Poblano Chicken Sausage, Black Beans and Goat Cheese over Pumpkin Polenta

I'm going to start with some bragging. It's my blog, so I can do that, right? Here goes. I've been a rockstar lately. Yup, totally rocking it in the gym, growing stronger and leaner, keeping a good friendship with the scale, and with my hubby. Those are all important, right? One of the ways I've been able to maintain peace in my kitchen while putting in all the hard work is the gym is cooking double-duty meals. It started as a little challenge to myself. That is, to figure out more meals we could have that don't involve cooking, so that I wouldn't feel guilty putting in all the time and effort I need during those longer lifting workouts. So I've been trying to work more with my freezer, and doubling up on recipes that I would normally make as just two servings. And sometimes we even - gasp - eat the same thing two nights in a row.

Sounds boring, right? But success is when it's the day after you first ate the meal and you find yourself thinking, "I can't wait until dinner!" Such success was with this meal - something I probably wouldn't have originally thought of doubling because soft polenta will inevitably become firm polenta after a trip to the refrigerator. Nothing wrong with firm polenta, it has its place, for sure. But I like the soft stuff as the base for this hearty sausage-and-bean-saute. Kind of like mashed potatoes, only, a lot healthier. Especially with the added fiber and antioxidants from my favorite superfood, pumpkin, of course! So in order to enjoy this meal twice in one week, I just made the whole recipe for sausage and bean portion and half of the polenta on the first night. The second night, I whipped up another batch polenta and simply heated the leftover sausage mixture. So I lied - I had to do a little cooking when I got home late from the gym on that second night. But, polenta is so quick and easy, I promise I didn't mind at all. Just like I absolutely didn't mind eating this for dinner two nights in a row.

Poblano Chicken Sausage & Black Beans over Pumpkin Polenta

Printable Recipe

1 tbsp olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
1 large bell pepper, sliced (I used half of a yellow pepper and half of a green)
3 links Mexican-style chicken sausage, such as Sam's Club Chicken Sausage with Poblano Peppers and Mexican Cheese, thinly sliced
2 cloves of garlic, minced
3 tbsp canned diced green chilis
1-2 tsp each cumin and chili powder
1 cup drained, rinsed black beans
14.5 oz can diced tomatoes (about 1 3/4 cups)

2 cups pumpkin puree
3 cups water
1 cup yellow cornmeal
pinch of cinnamon, nutmeg, or pumpkin pie seasoning

2oz goat cheese, crumbled

Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and cook for about 8 minutes, until softened. Add the bell peppers and chicken sausage and cook for about 5 minutes more, until tender. Add the garlic, green chilis, cumin and chili powder, and season with salt & pepper. Stir and cook for one more minute, then add the black beans and diced tomatoes. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer while preparing the polenta.

To make the polenta, whisk together the water and pumpkin in a saucepan. Season with salt. Bring to a boil, then slowly add the cornmeal while whisking. Continue to cook until thickened, stirring with a wooden spoon constantly. (Tip: an oven mitt is good here!). It will take 5-10 minutes.

Divide the polenta among serving bowls and top with the sausage mixture and crumbled goat cheese.

Tip: For a vegetarian version, try using extra beans or tofu in place of the chicken sausage.

Nutritional Info
Servings Per Recipe: 4
Amount Per Serving
Calories: 440.0
Total Fat: 10.8 g
Cholesterol: 59.0 mg
Sodium: 1,528.8 mg
Total Carbs: 62.5 g
Dietary Fiber: 11.9 g
Protein: 25.0 g

Baked Butternut & Black Bean Eggrolls

"That sounds too healthy. There's no way it can be good." Do you know people who think this way? Are you one of them? Probably not, because if you really believed that, I'm sure you'd never read this blog. If you used to be, I hope you've gotten over it by now.

