Roasted Acorn Squash

A few weeks ago we were at our local farmers' market when I saw what I thought were gourds and picked them up because I thought they would make a great fall decoration.  As I was paying, I was informed that what I picked up was an acorn squash and that I needed to EAT it!  So...after a bit of research, I decided to try roasting it.  Even my husband, who was totally unsure, could not stop raving about this roasted acorn squash! 

They really could not be easier to prepare!  Cut in half (ok, yes that is the hard part!! Good knife and a steady hand!), remove the seeds and it's 4 ingredients - butter, coconut sugar, cinnamon and sea salt.  Be prepared because it does take a little over an hour for these to roast. I honestly had no idea they would take that long and they weren't exactly ready when the rest of our dinner was...

Such a great fall side dish!  I served ours with Crock Pot rotisserie chicken.  With the leftovers the next day, I scraped out the squash, then mixed diced chicken together and it was amazing.  Clean eating is fun and does not have to be boring...

Acorn squash is a winter squash and when choosing one, it should feel firm on the outside with no blemishes.  Don't they look pretty even after being roasted?  This dish would be a beautiful side for the Holidays.  And they are a great source of vitamins - A (beta carotene from the orange flesh) and C, also iron and riboflavin.  Enjoy!!

Serves 4

Roasted Acorn Squash

2 small acorn squash, cut in half and seeds removed
4 teaspoons organic butter
4 teaspoons coconut sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
sea salt

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.  Assemble acorn squash on a baking sheet. Place 1 teaspoon of butter and coconut sugar in each half.  Add 1/4 teaspoon of cinnamon in each and season with salt.  Bake until golden and tender, about 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes, basting flesh of squash several times. Serve warm.

Garlic Roasted Broccoli

I'm always on the hunt for new and interesting ways to prepare veggies.  And ways that my kids will eat their veggies without me having to drown them in some sort of cheese sauce (or bribe them).

So far, the one way that we ALL seem to love our veggies is roasted!  They take on a great flavor, and you can add any spices or seasonings that you like.  My 5-year old gobbled up 3 servings of this broccoli.  Unfortunately, I added a bit too much red pepper flakes for my other two younger ones, but know better for next time! 

Lots of garlic, salt and pepper to taste and red pepper flakes if you like.  Toss with olive oil (the above picture is before they went in the oven).  Is simple and easy and is an awesome side dish for fish or chicken. 

  

Serves 4

Garlic Roasted Broccoli

2 big or 3 smaller heads of broccoli

1/4 cup olive oil

3 cloves of garlic, minced

pinch of red pepper flakes 

sea salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.  Cut the broccoli florets off of the stalks and cut each one into bite size pieces.  Place the broccoli on a baking sheet large enough to have them in a single layer.  Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle the garlic, red pepper and salt and pepper over top and mix with your hands until all the broccoli pieces are coated evenly with everything.  Roast for 20-25 minutes or until they are crisp-tender and some of the florets are browned.  Serve immediately. 

Tzatziki

This to me is the freshest of fresh tasting dips!  I think it's the cucumbers - really just reminds me of summertime.  Plus, I got them from my local farmers' market so I think that makes it all the more fresh tasting.  

Yes, I was dipping cucumbers in my tzatziki!  I couldn't help myself.  It was so good.  I served this with another recipe that is coming up soon - Crock Pot Chicken Gyros.  Tender chicken, slow cooked with lemon juice, red wine vinegar, garlic, red onion - oh my!  The cool tzatziki went so well with it!!

If you are using regular plain yogurt, you will have to allow several hours to strain it - really to get it to about the thickness of Greek yogurt.  So, I just used Greek yogurt.  No waiting!  This actually freezes really well too.  Just place in the fridge overnight to defrost the day before you plan on using. 

Makes about 3 cups

Tzatziki

32 ounces plain Greek or regular yogurt

2 medium cucumbers, peeled and seeded

3 cloves of garlic, crushed

2 teaspoons red wine vinegar

1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon dried dill weed

salt and pepper to taste

Strain yogurt using a cheesecloth over a bowl (coffee filter will work too) for a couple of hours or overnight to get out as much moisture as possible.  If using Greek yogurt, you can omit this step.  

Shred or grate the cucumbers (I used the shredder attachment on my food processor) and blot them with a paper tower or clean kitchen towel to get rid of as much moisture as possible.

