Healthy Meal / organic food
Winter Veggie Favorites: Spaghetti Squash
The emphasis is on the spaghetti, not the squash! I was delighted the first time I made spaghetti squash, which, as the name suggests, is a lot like spaghetti inside. When compared to pasta, this squash has a lot more going! Here's the side by side comparison-
1 cup cooked pasta (made from white flour) has:
220 calories / 42 grams carbohydrates / very few nutrients
1 cup cooked spaghetti squash made by Mother Nature has:
42 calories / 10 grams carbohydrates / a good source of Niacin, Vitamin B6, Pantothenic Acid, Potassium and Manganese, and a good source of Dietary Fiber and Vitamin C.
I'll take nutrient dense, low carbohydrate plant food over-processed carbohydrates any day. Once you try this recipe, I think you'll agree!
photo courtesy of steamykitchen.com
How to Bake Spaghetti Squash
- Spaghetti squash are readily available this time of year, and easy to grow yourself, if you are planning your summer garden.
- Cut squash in half, lengthwise, from stem to end. Scoop out the seeds. Lightly oil the inside and then place, skin side up/cut side down, on a baking sheet.
- Bake at 350 for 25 minutes for a smaller squash, and up to 45 minutes for a big one.
- You want to make sure to cook thoroughly, and no more! Over baked spaghetti squash gets mushy, so check it towards the end by pressing the skin, when it's done it will give a little under the pressure.
- Remove from the oven, flip it over, and let it cool a bit. I use a clean kitchen towel to hold the squash in one hand and a fork to remove all the spaghetti like strands.
- Top with your favorite marinara, puttanesca or pesto sauce, or try Lottie's recipe below, which you can make ahead.
photo courtesy of runonveg.com
Slow Roasted Tomato Sauce
By Health Coach Lottie at RunOnVeg.com
Preheat oven 300/325 (depending on how hot your oven is)
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2 cups cherry tomatoes
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2 Rome tomatoes cut in half
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2 medium size onions largely chopped (1 cup cooked)
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6 garlic cloves
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1/2 cup basil
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1/2 cup water
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1/4 cup Unsweetened Fire Cider or apple cider vinegar
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salt to taste
Optional add in:
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1/4 cup nutritional yeast
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1-2 tablespoons hot sauce
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2-3 dates
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Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and non-stick spray. Place your tomatoes, onion and garlic on the baking sheet
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Cook for 45-50 minutes until garlic is golden brown, remove the garlic from the tray
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Cook the remaining ingredients (tomatoes and onion) for an additional 1 hour, for a total of 1 hour and 45-50 minutes
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Once everything is cooled place all your ingredients in a blender including optional add ins and blend until smooth and creamy. Enjoy!
5 power foods to add to your winter menu + 1 recipe!
Winter is finally upon us in the Berkshires. Now is the time to take some preventative measures to insure a healthy winter. There are many ways to incorporate health building foods into a home cooked meal. Here are my top five, must eat foods for winter health and the best part is that combined, they make a delightful, one bowl meal.
- Bone broth + harmony
If you add one thing to your winter routine, start drinking a hot cup of bone broth. Why? Because it’s a collagen building, infection fighting, inflammation reducing wunder food. Just heat up and get cozy with your favorite mug and you are ready to go. We make our own, but you can also pick up bone broth at your local butcher shop. If you’d like to make your own, I recommend “How To Make Bone Broth” on WellnessMama.com, it’s full of resources. For the amount of broth we get, it’s definitely worth the effort!
- Mushrooms: we all love a fungi!
What goes great with bone broth and keeping your immune system strong and fortified against the winter chill? Mushrooms! Maitake and shiitake are two flavorful varieties that are readily available fresh or dried. Maitake, aka “Hen-of-the-Woods”, is my personal favorite. Add them dried to your broth for extra flavor and an immune boost. A plateful of fresh maitake mushrooms sauteed in butter with a little salt and black pepper is sublime. Add a perfectly fried over easy egg and it’s dinner.
- Get fermented: foods that are good for your gut
Fermented foods introduce good bacteria and balance existing bacteria in your digestive system. Miso is a fermented superfood and it’s nutty umami depth adds the right amount of salty flavor to simple bone broth. Mix it in after the broth has been heated and plated. I’m a fan of Chickpea Miso by South River Miso. Other great for your gut and immune health fermented foods include yogurt, kombucha, Fire Cider and lacto-fermented veggies — Hosta Hill sauerkraut and kimchi are staples at our house.
- Stay warm with ginger
Ginger offers anti-inflammatory, antiviral, antifungal and antibacterial properties. A warming spice, you can add it to soups, cookies, breads, hot teas and broth. Grate fresh ginger into hot water with Fire Cider, lemon and honey is a soothing way to fight germs and mend a sore throat.
- Get your greens
It’s cold and dark outside so be sure to keep your mind and body bright with daily doses of green veggies. They are full of the vitamins and minerals you need to stay healthy and balanced, so make slow cooked collards or give saag paneer a try. Plate up a quick salad to go with your bowl of broth for a balanced meal of both raw, cooling food and warming, cooked food.
Best of all, you can combine these five super ingredients into one dish in about 15 minutes, with only 5 minutes of active time, for one satisfying meal. For someone who frequently skips lunch, I’ll consider this recipe my new year's resolution.
Mushroom Miso Broth - 2 servings
Ingredients:
- a small handful (about ⅓ cup) of dried maitake and/or shiitake mushrooms , chopped small, stems removed. Keep in mind they will expand 2-3 times during cooking.
- about 1 teaspoon or so of dried powdered ginger
- two cups or more bone broth, unsalted or lightly salted is best since the miso will add all the salt you will need!.
- shredded napa cabbage or kale, about a ½ cup or less should do.
- Miso to taste - use traditional soy miso or experiment with other flavors.
In a pot combine the dried mushrooms, powdered ginger and bone broth. Add a lid and bring to a boil.
Turn down the heat and simmer on low for 10-15 minutes or until the mushrooms are fully hydrated.
Turn off the heat and add a small handful or less shredded napa cabbage or kale.
When the greens are bright green, serve in two bowls.
Add your favorite miso to each bowl, I like about a tablespoon, or more. Serve with a side of kimchi and enjoy in good health!