As someone who prides herself on cooking healthier, yummy food, dealing with these kind of people (the healthy-food-phobic) can be a challenge. A few weeks ago, we were invited to a gathering of sorts and I struggled with what to bring, unsure if majority of the crowd would appreciate something a little out of the norm, but seasonal and flavorful, and pretty darn good for you - basically, the kind of food Ben and I like. I had this idea in my head for a fun appetizer: baked egg rolls filled with a Southwestern butternut squash and black bean filling. You might remember a few other renditions of this sweet potato-or-butternut-and-black-bean-filling, where it's been layered with tortillas or folded into burritos. (The original recipe comes from the Moosewood Lowfat Favorites cookbook.) And how when I very first made it, Ben couldn't comprehend that there could be something called a burrito that didn't involve meat or cheese. He's a changed man.

Anyway, I thought the filling could be rolled into egg roll wrappers and baked into a tasty appetizer. I just wasn't totally sure if the wrappers would crisp up nicely (or at all) in the oven. And even if it did work, I wasn't whether this group of friends would be willing to try an egg roll that was baked instead of fried and involved winter squash and black beans - a combination that many people might not believe is good until they try it.

So I decided to give them a test run. I prepared the filling and stuffed all the egg rolls, and baked a few of them to have for dinner. It was a risk, for sure, because if they were really that bad, I would have wasted both time and ingredients. I was hopeful when I took them out of the oven- so far, based on appearances, I was already winning. I watched Ben take a few bites, and then got what I was waiting for: "These are so good! Really good, babe."

Me: Yeah? So should I bring them on Sunday?
Ben: umm. You know, I dunno.

Me: why? I thought you just said they were good.
Ben: I did. They are really good.
Me: Then what is it? Too healthy tasting? You don't think other people will like them?
Ben: No. They would. I just want to keep the rest of them here for us. So I can eat more of them.

Well! That settled that. I've now got a freezer bag full of these southwestern butternut and black bean egg rolls to bake up for a quick dinner anytime.

Southwestern Butternut & Black Bean Egg Rolls
Printable Recipe

1 tbsp olive oil
1 large onion, chopped (about 200gm)
4 cloves of garlic, minced
2 lbs peeled, diced butternut squash
2 tbsp canned diced green chilis
2 tsp cumin
dash of cayenne pepper
salt & pepper, to taste
2 cans black beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
juice from 1 lime
1 1/2 packages egg roll wrappers

Bring a pot of water to a boil. Add the butternut squash and cook until tender, about 5-10 minutes. Drain and set aside.

Meanwhile, heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for about 10 minutes, until softened. Add the garlic, green chilies, cumin, cayenne, salt and pepper, and cook for a few more minutes. Add the black beans and stir to combine evenly. Remove from heat.

Place the butternut squash and the onion mixture in a large bowl and mash to combine. These will be best if the mixture is left a little bit chunky.

To assemble the egg rolls, place a wrapper on your surface with one corner pointing down (diamond position). Place a some of the squash mixture onto the wrapper, and use a pastry brush dipped in water to wet the edges of the wrapper. Fold the bottom corner up, then fold the outside corners in, and roll it all up. Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Continue until squash mixture is used up; I got 32 egg rolls using a large cookie scoop for the squash portioning.
To bake: Place a baking sheet in the oven while heating at 400F. When it's hot, remove from the oven, spray with nonstick cooking spray, and place the egg rolls on the sheet. Spray them well with nonstick spray. Bake for 20 minutes, turning halfway through.

Extra egg rolls can be frozen and baked straight from the freezer.

Nutritional Info
Servings Per Recipe: 32
Amount Per Serving
Calories: 97.4
Total Fat: 0.8 g
Cholesterol: 3.3 mg
Sodium: 242.8 mg
Total Carbs: 20.2 g
Dietary Fiber: 2.4 g
Protein: 4.3 g

Pepita Crusted Mahi & Ginger Maple Smashed Rutabaga

Do you ever buy an ingredient for one dish, and find yourself already more excited about how you can use the leftovers? That's how I felt when I recently bought pepitas to make a copy-cat version of my favorite guacamole: a crunchy guacamole with jicama, soy nuts, smoked almonds and pepitas served at Mezcal Tequila Cantina. The guacamole is awesome and I was so psyched to recreate it, but I already knew those leftover roasted pepitas could make a tasty crust on mahi-mahi.