In a food processor (or mix by hand), combine the yogurt, shredded cucumbers, garlic, vinegar and lemon juice.  Pulse on low until just combined.  Salt and pepper to taste.  Keep in the fridge for at least 30 minutes to allow the flavors to come together.  Store leftovers in fridge or freezer and always serve cold.  

Simple Grilled Eggplant

I didn'tstart cooking with eggplant until about 3 weeks ago.  I remember one time I tried to make it years ago and it was mushy and just...yuck.  But I've learned a few things since then and thought I'd revisit it.  Now my husband and I are kind of obsessed...

So far, I've made Eggplant Parm (recipe coming!) twice and we have grilled AND roasted it.  Yes, all in 3 weeks.  Obsessed!  We love it.  My one-year old also loves it.  My 3 and 5-year olds?  Not so much...but I've tried!  

One of the tricks I've learned is that you really should draw out the moisture before preparing.  See instructions below, but you will not believe how much water comes out of an eggplant!  Your paper towels will be soaked.  Also, because I am salting them previously, even with a rinse, I either VERY lightly salt them or not at all right before preparing.  You can over due the salt so just watch out.

I hope you start to like eggplant as much as me if you haven't really tried it before.  This is a very simple dish, but is a perfect summer side!

Serves 3-4 

Simple Grilled Eggplant

1 large eggplant
2 tablespoons sea salt
1/3 cup olive oil
fresh ground pepper

Slice the eggplant into 1/2 inch rounds.  Place slices on a baking sheet lined with paper towels.  Sprinkle the eggplant rounds evenly with the salt and let sit for 30 minutes to an hour.  This will draw out the moisture.  Quickly rinse and pat dry.

Preheat grill to medium high heat.  Brush one side of the eggplant with oil and salt and pepper to taste.  Repeat on other side.  Grill on one side until grill marks appear, then flip and grill until eggplant is tender; total time about 5 minutes.  Serve immediately.  

Tomato, Cucumber and Red Onion Salad

I first made this salad just last week, have since made it again and plan on making it again this week!  I'm a little obsessed.  And it's not even summertime yet so I know the tomatoes are just going to get better and better.  

We are lucky here in Savannah.  Because it's so warm, our local farmers' market opens in March AND it's within walking distance to from our neighborhood!  We try to go every week - it's fun and happening and the kids love it!  At any rate, I had some really pretty tomatoes and cucumbers that I wanted to do something with, so I whipped this up as a side for dinner one night. 

The dressing is tangy, but sweet because of the honey.  It's ridiculously good.  I never would have thought to give it to my 1-year old, but I think it looked so pretty that she wanted to try.  She kept pointing at and little by little, finished off what was left of the salad.  Good for her!  She is definitely my good eater.  So go ahead, give it a whirl...especially if you have the opportunity to pick some really fresh and fabulous produce!    

Serves 4

Tomato, Cucumber and Red Onion Salad

2 medium tomatoes, seeded and chopped
1 medium cucumber, peeled, seeded and chopped
2 tablespoons red onion, diced

For the dressing
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1 teaspoon honey
Pinch of salt

Combine the tomatoes, cucumbers and red onion in a medium bowl.  Whisk the ingredients for the dressing together and pour over the veggies.  Toss everything together.  Chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes before serving.

Microwave Sweet and Spicy Sweet Potato Chips

We eat sweet potatoes a LOT.  Really, a couple of times a week for sure.  And I pretty much always prepare them the same way.  Very simply - roasted with just a little salt and pepper.  Delicious, but I was bored of it!

I remembered seeing on Pinterest a recipe about making sweet potato chips - in the microwave!  I think I was more intrigued than anything.  I honestly was a bit skeptical.  Hard to believe that something could get crispy out of the microwave!  But it works - and they are so good! 

  

I'm totally on a sweet and spicy kick lately.  I actually made maple and cayenne roasted Brussel Sprouts the other night that were out of this world!  Will be posting those soon.  These had a very similar flavor - maple and cayenne but I also added some chili powder.  As you can see in my picture, I cut these with my knife.  My next kitchen gadget purchase?  Definitely a mandoline.  I foresee that I will be making these a lot more and that would make my life SO much easier.  Plus, then all the pieces are the same size, and they cook evenly, etc...     

Serves 2

Microwave Sweet and Spicy Sweet Potato Chips

1 large sweet potato, scrubbed clean
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon maple syrup
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Cut of the ends of the sweet potato and slice as thin as you can get them with your knife or on the thinnest setting on a mandoline (recommended).  Add the potatoes and all of the ingredients in a large bowl and toss with your hands.

