Archive for category: Recipes

Autumn is prime time squash season. Why not turn the beautiful vegetable into a crave-worthy pad thai? This recipe is the perfect dish to cuddle up to on a crisp fall evening. It’s a much healthier version of your favorite takeout order, and is nut free for those with allergies! With some simple substitutions it can even be vegetarian or vegan. Give it a try!

Ingredients

Sauce

• 1 Heaping Tbsp Sunflower Butter
• 2 Tbsp Honey
• 2 Tbsp Lime Juice
• 1 ½ Tbsp Rice Wine Vinegar
• ¼ cup Low Sodium Soy Sauce
• 1 ½ Tbsp Dark Brown Sugar
• 1 tsp Sriracha (or to taste)

Pad Thai

• 1 Large Spaghetti Squash
• 2 Medium Sized Chicken Breasts (substitute with Tofu to make it vegan!)
• 1 cup carrots
• 1 cup bell pepper
• 1 cup radishes
• 1, 8 oz can sliced water chestnuts
• 1 tsp minced garlic
• Salt, Pepper
• Olive Oil

Garnish

• 3 Scallions
• ¼ cup Edamame

Preparation

Preparing the sauce and cutting all of the vegetables prior to cooking will create better ease in the cooking process.

1. In a small bowl, add the sunflower butter, honey, lime juice, rice wine vinegar, soy sauce, and brown sugar. Stir until well combined.
2. Julienne or cut the carrots, bell pepper, and radishes into 1 ½ inch long matchstick slices
3. Chop the scallions
4. Finely chop the edamame
5. Mince the garlic
6. Cube the chicken breast into 1 inch portions

Cooking

1.  Pierce several holes into the surface of the spaghetti squash with a fork or knife. Place the squash, whole, onto a plate and into the microwave. Microwave the squash until tender, approximately 10-15 minutes. When the squash feels tender to the touch it is done. Slice it down the middle making two halves. Scrape the seeds out of the center and discard the seeds.
2. While the squash cooks, place 2 tablespoons of olive oil into a large saute pan. Cook the cubed chicken on medium to high heat until done, approximately 7-9 minutes depending on how large the cubes are. Sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper.
3. In a small saucepan, add the sauce created in step 1. Heat on medium until the sauce begins to bubble and take off the heat.
4. When the chicken is done, place it in a separate bowl to rest.
5. Into the same pan, add 2 more tablespoons of olive oil. Add the carrots, bell pepper, and radishes and cook for 5 minutes.
6. Add the garlic and continue cooking for another 1-2 minutes or until the vegetables are al dente or slightly soft.
7. To the pan add the chicken, water chestnuts, and the sauce and cook for 1-2 minutes until the sauce just begins to bubble.
8. Scrape the flesh of the spaghetti squash with a fork to create long threads resembling noodles. Place the spaghetti squash noodles into the pan and stir until it appears well incorporated and take off the heat.
9. Top with edamame and scallions and enjoy!

Guest Bloggers: James Madison Dietetics

Alexandra Balbontin, Taylor Coleman, Julia Danisewicz, Emily Salvaggio, and Taylor Singleton

Looking for a way to fit in some more vegetables into your meals? This stuffed pepper recipe is an easy way to get in multiple servings of colorful veggies and is great because it’s so versatile. If you would prefer ground beef, it’s an easy swap, and you can also easily add more veggies to personalize it to your own taste!

Ingredients:

6 large bell peppers, any color
2 cups of cooked brown rice
1 lb. 93% lean ground turkey
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 small onion, diced
1 16 oz. crushed tomatoes
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 1/2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
1 tablespoon olive oil

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare your rice and set aside.
2. Cut off the tops of the peppers, remove the seeds, trim the bottoms to help them sit flat in the skillet and rinse thoroughly. In a large pan boil the peppers for 5 minutes, remove from water and turn upside down onto a paper towel to dry.
3. In a large skillet add the olive oil, garlic and onion, sauté until tender. Add the turkey and brown until thoroughly cooked.
4. Add the crushed tomatoes, rice, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper and 1/2 cup of the shredded cheese and stir until blended.
5. Fill the peppers evenly with the mixture, place in a lightly greased 10 inch cast iron skillet, or baking dish of your choice. Bake uncovered for 25 to 30 minutes. Remove and add the remaining cheese to the top of peppers and bake for an additional 5 minutes or until the cheese is melted.

Notes:

*You can lighten this recipe up even more by cutting back on the cheese or using a reduced fat cheese.

Guest Bloggers: James Madison Dietetics
Alexandra Balbontin, Taylor Coleman, Julia Danisewicz, Andrea George, Emily Salvaggio, and Taylor Singleton