Lasagna Stuffed Spaghetti Squash

What a weekend!  Started off Saturday by having a blast at a Halloween themed 5k with one of my friends and sorority sisters from undergrad.  We both went as villains from Batman, Harley Quinn & Catwoman.  And we also proved that villains can, in fact, outrun superheros (we both outran a few Batmans, Wonderwomans, and Supermans).

As for today, managed to study a little bit at the gym.  You know that scene in Legally Blonde, when Reese Witherspoon is reading on the elliptical?  Yehp, one of those kind of days.  International Women's Rights on the stationary bike and reading a little bit on Malala Yousafzai and her Nobel Peace Prize.  Such an inspirational young woman that I wish more young adults looked up to!

We've been eating a LOT of spaghetti squash over the past year.  Usually just as a replacement for noodles.  But tonight, I decided to try a variation on it and just "stuff" the squash and serve it.  It received a 2 thumbs up for being "healthy".

Ingredients:

• 1 spaghetti squash, cut in half & de-seeded
• 1 tsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tsp italian seasoning
• 1 Tbsp minced garlic
• 1 small red onion, chopped
• 1 lb extra lean ground turkey
• 1 cup chopped baby spinach
• 1 28-oz can crushed tomatoes
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella (regular or dairy/lactose free)

Directions:

1) Heat oven to 400F.  Rub EVOO over insides halves of squash. Sprinkle the 1/2 of the italian seasoning over the insides. Place face down in baking dish.  Bake for 40 minutes until flesh is tender.

2) While the squash is cooking....  In a saucepan over medium-high heat.  Saute the onions, garlic, and ground turkey.  Add the italian seasoning.

3) When the ground turkey is done, add in the chopped spinach.

4) After the chopped spinach is wilted, add in the can of crushed tomatoes.  Let sauce simmer over low heat while the spaghetti squash finishes roasting.

5) After 40 minutes, pull the squash out of the oven.  Now it's time to stuff!

6) Place 1/4 cup of the cheese in the "bowl" created in the inside of the squash.  Then add in a couple of "heaping" spoonfuls of the sauce.  After the sauce, add another 1/4 cup of cheese atop the meat sauce.

7) Set the oven to "broil".  Place the stuffed squashes in the oven and broil for about 3-4 minutes.  Regular mozzarella cheese will brown on top and dairy free cheese will turn quite gooey.

8) Cut the section in half and serve. 

Italian Sausage In White Wine

Thursdays, my favorite weeknight next to Friday :-)  At least this semester since I don't have class on Thursday evenings.  Life like a normal working adult, what?!  So after work today, I came home, worked on a bit of clinic work (law clinic, no, I did not switch over to med school), then opened the fridge.  Our regular shopping organization has gone down the trash lately.  Which is ok.  It was just nice over summer being able to stop at the grocery store for whatever sounded good for dinner.  We have to get back in the groove of things and plan meals out, but we've both been quite a bit busy lately.  I ramble... sorry.  Anyways, I purchased some spicy italian sausage earlier this week, which I would normally make with onions and peppers.  But... no peppers in the fridge.  Did a little digging around online and my pantry and decided to combine beans, carrots, onions, wine, and sausage.  Legit.  

Also, other reasons Thursdays are awesome - it's "How to Get Away with Murder" night :-)  And today is awesome because it's the opening game for the Red Wings 2014-15 season.  I should probably be studying or something, shouldn't I?  Bah, I'm a "3L" and we've all heard it, 3Ls don't study anymore.  

Ingredients:

• 1 lb italian sausage (spicy or mild) - grilled/cooked and sliced (I recommend cooking on an inside grill while cooking veggie and wine mixture)
• 3 carrots, sliced OR 20 baby carrots, sliced
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 Tbsp garlic
• 1 Tbsp dried tarragon
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1 can white kidney beans - rinsed and drained
• 1 cup dry white wine
• 1/2 tsp chicken bouillon
• Cooked pasta, rice, spaghetti squash, quinoa, etc

Directions

1) Place a deep skillet or saucepan over medium-high heat.  Spray with cooking oil or add EVOO.

2) Once the pan is heated up, add the carrots, onions, and garlic.  Also add the salt, pepper, and tarragon.  Cook until onions are translucent and carrots are becoming tender.  Should be about 8-10 minutes.