Line the tray of your microwave with parchment paper and place the coated sweet potatoes in a single layer on the tray.  Microwave on high 4-5 minutes or until the ends start to curl up and get crispy.  If you used a knife and have some thicker pieces, these may need to remain in the microwave a little longer to ensure the middle of the chips are cooked.

Repeat with any remaining slices until all chips are cooked.  Sprinkle with additional sea salt if desired and serve warm.  I noticed they crisped up a bit more after sitting for a minute after being cooked.

Zucchini Parmesan Crisps

If you struggle to get your kids to eat their veggies, these are a must try!  They are crisp and salty and so flavorful...they will never know they are getting something that's good for them.  

It is nearly impossible to stop eating these.  This recipe SHOULD serve 4, unless you realize they are so good that you and your husband just gooble them up right off the sheet tray after they come out of the oven!  Seriously, I didn't even get to serve them.  

Next time you are looking for a quick and easy veggie side dish, try these!  And report back - I would love to hear if your kiddos enjoyed them!

Serves 4

Zucchini Parmesan Crisps

2 medium-size zucchinis

1/4 cup fresh grated parmesan cheese

1/4 whole wheat italian seasoned bread crumbs

1 tablespoon olive oil

sea salt and ground pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees and spray 2 baking sheets with non-stick cooking spray.  Slice the zucchini into 1/4-inch rounds and in a medium bowl, toss with the the olive oil.  

In a wide bowl, combine the parmesan, bread crumbs and salt and pepper to taste.  Dip the zucchini rounds into the mixture, coating both sides, pressing to stick.  Arrange evenly on the baking sheets.  

Sprinkle the remaining cheese mixture evenly over the zucchini.  Bake for about 25 minutes or until golden brown.  

(Source:  adapted from Blackjack Bake House)   

Crock Pot Santa Fe Chicken

This Crock Pot meal has moved up to our #1 favorite dinner lately.  It is seriously so unbelievably good.  It's a toss up for me whether I like it more in a tortilla like a burrito or just over brown rice.    

One time I didn't have any green onion, so I substituted it with red onion and it was just as good.  Probably about 1/4 cup red onion if you decide to try it.  Be sure to spoon out some of the liquid over rice - really really flavorful.  Use a slotted spoon if you are serving in tortillas or they will get mushy and fall apart!  

It freezes wonderfully too.  If it's just my family eating it, we always have a TON leftover.  Just dump the leftovers plus any juice into a freezer container and into the freezer.  The night before you know you'll eat it again, stick it in the fridge to defrost.  To reheat, just place in a saucepan until simmering!  

Serves 8

Crock Pot Santa Fe Chicken

2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 (14.4 oz) can diced tomatoes with mild green chilies
1 (15 oz) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup frozen corn
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 (14.4 oz) can reduced sodium chicken broth
3 scallions, chopped
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon cayenne (or to taste)
salt and pepper

Combine chicken broth, black beans, corn, tomatoes, cilantro, scallions, garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, cayenne pepper and salt in the Crock Pot.  Lay the chicken breasts on top.

Cook on low for 8-10 hours or high 4-6 hours.  A half hour before serving, remove chicken and shred.  Return chicken to the Crock Pot and stir.  Adjust salt to taste.  Serve over brown rice or in tortillas with extra cilantro, green onions, cheese, sour cream, and/or any of your favorite toppings!

(Source:  from Skinnytaste)

Southwestern Quinoa Salad

I made this as a side for dinner one night and ended up eating it for lunch for the next 2 days.  It's hands-down my absolute favorite way to prepare quinoa right now!  The flavors are still very summery, but hey, when it's 80 degrees and October then I think it's all right.  

Everything about it tastes so fresh - and it keeps perfectly in the fridge!  It made a perfect quick lunch for me that week.  I've also made this with diced Roma tomatoes and I actually do prefer it that way.  I'm not a huge cherry tomato fan but they looked good in the store and I knew they would look pretty in the salad (great reason, right?).  And they do give that added burst of sweetness that goes really well with this salad.

I always seem to come back to my all time favorite flavor combinations - lime, cumin and cilantro.  If your lime is really juicy then you may want to add a little less than called for.  But if you add too much, another splash of olive oil should tone it down.  Just add to your taste.  

