Roasted Spaghetti Squash Seeds

Last week I made Spaghetti Squash with Turkey Meatballs. As I mentioned in the post, you need to save your spaghetti squash seeds for something fun. Roasted spaghetti squash seeds! It's easy. So easy in fact that I feel bad that this is even a post.

First, after you de-seed your spaghetti squash, lay out the seeds so they can dry on a paper towel.

Drying spaghetti squash seeds. 

Next, add them to a bowl and add a little bit of olive oil (depending on how many seeds) and some salt. 

Lay them out on a piece of foil (that's been lightly, LIGHTLY, sprayed) and stick in the pre-heated 375 degree oven!

Depending on your oven and amount of seeds, your roasted spaghetti squash seeds will be ready in about 7 minutes. 

Perfect little snack. 

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Spaghetti Squash with Turkey Meatballs

Spaghetti is hands down my favorite food. Besides chips and salsa, Greek salads, french fries, chicken and dumplings, and BLTs, spaghetti is my favorite food. I just have one problem when it comes to spaghetti. I really, really like pasta. The problem with pasta is that it doesn't slim me up, it chunks me up. While I'm working on slimming down, and trying new things, I thought why not try some spaghetti squash. I like spaghetti. I like squash. Surely the two-in-one vegetable would also satisfy my appetite for that pasta like feel. 

Plus, school starts in a week, and working full-time and going to graduate school full-time makes me even pay more attention to my diet so I don't end up looking like a busted can of biscuits in my clothes. 

Let's begin. 

Spaghetti Squash: 

Spaghetti squash contains many nutrients, including folic acid, potassium, vitamin A, and beta carotene. It is low in calories, averaging 42 calories per 1-cup (155 grams) serving.

Cut the spaghetti squash in half, length-wise. I cut it on a towel so that it wouldn't move. 

Once you've cut the squash, de-seed it with a spoon. 

But wait, keep the seeds ... there is something fun you can do with those that I will share soon.

Now, once you have your spaghetti squash de-seeded and cleaned, add

just a little olive oil to each squash on the inside. Also add some salt and pepper. 

To keep my baking sheets neat, I use foil. 

Spray a little spray on the foil so that the edges of the squash do not stick. 

Into the oven they go for about 45 minutes. 

Depending on their size will depend on how long it will take. About 40-60 minutes usually.

Now, while the squash is baking, it's time to make our turkey meatballs. 

I didn't have any breadcrumbs, but I did have some bread. So I just made my own by toasting two

slices of bread in the oven. 

Gotcha turkey.

Add 1 tablespoon of italian seasoning. 

1 large egg. 

1/8 cup of parmesan cheese.

About half a cup of breadcrumbs. 

Add 1/4 cup of milk.

Mix well.

I used my hands. 

To make them all about the same size, I used a tablespoon measuring spoon. 

Then rolled them into nice, tight balls. 

Can't say that everyday, huh?

Next, in a nonstick span I spray a little cooking spray and browned the meatballs on all sides. 

While the meatballs where browning, I opened up a can of marinara sauce. 

If you know/like/want to make your own marinara sauce, go right ahead. I haven't found a recipe that I'm crazy about yet. So for now, a jar will do. 

Once the meatballs are nice and browned on all sides, add them to the marinara sauce to continue to cook. Cover the sauce and meatballs so it traps the heat. 

While your meatballs are cooking, it's time to remove your spaghetti squash. 

Don't be like me and burn your squash. 

If you do, it's okay. It still turns out WONDERFUL.

There it is. I know this picture is bright, but it's good. 

I cut off all the burnt looking areas and then started to 'make' the spaghetti. 

Basically, you take a fork and rake the squash to make it look like spaghetti pasta. 

When you're done with that, your meatballs and marinara sauce will be ready. 

Then it's time to assemble. 

Spaghetti squash. Meatballs. Sauce on top. 

I also added just a little more parmesan on top for a little more flavor. 

Enjoy! 

Spaghetti Squash and Turkey Meatballs: 

Spaghetti Squash: 

• Two spaghetti squash (about medium sized) 
• Olive oil
• Salt and Pepper 

Turkey Meatballs: 

• 1 lb of ground turkey 
• 1 tablespoon of Italian seasoning 
• 1 large egg
• 1/8 cup of parmesan cheese
• 1/2 cup of breadcrumbs
• 1/4 cup of milk
• Salt and Pepper 

Marinara Sauce 

• I used a jar of marinara sauce (if you have a better recipe, send it this way!) 