Pepitas, of course, scream both Halloween (sweet) and Mexican (spice) to me, so I wanted to focus on those flavors in this dish. My initial instinct was to serve a spicy-pepita crusted mahi over a sweet butternut squash puree - such a natural compliment. But in case you haven't noticed, I cook with butternut (or any winter squash) practically all the time. I don't want to bore you, or myself. So I decided to branch out a bit. Turnips and rutabagas are something I don't normally cook, and I hear they have a natural sweetness as well, so I decided to challenge myself and try something new with a ginger-maple smashed rutabaga. And honestly, I'm so glad I did - the hubs agreed it was a vegetable I could add to our menus any time.

Finally, just to keep going with the seasonal flavors, I added a sweet and tart cranberry salsa. It may seem like a lot of flavors going on, but they really tied together quite nicely. And lastly, I'll just mention, isn't it nice that you can enjoy this whole entree for under 500 calories? I think so.

Pepita-Crusted Mahi with Ginger-Maple Smashed Rutabaga and Cranberry Salsa
Printable Recipes

Rutabaga
1lb peeled, diced rutabaga
1/2 tbsp butter (1/4 oz)
1 tbsp minced fresh ginger
1 tbsp maple syrup
pinch of cinnamon
1/4 cup nonfat milk

Preheat oven to 425F. Place the rutabaga in a glass baking dish along with the minced ginger. Melt the butter and combine with the syrup. Pour over the rutabaga and ginger and toss to coat. Sprinkle with cinnamon. Roast for 45 minutes, turning occasionally. When rutabaga is tender, puree in a food processor with the milk until smooth.

Nutritional Info
Servings Per Recipe: 2
Amount Per Serving
Calories: 145.6
Total Fat: 3.4 g
Cholesterol: 8.4 mg
Sodium: 62.9 mg
Total Carbs: 27.0 g
Dietary Fiber: 5.7 g
Protein: 3.8 g

Pepita Crusted Mahi
2 mahi-mahi filets, 5oz each
1 oz roasted and salted pepitas
2 tbsp (1/2 oz) panko bread crumbs
zest from 1/2 lime
1/4 tsp smoked Spanish paprika
dash of cumin

1 egg white, lightly beaten

Preheat oven to 425F. Place a cooking rack over a baking sheet and spray with nonstick cooking spray (or, you could use a broiler pan with a rack if you have one). In a food processor, pulse together the pepitas, panko, lime zest, and seasonings. Pour onto a plate or into a shallow baking dish. Dip the fish into the egg white and then dredge in the pepita mixture, pressing to help it adhere. Place the fish onto the rack and press any remaining pepita mixture onto it. Bake for about 10 minutes, or until fish flakes easily and topping is lightly browned.

Nutritional Info
Servings Per Recipe: 2
Amount Per Serving
Calories: 271.4
Total Fat: 10.6 g
Cholesterol: 100.0 mg
Sodium: 417.1 mg
Total Carbs: 8.2 g
Dietary Fiber: 1.9 g
Protein: 34.4 g

Cranberry Salsa
1/2 cup fresh cranberries
2 tbsp granulated sugar
1 tsp minced fresh jalapeno
1 tsp minced fresh ginger
1 scallion, chopped
2 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
salt, to taste
juice from 1/2 of a lime

Pulse ingredients together in food processor and let sit for about 10 minutes to blend flavors.