 Serves 6

Southwestern Quinoa Salad

1 cup quinoa
2 cups water
1/4 cup olive oil
Juice of 1 lime
2 teaspoons cumin
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
1 cup black beans, drained and rinsed
2 tablespoons red onion, diced
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
salt and pepper

Place the quinoa in a fine mesh strainer and rinse until the water runs clear.  Bring quinoa and water to a boil in a saucepan.  Reduce heat to medium-low, cover and simmer until quinoa is tender and water has been absorbed, 10 to 15 minutes.  Set aside to cool.

Whisk olive oil, lime juice, cumin and 1 teaspoon of salt in a small bowl.  Combine quinoa, tomatoes, black beans and red onion together in a separate bowl.  Pour dressing over quinoa mixture; toss to coat.  Stir in cilantro, season to taste with salt and pepper.  Serve at room temperature or chilled.

Roasted Tomato and Herb Ricotta Crostini

Sometimes don't you just love having appetizers for dinner?  My husband and I love roasted tomatoes and I've been addicted to ricotta lately.  I'm sure I served this with something else for dinner, but this was so good, I've quite forgotten what that other food could have been!  

I'm not going to lie, my tomatoes didn't turn out so pretty.  It almost turned into a chutney, just a thicker, chunkier tomato spread.  But it was still so delicious - the tomatoes get caramelized and they are heavenly!!  I cut my tomatoes into thin slices, but in the recipe I wrote to just cut them in half and seed them.  They will turn out much pretty that way!

Serves 2

Roasted Tomatoes and Herb Ricotta Crostini

1/2 cup ricotta
2 tablespoons half & half
1-2 tablespoons Italian seasoning

For the tomatoes 
6 Roma tomatoes
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper

For the crostini
4 slices thick multi-grain bread
olive oil

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.  Halve the tomatoes, remove the seeds and place on a baking sheet.  Drizzle with the olive oil and balsamic and top with the garlic, salt and pepper.  Using your hands, mix until all the tomatoes are coated evenly.  Bake for 25-30 minutes until the tomatoes become concentrated and caramelized.

On a smaller pan, arrange the bread slices and brush with olive oil on both sides.  Bake for 8-10 minutes (at the same temp as the bread) until the tops are golden.  

Meanwhile, combine the ricotta, half & half and Italian seasoning (use depending on your taste) in a small bowl and stir.  Set aside.

Once the bread has cooled a bit, top each slice evenly with ricotta mixture.  Follow with the roasted tomatoes.  Season with salt and pepper to taste and a drizzle of balsamic if desired.

(Source;  Adapted from Ina Garten)

Oven Baked Chicken Fajitas

This is definitely going to be on repeat in our house from now on.  Incredibly easy and incredibly good!!   

You can use more onion than I did.  The original recipe called for an entire onion.  I like the flavor onions give, but my husband is not a huge fan and I know he will pick around them.  The awesome thing is that once everything is cooked, the veggies are so tender and almost caramelized.  Yum!!

The chicken falls apart.  I used chicken tenders so they were really easy to slice.  And I may have to add more chicken next time especially since I'm the only one that ended up eating the veggies in my tortilla!  I kept telling my husband that you literally cannot tell what you are biting into and that he would like the veggies, but...no go.

I mean how good does all this look??  You can even double the spice mixture and save for the next time.  Less work when you make them again!  I used corn tortillas but flour will do.  I had an amazing taco from a food truck recently where they doubled the corn tortilla, it was delicious!!

Serves 4

Oven Baked Chicken Fajitas

1/2 large yellow onion
2 bell peppers (I used 1 red and 1 green)
1 pound chicken breasts
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 lime
8 (6-inch flour or corn tortillas)
cilantro (optional)
sour cream (optional)

Seasoning
1 tablespoon chili powder
1/2 tablespoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon cumin
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.  Mix the ingredients for the seasoning in a small bowl and set aside.  Cut the onion and bell peppers into 1/4-inch wide strips.  Place them in a 9 x 13-inch baking dish.  Slice the chicken breasts into very thin strips and add it to the vegetables.

Sprinkle the seasoning over the over the meat and vegetables.  Drizzle the olive oil over everything and use your hands to toss the ingredients until everything is well coated.  Bake for 35-40 minutes, stirring halfway through.  Squeeze half of the lime over the chicken and veggies after it comes out of the oven.

Serve by scooping a small amount of chicken and veggies into the center of a tortilla.  Top with cilantro, more lime and sour cream if desired.