Instructions: 

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. 
2. Cut spaghetti squash into two halves and remove the seeds. Drizzle cut sides of squashes with oil; season with salt and pepper. 
3. Place cut sides down on a baking sheets and bake until soft. 
4. Add ground turkey, Italian seasoning, egg, parmesan cheese, breadcrumbs, milk and salt and pepper into a bowl and mix until combined. 
5. Roll into uniformed balls. 
6. Next, heat olive oil or cooking spray into a nonstick skillet over medium heat.
7. Continue to brown all sides of the meatballs. 
8. Take a jar of marinara sauce or make your own sauce and begin to heat it up in a saucepan. 
9. Once your meatballs are browned on all sides, add the meatballs to the sauce pan to continue cooking. 
10. Remove the spaghetti squash from the oven and begin to rake the squash into a bowl or serving dish. 
11. Top the spaghetti squash with meatballs and marinara sauce. 

Enjoy! 

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Healthy Yogurt Avocado Dip

Last week I went over to my cousin Sarah's for a dinner party. She made enchiladas, yogurt-avocado dip and another friend Joseph made some fancy Spanish rice. The yogurt dip was delicious. So delicious in fact I've thought about it almost daily since. 

Tonight, I made chicken-fajitas on lettuce wraps, exact same recipe as the steak-fajitas, but chicken.

To go along with the lettuce-wrapped fajitas, I also made the yogurt-avocado dip.

Here is what you need. 

Yogurt, Avocados, Lime, Cilantro, Cumin, Garlic, Jalapeño Pepper.

Salt and pepper to taste. 

First, cut up the avocados, though I had four pictured, I only ended up using three.

I put them all in a bowl...

And immediately squeezed half a lime over the avocados because I don't 

enjoy the browning of the avocado.

Then I started mashing and mixing. 

Now, if you had a food processor, it would be much easier to add the ingredients and go.

However, I do not have the luxury appliance, but I do have a good mixing arm.

Add the yogurt.

Add cilantro.

Add cumin.

Add garlic.

Add a jalapeno pepper.

Or more if you want the heat.

Also, salt and pepper to taste. 

If the mixture isn't creamy enough, then add some more yogurt.

Ta-dah! A Yogurt-Avocado Dip. 

(If you put the mixture in a food processor it will be less lumpy.)

You can use it for chips, veggies, put it on a wrap, on a burger, on a wrap.

The possibilities are endless. The world is your avocado. 

Yogurt-Avocado Dip Recipe:

3/4 cup plain fat-free Greek yogurt 
3-4 medium avocados 
1/2 teaspoon of minced garlic 
2-3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
1 chopped seeded jalapeño pepper
2 limes 
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
Salt and ground black pepper, to taste

Directions: 

1. Mix all ingredients together in a bowl or a food processor 

2. Serve with your choice of chips, veggies or use as dressing for a wrap.

Enjoy! 

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My Sweet, Cheat Chobani Split Treat

 For the past few months I've been working with a trainer in a morning program to tone up, de-stress, and just feel fit again. After my first year of grad school working full-time and going to school full time, I wasn't working out and eating really bad things.

Pizza rolls and Dr. Pepper doesn't make for a healthy breakfast. Or, just not everyday.

So in March I started getting up at 5 a.m. three days a week and working out with a bunch of other gals with a trainer. It's early. It's hard. It's worth it.

While I've been working on my fitness, I've also been working on eating smaller meals throughout the day so I'm not starving when I get home from work or school. While I've been working on the nutrition, I fell in love with Chobani yogurt. (Which is weird because about a year ago I hated yogurt.)

In the afternoons or at night, depending on how hungry I am or what my level of 'I need something sweet' is, I eat my sweet, cheat Chobani Split Treat.

First, banana, Chobani yogurt and a clean plate. 

I like the strawberry. 

Cut (or tear) the banana off in a couple of chunks.

I like to add the yogurt right in the middle. 

Strawberry part on top.

THEN. THEN, comes some m&m's. 

Not many, but it's delightfully good with yogurt. 

Cool, refreshing and sweet. 

Perfect afternoon (cheat) treat! 

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My Chobani Banana Split Breakfast

On mornings that I am running late or want a healthy, light breakfast - I grab a banana, some Chobani yogurt and blueberries. It's a great cool summer breakfast that helps beat the heat during these 100 degree days in Arkansas.

Ingredients:
- 1 banana
- 1 Chobani yogurt (your choice of flavor)
- 1 1/4 cup of blueberries, raspberries, or strawberries
- Granola (optional)

Directions:
- Lay peeled banana on a plate
- Scoop yogurt on top of the banana
- Add additional fruit and/or granola

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Tasty Tuesday: Easy and Healthy Chicken Parm

Some days in life you just crave certain things. Tonight I was craving chicken parmesan. But let's be honest, this semester hasn't been good to my waist line - or maybe it's been TOO good. Either way, it's summer time which means it's time to slim down and shape up. So night I indulged my craving by making chicken parmesan as healthy as I will ever know how. 