Nutritional Info
Servings Per Recipe: 2
Amount Per Serving
Calories: 74.3
Total Fat: 0.1 g
Cholesterol: 0.0 mg
Sodium: 2.4 mg
Total Carbs: 18.7 g
Dietary Fiber: 1.7 g
Protein: 0.5 g

Remedy Quarterly

Just wanted to share with you, my readers, an exciting project being launched by a group young foodies, including my friend Jillian. The project is called Remedy Quarterly, and it is a quarterly publication of recipes and food memories representing memories and stories of those who submit them. Here are a few things I can tell you:

The magazine contains 48 pages of 100% content, no ads.

It features vintage style 2-color offset printing - how cute is that?

Each issue will feature stories, recipes, and photographs from notable food bloggers and chefs sharing a common theme. Who might you see in there? Well, I guess you'll have to subscribe and find out!

I think it sounds pretty exciting, so much, that I decided to help them out. You can, too. Please please please check out the Remedy Quarterly website to learn more about it, and if you like what you see, feel free to head over to kickstarter to learn how you can pre-order the magazine and help to make it a reality.

Lentil Pecan Burgers

Last week, I entered a very busy stage in my life: Stage 3 of New Rules of Weightlifting for Women. This is my second time going through the program, and while I love it, I could do without the miserably long workouts in this stage. Workout A takes me about 90 minutes on the gym floor, and Workout B can take up to an hour and forty five. A good burn, but the last thing I want to do is come home and make dinner. Seriously. So when I made this week's meal plan, I decided we'd do something different: eat the same thing multiple nights in a week. I know, I know. For some people this is totally normal, but I've just gotten so used to cooking and eating something different every night that the idea of repeating meals in a single week, especially one night after the other, is just, well, strange to me. But I knew that by doing this I'd help myself not be totally miserable in this workout stage. The other plus to this? There are usually way less dishes involved when you repeat a meal, so less cooking + less cleaning = more time with hubby even on the nights I have ridiculously long workouts.

So it's good thing I came up with this recipe for lentil-pecan burgers that I really didn't mind eating two nights in a row. In fact, on the second day, I was very much looking forward to it. I made these on a Sunday night along with some roasted turban squash and apple soup. I made enough soup for both nights as well, so dinner was truly a no-brainer (and go figure, my brain was just about as fried as my glutes, so this was a very good thing.)

For these hearty burgers, I borrowed a recipe from a veggie genius, Mollie Katzen. If you are a vegetarian, and more so if you're not, I highly recommend you check out any of her Moosewood Collection cookbooks. Anyway, I made a few changes to her lentil-walnut burgers to come with these lentil-pecan burgers seasoned with rosemary and thyme. The nutty, earthy patties paired perfectly with tart apple and tangy blue cheese. I'm pretty thrilled to eat these again soon, which I will, because it actually makes six so I have two more in the freezer, and many more long workouts to get through.

Lentil-Pecan Burgers with Apples and Blue Cheese
Printable Recipe

Ingredients
3/4 cup dry brown lentils
1 1/2 cups water
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup minced onion (150gm)
4 large cloves garlic, minced
8oz mushrooms, minced
1/2 cup finely chopped pecans (2oz)
freshly ground salt & pepper
2 tsp minced fresh rosemary or thyme
1/2 cup rolled oats

buns or rolls of your choice (I like Arnold multigrain sandwich thins)
thinly sliced apple
blue cheese (about 1/2 oz per serving)

Directions
Place lentils and water in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer, partially covered, for about 30 minutes, or until the lentils are soft and the liquid is gone.

Meanwhile, heat the oil in a medium-sized skillet. Add onion and saute over medium heat for about 5 minutes. Add the mushrooms and garlic and saute for about 5-10 minutes more, until the vegetables are soft. Add the rosemary and/or thyme, the pecans, and season with salt & pepper. Set aside to cool while the lentils finish cooking.

When the lentils are done, place in a bowl and mash with the vinegar. Add the sauteed vegetables and the oats and mix well. Chill for about an hour.