(Source:  Adapted from Budget Bytes)

Chicken Burrito Bowls

This is a very quick and easy, healthy meal that is great for a weeknight when you don't have much time.  The ingredients are simple and fresh and it's so good!  

You can make this according to your tastes - omit certain veggies or add new ones (peppers, avocado?).  I just used what we had on hand at the time.  I've also become a HUGE fan of red onion and don't mind it raw, which is so weird because I generally don't like any onions raw - or cooked for that matter (unless they are really hidden in a dish).  

We did nothing but a little squeeze of lime mixed in.  The ingredients are so flavorful together that it didn't really need anything else in my opinion.  You could top yours with sour cream, salsa, guacamole; whatever you like!  

Serves 2-3

Chicken Burrito Bowls

1 tablespoon coconut oil (or olive oil)
2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts, diced
1 1/2 tablespoons salt-free seasoning (I used Mrs. Dash Southwestern blend)
1 cup canned black beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup canned corn (or thawed if frozen)
1 Roma tomato, diced
2 tablespoons red onion, diced
1 - 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
1 lime
2 cups cooked brown rice

Heat coconut oil over medium heat in a medium skillet.  Add diced chicken and toss in seasoning.  Cook chicken until done throughout, about 7-10 minutes.  Meanwhile, dice and drain all the veggies and beans and cut the lime in half.

Place about a cup of rice each in 2 bowls and top with equal portions of the chicken and veggies/beans to taste.  Squeeze about 1/2 of a lime over each bowl and stir together.  Top with sour cream, salsa or guacamole if desired.    

Avocado Toasts

I'll say it again - I'm addicted to avocados this summer.  Every which way!  In guacamole, on sandwiches, sliced plain with a pinch of sea salt.  But this...to die for. 

Avocado mashed with green onion and cilantro.  So simple, so fresh and the BEST appetizer!  I served ours on a multi-grain baguette that I drizzled with some olive oil, then toasted.  I first had this years ago when my sister served it at a dinner at my mom's house.  I can see why she said she made it all the time!  

Serves 2

Avocado Toasts

4 slices from a baguette

Olive oil

1 avocado

1 green onion

1 tablespoon fresh cilantro, chopped

Sea salt

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Lay the slices of bread on a baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil.  Toast in the oven until they start to turn golden, about 5-8 minutes.  

Meanwhile, cut and scoop out the insides of an avocado and place in a small bowl.  Dice the green onion, using the white and green parts and add to the bowl.  Add the cilantro and a pinch of sea salt and mash everything together with a fork.  

Evenly distribute the avocado mixture onto each slice of toast.  Serve immediately.  

Roasted Sweet Potato and Brussel Sprouts with Shallot Vinaigrette

I love roasted vegetables - and brussel sprouts are one of my absolute favorites to roast.  We typically make Ina Garten's Balsamic Roasted Brussel Spouts, but I found this recipe and had to give it a try!  Yum, yum, yum!

The vinaigrette is light and sort of sweet (you can substitute coconut sugar for the brown sugar to make this a completely clean eating recipe, or omit it altogether).  The turkey bacon adds a bit of crunch that is a perfect addition.    

The original recipe called for butternut squash, which I'm sure would be equally fantastic.  Sweet potatoes were just what I had on hand.  A perfectly easy and delicious side dish for your next dinner!

Serves 4

Sweet Potato and Brussel Sprouts with Shallot Vinaigrette

1 pound brussel sprouts, trimmed and cut in half

2 sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch dice

4 slices turkey bacon, cooked and crumbled

1/3 cup olive oil, plus more for greasing pan

salt and pepper

For the vinaigrette

1 shallot, finely minced

2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

1 tablespoon light brown sugar 

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1 teaspoon dried thyme

5 tablespoons olive oil

salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Grease a large baking sheet with olive oil and add the brussel sprouts and sweet potatoes.  Drizzle on the olive oil and sprinkle generously with salt and pepper.  Toss with hands until all the vegetables are coated.  Roast for 25-30 minutes until the sweet potatoes are tender and the brussel sprouts lightly browned.  

Meanwhile, make the dressing by whisking the shallot, vinegar, brown sugar, mustard and thyme together.  Slowly drizzle in the olive oil and whisk until everything comes together.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  

Place the roasted veggies in a large bowl and pour the dressing over.  Stir just enough to coat everything.  Add the crumbled bacon and stir again.  Serve warm.  

(Source:  Recipe adapted from Williams-Sonoma)