty lime dressing and loaded with fresh veggies. It's a dish you can feel great about eating and it's super simple. I've made a number of different quinoa salad recipes and I really liked how bright and healthy this one is. You can add more cumin and red pepper to spice it up if that's what you're lookin' for, as well.

I prefer to add more veggies than most quinoa salad recipes to lighten it up a bit. It's a delightful taste of summer in these occasionally dreary Winter (if you call this weather Winter) days, and a great energy boost to get you through the day.

I love having something in the fridge that I know is really easy to pack up for lunch. Sometimes you just don't have the time to make a sandwich or pack up leftovers and that's when you end up spending unnecessary $$ on lunch. I gotta save up for my Costa Rica trip in April here!

Change it up with whatever veggies/nuts you have on hand. You can even get super crazy and add chunks of cheddar, goat cheese or feta.




Fresh Quinoa Salad

Ingredients:
1 cup uncooked quinoa
1 chicken bouillon cube
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
2 large carrots, peeled and grated or sliced thin
1 English cucumber (or 2 smaller ones), seeded and chopped
1/3 cup chopped green onions
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1/2 cup chopped cashews
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
1 tsp fish sauce
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp sugar
1/4 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
Salt and pepper


Directions:

• Heat 2 tsp oil in small pot on medium heat. Add quinoa, stir, and allow to toast for just about a minute - it will be slightly fragrant and that's when you know it's ready. Add in 2 cups of water and the bouillon cube and cook to package directions. Set aside to cool.
• Whisk together lime juice, fish sauce, oil, sugar, cumin, red pepper, salt and pepper. 
• Toss all ingredients together and alter seasonings if necessary.