Preheat broiler. Form the lentil mixture into six equal sized patties and place on a baking sheet. Broil for about 8 minutes on each side. Top the burgers with the sliced apple and blue cheese and broil for one minute more, or until cheese is melted and begins to brown. Serve on toasted buns

Nutritional Info (per burger, without apples, cheese, or bread)
Servings Per Recipe: 6
Amount Per Serving
Calories: 172.3
Total Fat: 9.7 g
Cholesterol: 0.0 mg
Sodium: 2.7 mg
Total Carbs: 20.3 g
Dietary Fiber: 8.0 g
Protein: 8.3 g

Pumpkin Cornbread

Recently, Susan from Food Blogga asked readers to share their favorite cornbread. Fortunately, mine was already made and photographed, sitting here in draft mode, waiting to be shared. It might not surprise you that my favorite cornbread is a) healthy and b) involves pumpkin. It's very moist and slightly sweet, and goes well with just about any chili I can think of. A bit of cinnamon gives it a hint of earthy, sweet spice that makes a really nice compliment to a meaty, spicy chili.

I recently made my pumpkin cornbread, in my mini pumpkin cheesecake pan, to go along with a braised brisket & butternut squash chili. The chili was fabulous, very rich and filling, but since I didn't change much from the original recipe, I'm simply supplying you with the link and not really going to blog about it. But doesn't it look pretty with that cute little pumpkin cornbread? Also, when I made these last, I realized at the last minute I was out of whole wheat flour. So, I decided to substitute with some Bob's Red Mill High Fiber Hot Cereal - there's actually a muffin recipe on the back of the package, so I figured I could easily substitute this for some of the flour in other recipes. They still turned out great!

Pumpkin Cornbread

Ingredients
1/2 cup flour (60gm)
1/2 cup whole wheat flour (60gm) OR 1/2 cup Bob's Red Mill High Fiber Hot Cereal (70gm)
1/4 cup sugar
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 cup yellow cornmeal
1 cup pumpkin puree
1/2 cup applesauce
1/2 cup water

Directions
Preheat oven to 350. Grease a 12-cup muffin tin with nonstick spray. Combine dry ingredients, then stir in pumpkin and applesauce until well combined. Finally, mix in the water. Divide batter evenly among the muffin cups. Bake for about 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean.

Nutritional Info
Servings Per Recipe: 12
Amount Per Serving
Calories: 117.9
Total Fat: 0.6 g
Cholesterol: 0.0 mg
Sodium: 251.1 mg
Total Carbs: 27.1 g
Dietary Fiber: 2.2 g
Protein: 2.3 g

Pumpkin Turkey Flatbread Pizza

I know what you're thinking - it's a little too early for turkey leftover recipes. In that case, file this one away for the day after Thanksgiving, or the day after the day after, when you've already had your gobble gobble sandwich and want something different. Or, if you're like me and won't get the chance to roast a bird on Turkey Day, go ahead and make a turkey anytime you like just to savor the best part: leftovers!

I must say, I was pretty thrilled when my mother-in-law hosted us for the Jewish holiday of Sukkot a few weeks ago and announced she was making turkey. I was even more happy when there was plenty leftover that she let us take home. After eating two roasted turkey wraps in a row, I realized I was hogging the poultry and that I'd better make something for dinner with it so that my husband could enjoy it too. I thought about making a healthier pot pie of some sort, but I didn't have all the vegetables I'd want to use. However I did have pumpkin puree and dried porcini mushrooms. And low-carb lavash wraps which make a terrific healthy pizza crust.

For the "sauce" I made a spiced pumpkin puree with nutmeg, cinnamon and a dash of cayenne. It was topped with sweet slightly caramelized onions, earthy mushrooms, hearty turkey and sharp cheddar for contrast. (I think smoked gouda would have been a great choice too.) A sprinkling of sage brought all of the delicious fall flavors together. This was definitely one of my favorite pizza combinations - so much that I will very likely be roasting my own turkey sometime soon, for the bonus of having leftovers.

