Spaghetti Squash & Broccoli Mock Mac N Cheese

I have a new favorite super food.

SPAGHETTI SQUASH!!!!!

Is it considered a super food?  I don’t know.  I just made that up.  It’s SUPER to me, so that makes it a super food, right?  Right.  That’s my story and I’m stickin’ to it.

A co-worker introduced me to this amazing squash a few weeks ago.  I had been seeing so many recipes using this as a sub for pasta, but I was a skeptic.  I’m a little funny about squash and it’s texture after it’s cooked.  After trying her Italian sauced dish I was hooked!  I’ve made a few different dishes with it and last night’s treat was my favorite, by far.

I found a spaghetti squash and broccoli mac n cheese recipe on Pinterest.  It looked yummy and I knew that if I wasn’t eating real noodles I could splurge on the cheese and not feel guilty.  When I looked into the recipe further I realized I was going to make a few changes to a.) accommodate my small town resources and b.) amp up the protein and flavor factors.

If you’re new to spaghetti squash it can seem intimidating to cook, but I’ve tried roasting AND microwaving and I am here to tell you that microwaving it is THE way to go.  I’m always in a hurry to get a meal on the table and this squash can take almost an hour to roast.  Ten minutes in the microwave and your set (and the flavor is NOT compromised).

Here’s how you prepare it in the microwave.  Split the squash in half lengthwise and scoop out all the seeds and strings.  (Discard these or sort out the seeds and roast them like pumpkin seeds.)  Fill one of the halves about 1/4 of the way with water.  Place the other half on top to make it “whole” again.  Carefully place in the microwave in a glass dish or on a plate and nuke on high for at least 10 minutes or until tender when squeezed.  Remove from the microwave.  Be careful because it’s hotter than two hubs of H. E. double hockey sticks!!!  Let it cool for a few minutes and then use a fork to gently scrape out the strands of the squash.  You should be able to scrape all the way to the skin.  One large squash should yield about 4 cups of “noodles”.

Okay so now that you know how to prepare the squash I’ll get down to business and share the recipe.

Spaghetti Squash & Broccoli Mock Mac N Cheese

4 cups cooked spaghetti squash (or the contents of one large squash)

3 cups broccoli florets, steamed

1 5 oz. can reduced sodium chunk light tuna, drained

2 tbsp olive oil

2 tbsp flour

2 cups 2% reduced fat milk

2 cups of your favorite shredded cheese

red pepper flakes

Tony Chachere’s Cajun seasoning

salt and pepper to taste

2 tbsp Parmesan cheese

 

Preheat oven to broil.  Lightly spray a medium baking dish with non-stick spray.

Prepare the squash as instructed above and place in a large bowl.  Add the steamed broccoli florets and drained tuna.  Mix well.  Lightly salt to season.

In a medium sauce pan heat olive oil over medium heat.  Add flour and mix until bubbly.  Quickly whisk in milk and continue to stir until slightly thickened.  Remove from heat and stir in cheese until thoroughly melted.  Add Cajun seasoning, salt and pepper to taste.  Once cheese is melted pour over the squash, broccoli and tuna mixture and stir until completely coated.  Pour into the baking dish and lightly and evenly sprinkle with more Cajun seasoning, red pepper flakes and Parmesan cheese.  Place under broiler until golden and the top starts to brown slightly.

If you want to add more flavor boosters mince a few cloves of garlic and about 3 tablespoons of yellow onion and saute in the olive oil prior to adding the flour.  Since this dish was a last-minute idea on my part I used shredded colby jack cheese.  Next time I’ll use a combination of this and pepper jack cheeses.  If you love sharp cheddar, then, by all means, use that.  The flavors that this dish could take on are limitless.  I may even add diced tomatoes or steamed asparagus next time.  The protein could be switched up with chicken or shrimp as well.  If you’re feeling especially naughty I’d even try kielbasa sausage.

This is making me hungry again just thinking about all my options with this dish!!  I may not be able to wait until lunch to eat this again.

Above all, I was extremely pleased with the skinny on this dish.  The original website said it had almost 300 calories for 1/4th of the recipe.  Well, friends, I DOUBLED the sauce because who likes dry mac n cheese and I added the tuna.  I was REALLY excited to find out that 1/5th of MY version was only 360 calories!!!

The skinny: Serving size: 1/5th of dish, Calories: 360/serving, Carbohydrates: 20g, Fat: 20g, Protein: 21g, Sodium: 422 mg, Sugars: 9g

On a final note I will add that this was another hit with Grady and Monkey.  They both really loved it.  Grady’s only suggestion was that it needed more spice.  I followed the recipe closer than usual since it was my first attempt so next time I will be adding the onion, garlic, pepper jack cheese and a little more heat.  Tucker, of course, didn’t care for it, but his mind was made up before he tried it since he saw green broccoli floating around in there.

If you love cheesy broccoli, if you love homemade mac n cheese, if you love being brave and adventurous you will LOVE this meal.

 

Peace, love and fun fake outs!!!

 

 

 

Broccoli Cheese Bites – HEALTHY!!