3) Add the beans into the pan mixture.  Stir for about 1 minute.  Now add the wine ad chicken bouillon into the pot.  Let simmer for 5 minutes.

4) Once the white wine has reduced down (it should smell less like alcohol burning), it's time to add the sliced sausage into the pan.  Simmer with the sausage for about another 5 minutes, just to make sure all of the flavors and juices are get a moment to blend into one another.

5) Serve the mixture on its own or over pasta, rice, etc.  Enjoy dinner in about 20 minutes or less from the time you started cooking.

Quinoa Oatmeal with Dried Fruit

Brrrrr.....  this morning was one of those rise n' shines where I just wanted to cuddle under the blankies all morning.  Not so much an option.  Husband had to go run an errand earlier this morning, puppy was bright eyed and bushy tailed, cats tearing up the house like no one was home.  And to top it off, there's a bag full of schoolwork needing to be completed.  We have a quiz in Evidence on Monday... who takes quizzes in law school?  I guess no sleeping in.  Also, my new running shoes came in the mail yesterday, so I've been really, really antsy to try them out, but haven't had the time nor has Mother Nature been cooperating.  Looking at the forecast, I think the treadmill at the local Y is going to get some miles later today and hopefully with a pair of happy feet!  You may also find this ironic, since I have a food blog, but our fridge is looking... sparse.  No eggs, barely any veggies, no almond milk.  I found myself digging through the pantry for some breakfast food and Pinterest came to my rescue with breakfast recipes for oatmeal and quinoa. I gathered what my pantry had to offer that seemed semi-breakfast acceptable and into the pot it went.  Out came an energizing breakfast that will be sure to put a pep into my step on that treadmill in a few hours.

3 Servings

Ingredients:

• 3 c. water
• 2 Tbsp brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 c. old fashioned oats
• 1/2 c. quinoa
• 1/8 c. raisins
• 2 tsp agave syrup
• 1/8 c. dried cherries
• 1/4 c. chopped prunes
• 1/4 c. slivered almonds 

Directions:

1) Place a pot over medium-high heat.  Add the water, sugar, cinnamon, vanilla, and salt.  Bring to a rolling boil.

2) Add the oatmeal, quinoa, and dried fruit.  Also add in about 1 tsp of the agave syrup.  Bring to a boil.  Let boil for about 5 minutes.  

3)  Reduce heat to low and let the pot simmer for about another 10-15 minutes until the water has become thick and the oatmeal and quinoa have puffed.

4) Serve the quinoa and oatmeal in bowls.  Top with slivered almonds and a drizzle of agave syrup.

Berry Waffles

Sunday mornings are meant for just a few things in my book: church, relaxing, a luscious brunch and relishing company of family and friends.  Going gluten free sadly means most brunches out can be off limits - at least the ones with pancakes and waffles involved.  But these waffles are, well, awesome!  They took me right back down memory lane to eating breakfast at Big Boy on vacations and ordering their strawberry belgian waffles <3

Ingredients:

• 1 cup gluten free flour
• 1/2 cup almond meal/flour
• 1 tsp xanthan gum
• 2 Tbsp golden flax seed meal (optional)
• 2 Tbsp chia seeds (optional)
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 Tbsp sugar or raw sugar
• 1 Tbsp applesauce (or 1 Tbsp oil)
• 3/4 cup vanilla almond milk (or real milk)
• 1 cup liquid eggs or 4 eggs
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup strawberries pureed (optional)
• 1/2 cup blueberries (optional)

Note: to make regular waffles (not gluten free), replace the gluten free flour and almond flour with 1.5 cups regular all purpose flour and skip the xanthan gum.

Instructions:

1) In a bowl, mix the following: flour, almond flour, xanthan gum, flax, chia, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and sugar (basically all dry ingredients until the applesauce)

2) Then add in the liquid/wet ingredients and continue to mix: applesauce, milk, eggs, and extract

3) After the wet and dry ingredients are mixed through with no lumps in the batter, add the berries which are optional of course.  The batter will then look like the batter below.

4) Heat up your waffle iron and once it's ready, pour small amounts of your batter in depending on the size of your waffle iron.  Ours is about 1 cup per 4 waffle squares.

5) Cook the waffles per your waffle iron's instructions

6) Serve the waffles with a fruit compote and powdered sugar or syrup or honey or jam - whichever way you love your waffles!