Pumpkin-Turkey Flatbread Pizza

Printable Recipe

2 low-carb lavash wraps
1/2 oz dried porcini mushrooms
1 tsp olive oil
1 cup thinly sliced onion (about 100g)
freshly ground salt & pepper
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1/2 cup pumpkin puree

dash of nutmeg and/or cinnamon
dash of cayenne
6oz shredded cooked turkey breast
2oz grated sharp cheddar cheese
chopped fresh sage

Soak the mushrooms in boiling water for 15 minutes. Drain and reserve the soaking liquid.

Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400ºF. Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat, and cook the onions for about 10 minutes, until softened. Season with salt and pepper, and remove from skillet. Add the garlic to the skillet, cook for 30 seconds, and then remove from heat. Add the pumpkin and seasonings, and a splash of the soaking liquid from the mushrooms to thin it out a bit.

Place the lavash wraps on baking sheets. Layer the pumpkin mixture, sliced onions, mushrooms, turkey, and cheese on top of the wraps. Bake for about 10-12 minutes, until base is crispy and cheese is melted. Garnish with sage before serving.

Nutritional Info
Servings Per Recipe: 2
Amount Per Serving
Calories: 405.0
Total Fat: 17.9 g
Cholesterol: 73.0 mg
Sodium: 1,082.1 mg
Total Carbs: 26.8 g
Dietary Fiber: 10.0 g
Protein: 43.3 g

Herby Chicken with Balsamic Figs and Shallots

Figs are a blink-and-you'll-miss-'em kind of fruit. Or, if you're like me, you spend so much time contemplating what to actually do with them that when you finally decide, fresh fig season is long gone. So, I wanted to make sure I got this recipe out while someone might still have a chance at finding fresh figs, even though I had it sitting unpublished for a while because I couldn't think of a better title.

I've had this dilemma for a while that I really wanted to add fresh figs to my cooking repertoire, but most of the typical preparations just aren't my thing. Fig tarts and pizzas, both sweet and savory, with things like gorgonzola and prosciutto, sound absolutely delicious. But, they don't have much of a place in our low-carb, pork-free kitchen. I looked for ideas with more protein, and found lots of fig-stuffed pork loins, which obviously doesn't work for me either. Then there were some nice chicken and lamb dishes I found that involved braising with dried figs. Dried figs? That wouldn't exactly fulfill my mission to cook a meal with fresh figs.

So I came up with something simple and healthy of my own with a protein of my preference - chicken. I paired the figs with sweet shallots and thickened balsamic vinegar to serve along with pan-seared chicken seasoned with fresh herbs, still overflowing from the pot on my deck. Paired with nutmeg-roasted acorn squash and turnips, this meal is definitely one I'll make again as long as fresh figs are still around!

Herby Chicken with Balsamic Figs and Shallots
Printable Recipe

3 tsp olive oil, divided
2 5oz chicken breasts
a few sprigs each of fresh sage, rosemary, and thyme
1 large shallot, sliced (about 75gm)
freshly ground salt & pepper
pinch of ground ginger
8 small fresh figs (about 150 gm)
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

Heat 1 tsp olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Pound the chicken breasts to about 1/4" thickness. Chop the herbs together and mix with freshly ground salt and pepper, and rub the mixture onto both sides of each chicken breast. When the oil is hot, add the chicken to the pan and cook for about 5 minutes on each side, until lightly browned. Remove from and keep warm.

Add remaining 2 tsp olive oil to the pan. Cook the shallots in the oil for about 10-15 minutes, until softened and beginning to caramelize. Season with freshly ground salt and pepper and a pinch of ginger. Slice the figs in quarters and add to the shallots, stirring for a few minutes. Add the balsamic vinegar, bring to a boil, and simmer for about a minute, until slightly thickened. Push the onion and fig mixture to the side of the pan and add the chicken back to the skillet. Cover and cook for about 3-5 minutes, until the shallot and fig mixture is thickened and syrupy with the vinegar, and the chicken is warmed through. Serve immediately.