Woo-hoo!  I feel like I’m really on a roll.  It’s 7:10 am and I’m motivated to bust out a post for all of you.  I want to share some of the really great Pinterest recipes I tried over the two weeks I was home for Christmas break.  Many of them were very, very, very naughty.  They were oh, so, delectable, but insanely decadent and FATTENING.  There were a few, however, that I were decadent and GOOD FOR YOU.  These recipes excited me and I want to share these with you.

Finding a recipe that’s really healthy that Grady falls in love with isn’t always easy.  He’s a real meat and potatoes kind of guy.  He’s not picky, but he definitely likes hearty comfort food.

Over the break I bought several heads of broccoli and wanted something new to do with them other than steaming it.  So many recipes load broccoli up with cheese and rice, which is delicious, but really high in calories.

Photo courtesy of keyingredients.com

When I found the recipe for Broccoli Cheese Bites I got really excited.  The bad stuff was minimal keeping the broccoli as the main ingredient AND they would double as a fantastic appetizer/party food.

I tested the recipe, following it precisely and got the seal of approval from the big cowboy.  We both agreed that the taste was a little bland.  They needed a kick.  We made a few adjustments and took them to a Christmas gathering.  They were a hit.  Served with a dish of thick and rich ranch for dipping makes for perfection.  Don’t sweat the ranch, make it with Greek yogurt and the guilt is gone.

Broccoli Cheese Bites

2 – 10 oz. package of frozen chopped broccoli, thawed and drained of liquid 

(make sure pieces are chopped very small!!!)
1 1/2 cup of grated cheddar cheese or pepper jack for added kick
3 eggs
salt & pepper
1 cup of seasoned Italian breadcrumbs

Garlic powder

Cayenne pepper

Mix all the ingredients together in a large bowl.

With your hands, form small balls and lay on a parchment or foil lined baking sheet.

Bake at 375F for 25 minutes, turning the balls after the first 15 minutes.

Let cool and enjoy!

The skinny: The recipe should yield approximately 30 small balls.  Each ball is 41 calories with 4g carbs, 2g fat, 3g protein, 94mg sodium and 1g sugar.

I hope you and your family enjoy these as much as we did!

Peace, love and dreamy eats!!!

Broccoli Love

I will be the first to admit that ever since the dawn of my time I HATED broccoli.  I didn’t just hate it, I DESPISED it!  I couldn’t STAND it.  But…my parents LOVED it.  Every summer, inevitably, it would show up on our table in salads at almost EVERY meal.  There was no getting away from it.  I would choke it down.  I probably gagged a few times, complained often and whined EVERY single time.  I did every possible thing I could to get out of eating that green stuff.

I’m a texture person, so the funky little tree tops just didn’t do anything for me.  …and you have to admit that it does have a strong flavor.  Yes, I was a finicky veggie kid.

So…before my trip to Florida I was discussing new veggies to try with my co-workers.  Broccoli and cauliflower came up.  I WANTED to like broccoli.  I WANTED to give cauliflower a chance.  But how?  How do I make these veggies so that I will actually love them.

One of the girls suggested roasting them.

Roasting?  Really?  Well… I love roasted asparagus.

I went home that night with a mission.  One head of broccoli, one head of cauliflower, four tablespoons olive oil, three cloves of garlic minced, kosher salt and a sprinkling of parmesan cheese.  Mix everything together except the parmesan and roast at 350° for about 20 minutes or until the veggies start to slightly brown.  At this point sprinkle lightly with parmesan cheese and put back in the oven for five more minutes.

My friends, I, literally, died and went to fiber HEAVEN!!!!  I am completely ADDICTED to this now.  I can’t get enough.  There is NO describing what roasting these veggies does to the flavor.  It’s outstanding, kind of nutty, pretty much perfect.  Let’s just say that Grady and I had to MAKE ourselves save enough for lunch leftovers the next day.

So, while venturing through Pinterest one day I found a new variation on my new best friends.  Roasted broccoli and shrimp.  REALLY?  I went straight home and made it.  This time, it’s only one head of broccoli and two serving of raw peeled shrimp.  Season the broccoli as before (cut the olive oil back to two tablespoons) and start roasting.  While the broccoli is getting happy in the oven, peel and clean the shrimp.  Lightly coat with 1 teaspoon of olive oil and salt slightly.  After 10 minutes of roasting the broccoli add the shrimp to the pan.  Continue in the oven until the shrimp is done and the broccoli is browned.  Top with parmesan cheese and serve over brown rice if desired.

I will admit that last weekend I ate the entire head of broccoli and two servings of shrimp.  I couldn’t stop.  The best part… totally guilt free.  (I didn’t eat it with the rice this time.)

Here’s the skinny on roasted broccoli and shrimp (1 whole head and two servings of shrimp): 482 calories, 20 grams carbs, 28 grams fat, and 39 grams protein.  Don’t be scared of the carbs and fat.  Remember, it’s GOOD veggie and FIBER carbs and healthy fat from the olive oil.  All things your body needs and loves.  This is a great meal for two or great as leftovers the next day.  Adding a half cup of brown rice to half of this recipe makes a perfectly complete treat.

Now, excuse me while I dig through the snow so I can get to the store for some more broccoli.

Peace, love and fiber FRENZY!!!!