Brandy Flambéd Fruit

Some nights after a good run, a protein shake is the go-to recovery.  Other times, a piece of chocolate.  This time, strawberries and banana flambéd in brandy served atop mango sorbet.  It also helps that this evening's menu was a "girl's dinner for one". 

Tonight's run was actually pretty good for the both of us, timewise that is.  Both the dog and I are terrified of darkness - no joke.  You've never seen a dog "go tinkle" quicker than our dog when it's pitch black outside.  Add fireworks to that mix and it's over.  Anywho...  the fright in both of us resulted in knocking 2 minutes off our overall usual time.  Wonder what my time would be if I did one of the Halloween night time zombie runs?  I think I'd have an anxiety attack before I finished or who knows, new PR perhaps.

Ingredients for ONE serving:

• 1 Tbsp butter
• 2 Tbsp brown sugar
• 7 strawberries, sliced
• 1/2 banana, sliced
• 1/4 c. brandy
• Matches or lighter
• 1/2 c. mango sorbet

Directions:

1) In a saucepan, melt the butter over medium-high heat

2) Once butter is melted, add in the brown sugar

3) Once the sugar has melted into the butter and created a brown, bubbly syrup, add in the strawberries & bananas.  Stir the sugar syrup so it covers all of the fruit.

5) Continue cooking fruit until the strawberries start to become translucent and starting to form a compote (thick fruit syrup sauce and fruit is is beginning to fall apart)

6) Now for the fun part!!!  Add the brandy to the sauce pan.  Grab your lighter or match and light the brandy.  (Disclaimer - don't be the fool to put your face near the pan).  Wow your dinner guests by turning the lights off and enjoying the fire show.  It will take about 2 minutes for the alcohol to completely burn through.

7) In a dessert dish or glass, place in 2 scoops of a fruit sorbet (or a GF cake slice, cupcake, shortcake, etc).

8) Over the sorbet (or base delicacy of your choice), pour the fruit and sauce.  Grab a small spoon.

9) Find a comfortable chair, lean back, & enjoy :-)

Chicken Chili Verde

Most households have a standard go-to chili recipe they stick to and maybe two recipes - one for a white chicken chili and and one for regular chili.  We mix ours up a little bit and this particular chili has more of a Tex-Mex flare.  Instead of kidney beans, there's pinto beans.  The chicken thighs used in this recipe soak in the chile verde savoriness and they shred apart into tender pieces before serving. And the starch from the beans nicely thickens the broth.  Let me say though, the Herdez Cooking sauces that we just found are just absolutely scrumptious!

Ingredients:

• 1 lb chicken thighs
• 1-2 cans pinto beans, drained & rinsed (amount of beans will depend on your tastes)
• 2 scallions, chopped
• 1 small onion, diced
• 1 jar of Herdez Tomatillo Verde Cooking Sauce (love these sauces!)
• 1 Tbsp of chicken bouillon
• 2-3 c. water 

Directions:

1) Add all ingredients into slow cooker

2) Cook on low for 8-10 hours until chicken thighs are tender and easily shred apart.

Slow Cooker Pepper Steak

Chinese take-out, oh how I miss Chinese take out!  But it is certainly not gluten free... usually.  There's some chic take-out restaurants that certainly are, but I'm talking about the one in the neighborhood that you call after a long day of work and class to indulge in egg rolls, orange chicken, and pepper steak stir fry!  This is one of those recipes that certainly makes an adequate substitute, satiates the craving, AND is just as quick and convenient!

Ingredients:

• 1 lb ribeye steak 
• 1.5 green peppers, sliced
• 1.5 small onions or 1 medium onion, slices
• 2 spring onions/scallions, chopped
• 1 Tbsp minced garlic
• 1 Tbsp cornstarch
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp beef bouillon & 1 c. water OR 1 c. beef broth
• 3 Tbsp Soy Sauce
• 1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce

Directions:

1) Set up your slow cooker in a trusty spot on the kitchen counter

2) Prep your rib-eye steak by trimming off the fat and slicing into thin 1" strips.

3) Add the steak, onion, scallion, and peppers into the slow cooker

4) In a cup, mix the broth/water, salt, soy sauce, worcestershire sauce, garlic, and corn starch.  make sure it's cool/cold water and not warm!  Otherwise the corn starch will not dissolve.

5) Pour the sauce over the pepper steak and cook on low for 8-10 hours.

6) Enjoy over noodles or rice or all by itself when it's ready :-)