Nutritional Info
Servings Per Recipe: 2
Amount Per Serving
Calories: 318.0
Total Fat: 8.8 g
Cholesterol: 82.2 mg
Sodium: 97.3 mg
Total Carbs: 20.7 g
Dietary Fiber: 2.2 g
Protein: 34.2 g

Pumpkin Penne Makeover

Since I started blogging over two years ago, I think I've come a long way. I've still got a ways to go in comparison to some of my inspirations out there, but I don't mind admitting that I think my own photography and recipe writing skills have naturally improved as I've put in more effort. So it remains that some of my favorite recipes out there just don't look as good as they really are, or just aren't written very well, to the point where it makes them a bit difficult to share. One such recipe is for my Pumpkin Penne.

I created this recipe in August 2008, no doubt while I was lusting for fall in the middle of summer. It was, I think, my first attempt at cooking with cottage cheese, and I was damn proud of it. (Since then, I've learned to use low-fat, protein-packed cottage cheese in so many deliciously unexpected ways!) Since then, this recipe has been a favorite in our household. But in addition, it's probably one of the top few recipes that friends and family tell me they make from my blog and enjoy. So, I decided Pumpkin Penne really deserved a photo and recipe makeover. It's been so good to me, it was time to reciprocate!

You can check it out here. I've updated the original post with new photos, more detailed instructions, nutritional breakdown and a printable recipe link. Enjoy!

Spaghetti Squash with Spinach, Raisins and Walnuts

Last weekend, I had my first visit to the eastern side of the Chesapeake Bay in Maryland, and if I didn't know any better, I would have told you I was in Iowa. I've never been to Iowa, but driving through about 25 miles of nothing but corn fields dotted with the occasional church is just about how I picture it. I never knew Maryland was so full of farms!

The reason for our trip was to witness our good friends Matt and Natalie tie the knot. It was a beautiful wedding, and we had a great time hanging out with all of their friends and family. Besides the fun memories and crab & lobster-shaped cookie cutters, I took home a few of my own little souvenirs: some gorgeous winter squashes from a nearby farmers' market. I know I can easily buy this stuff at home, but apparently I'm a sucker for home-grown, unique produce, so when I saw a the smooth, oval squash with bright orange flesh, I jumped at the chance to try something new. This was a spaghetti squash, certainly not new to me, but I couldn't resist the beautiful, jewel-like color.

A few days later, I cooked it up with some spinach, raisins and walnuts. I was going to use pine nuts, but it turned out I had none, so the walnuts were a last minute switch. Either would be delicious. I topped it off with some feta, to contrast with the sweet onions and raisins. The hollowed-out squash shells made a festive serving dish!

Spaghetti Squash with Spinach, Raisins, Walnuts & Feta
Printable Recipe

Ingredients
1 large spaghetti squash, roasted, seeds discarded
1 tbsp olive oil
75 gm sliced sweet onion
1 10oz package fresh spinach, thick stems removed
30gm walnuts
40gm raisins
1oz feta cheese, crumbled
pinch of nutmeg, salt & pepper

Directions
Toast the walnuts in a dry skillet over low heat. Remove from heat when they are fragrant and just beginning to brown.

Meanwhile, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Cook the onions until soft and translucent, about 10 minutes. Add the spinach, cover, and let cook until the spinach is wilted down, about 5 minutes.

Use two forks to remove the stringy flesh from the cooked spaghetti squash. Toss this with the spinach and onions, and season with salt, pepper and nutmeg. Add the walnuts and raisins and heat through. Mix in about half of the crumbled feta, and top with the rest of the cheese to serve.
Nutritional Info
Servings Per Recipe: 2
Amount Per Serving
Calories: 385.8
Total Fat: 21.1 g
Cholesterol: 12.6 mg
Sodium: 330.0 mg
Total Carbs: 46.9 g
Dietary Fiber: 9.9 g
Protein: 11.5 g