First - combine flour (use whole wheat if you have it), garlic powder and italian seasoning together for the breading. Pat dry your chicken breast and salt and pepper. After combining the flour mixture, add some grated parmesan to the breading. I did not use any kind of oil or egg, I just breaded the chicken as it was. 

In a skillet on the stove, heat up some oil to prepare for the chicken. Lightly brown one side and then flip to brown the other side. Once both sides are semi-brown, place the skillet in the oven to continue baking. After 15 min, flip the chicken in the oven so both sides are cooked evenly. 

Once the chicken is good throughly, add marinara sauce (I bought the kind I had a coupon for) and low-fat mozzarella cheese to the top of the chicken. Place the chicken back in the oven for the cheese to melt. 

(Watch this part of the cooking process so you don't burn the cheese.)

After about 5 minutes or so, your chicken will be done! I like to place the chicken on some paper towels to remove the extra oil from the bottom of the chicken. After it sets for a moment, place it with sides of your choice.

Chicken Parmesan: 

• Two Chicken Breast
• 1 cup of flour (whole wheat if you're looking to be extra healthy)
• 1/2 tablespoon of garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon of italian seasoning 
• 1 tablespoon of shredded parmesan cheese 
• 4 tablespoons of marinara sauce
• 2 tablespoons of grated mozzarella cheese
• Salt & Pepper 
• 3 tablespoons of oil 

Directions: 

1. Add flour, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, and shredded parmesan cheese to a bowl and mix. 
2. Salt and pepper chicken breast 
3. Season chicken breast with breading mixture
4. Heat oil in skillet on stove
5. Once the oil is ready, brown chicken on both sides
6. Pre-heat oven to 400 degree Fahrenheit
7. Cook for 15 min on one side, flip and cooke for 10 min more on the other side. 
8. Remove skillet from oven and add marinara sauce to both chicken breast and top with mozzarella cheese. 
9. Place the skillet back in the oven for 5 minutes to heat marinara sauce and melt cheese
10. Remove chicken from the oven and get ready to serve!  

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Tasty Tuesday: Tomato-Pineapple Salsa

Ahh... Tomato-Pineapple Salsa. This may be one of my favorite recipes that I've ever just thrown together. 

It all started when I had a tomato-pineapple salsa from a restaurant, unable to completely figure out what they used, I just created my own.

(Update: As I've been told by my friend Wythe, salsa is a summer recipe...not October. I say, eat salsa whenever you feel like it...Soon I'll have some fall-type recipes. Until then, salsa it is!)

Just some of the ingredients you will need...

Pineapple. (Obviously.)

Onion.

Tomato.

Cilantro.

Garlic. (I use the jar stuff. Don't judge me.)

Jalapeno. Or two. Depends on your taste.

Not mentioned: 

Salt. 

Pepper.

Sugar. 

Awesomeness.

Do a little chop.

I just used half the onion.

Diced up the onion.

Cilantro.

Jalapeno.

After giving everything a rough chop, I threw it all in a blender.

Onion. Chilantro. Tomato. Jalapeno.

1/2 Teaspoon of garlic.

1/2 Teaspoon of sugar.

Also add 1/2 teaspoon of salt.

There isn't a picture because well, I got the sugar and salt confused. 

Next, throw in the can of diced-green-pepper-style-tomatoes.

After a quick round through the blender...

Take some pineapple...

(I really think using the crushed style is easier but all I had was the chunks.)

So, I took the chunks, cut them up smaller and then tossed them in the blender for a quick round.

Ta-dah!

Here is what I suggest...

After the pineapple go through the round in the blender, 

toss the salsa in a bowl for it to chill. I think it taste better after it's chilled for a wihle.

Of course, taste it.

You may need more salt.

Or you may not need it chilled.

Or you may want to add extra jalapeno.

Or you may want to send me some.

Enjoy!

Tomato-Pineapple Salsa: 

1 Can of diced Del Monte Green Pepper and Onion Tomatoes

1 Whole Diced Tomato 

1/2 Diced  White Onion

Small handful of Cilantro

1 Jalapeno

1/2 Cup of Crushed Pineapple 

1/2 Teaspoon of garlic

1/2 Teaspoon of white sugar

1/2 Teaspoon of salt

1. Dice up the whole tomato, onion, jalapeno and cilantro.

2. Toss it all in the blender.

3. Add your can of diced Del Monte Green Pepper and Onions tomatoes.

4. Add 1/2 teaspoon of garlic, 1/2 teaspoon of white sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon of salt

5. Give everything a quick blend.

6. Add 1/2 cup of crushed pineapple

7. Another quick blend.

8. Pour into container and chill in fridge until you're ready to serve.

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