Fall Squash

Hello again! This past week was rough due to my dog being sick and then I got sick as well, but I still found time and energy to make some great meals. Since pumpkin and a wide variety of squash are in season, I have gone a bit squash crazy! :) Squash is a comfort food, I am in need of comforting being thrown into 30 degree mornings! I am pretty sure back home in southern California is still in the 80s!

First up on new recipes is a Pumpkin Pie "Omelet" & Pumpkin Protein Shake! I know what you may be thinking, pumpkin...omelet...seriously?! But It was just like a pumpkin pie!

Pumpkin Pie "Omelet"

Ingredients:

1/2 cup pumpkin puree
1 whole egg
1 egg white
approx 1/4 cup almond milk
1 tsp cinnamon

Directions:
1. Mix all ingredients together
2. Heat 1 Tbsp coconut oil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat
3. Add ingredients; cook with lid on for approx. 8 minutes, until cooked through
(I flipped it to brown the top for 1 minute)

Top with almond butter, cinnamon and fruit if desired and serve!

Pumpkin Protein Shake
Ingredients:
1/2 cup pumpkin puree
1 banana
1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1 cup almond milk
1 scoop vanilla protein powder
1/2-1 cup water & ~8 ice cubes

Blend & serve!

My next new favorite is butternut squash! Last thanksgiving I made a Butternut squash, caramelized onion & spinach lasagna from Cooking Light magazine. It was delicious! With the butternut squash, the recipe baked it with sage; which had great flavor, but we have fresh thyme in our back yard so I figured I would try that out and oh my goodness I am so glad I did! :) If you have never tried butternut squash, I highly recommend it. Butternut squash is low in fat, a good source of fiber, rich in phytonutrients and antioxidants, and a good source of potassium, folate & vitamin B6. Check out www.wholeliving.com for more benefits of this power food!

Thyme [for some] Butternut Squash!
Ingredients:
1 Butternut squash, peeled & cubed into 1/2" cubes
1 Tbsp thyme
1 Tbsp coconut oil, melt in a small bowl in the microwave for 10-15 seconds
Sea salt & pepper to taste

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 410 degrees F
2. Combine ingredients in a large bowl
3. Put in a large baking sheet
4. Bake 15 minutes
5. Take baking sheet out of the oven and flip the squash cubes over
6. Bake an additional 15 minutes

Serve!

I served mine with a grilled pork chop and roasted broccoli; it was a delicious fall dish.

My step mom showed me how her mother use to bake acorn squash, and it is so simple! No peeling, no chopping; just quarter the squash and bake it! She used a green acorn squash, quartered it, put it in a baking sheet with a tab of butter on each quarter and baked it; I tried something new by using a white acorn squash with coconut oil and thyme, and honestly either way is delicious! Simplicity with great health benefits

Acorn Squash
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
2. Cut green or white acorn squash into fourths, spoon out guts & seeds, place in large rimmed baking dish.
3. Poke with a fork, add a small amount of fat to each quarter (1 tbsp coconut oil or 1 tab of butter) and if desired season lightly with sea salt, pepper and fresh thyme.
4. Cook in the oven for 1 hour
5. Let cool and serve!

The next recipe is not a squash, but I figured sweet potatoes go well with the fall theme. I have posted how to roast a sweet potato before, but I figured I would post it again under a fall themed post.

Roasting a sweet potato...
1. Peel sweet potato  wrap loosely in tin foil
(you may want to add a tiny amount of oil on the bottom of foil so they don't stick)
2. Put foil boats on a cookie sheet
3. Roast at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 45 minutes-1 hour
(I recommend 1 hour if you are making a sweet potato mash)


Some other clean eats...

Spinach salad with cherry tomatoes, cucmber and grilled chicken and a small bowl of kiwi

Grilled Filet Mignon, seasoned with pepper and garlic, with a side salad; I am very proud of this steak because I almost got perfect "X" grill marks! I may have to get a protractor out for my next steak to get that perfect 90 degree angle.

Coming soon..Pumpkin Pie Pancakes and Carrot Cake Pancakes and more squash!