- Adriana Dos Santos
3 "HEALTHY" FALL RECIPES
It's my favorite time of the year, some call it the Holidays, I call it Thanksgiving Time. Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday because every year I get to try new and delicious foods. I just got back from church and I thought, what can I make for dinner tonight? I figured since I love to cook, why not share my recipe with you all? Without further adieu, here are my recipes for Butternut Squash Soup, Creamy Bacon Stuffed Chicken and Sweet/Spicy Butternut Squash Wedges.
Butternut Squash Soup
INGREDIENTS:
1/2 medium butternut squash
1 tablespoon of olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoon of coconut oil
1/4 cup of shallots (diced)
1/2 cup of onion (diced)
3/4 - 1 cup of vegetable stock
1 teaspoon ginger garlic pimento powder
1 1/2 tablespoon of white cooking wine
salt to taste
white pepper to taste
green onions (optional)
INSTRUCTIONS:
-preheat oven to 350º F
-wash, peel, and halve a medium sized butternut squash
-scoop the center out with a spoon
-rub olive oil all over then sprinkle salt and pepper
-after poking holes around the squash with a fork or knife, place the squash in the oven for 10 minutes
-In a pot on medium-high heat, melt coconut oil then, sauté the shallots and onions and season to your liking
-add cooking wine and cover the onion/shallot mix to "sweat" it out
-remove squash from the oven and slice them into wedges, place it back in the oven for another 15-20 minutes
-after 15-20 minutes, or when the squash wedges are tender place them in the pot with the sauteed onion/shallot mix
-add the garlic pimento powder and let the veggies cook for another 10 minutes, then add the stock and simmer for 5 minutes
-after all the ingredients have simmered, place the ingredients in a heat-safe blender and blend to your preferred consistency
-optional: garnish soup with green onions or a dollop of sour cream
If you're anything like me, you probably rarely have regular milk in the fridge. I just don't like it. In situations like these, I get conflicted that my soup will lack thickness. However, this dairy-free, low fat soup is healthy but packs a ton of flavor, you won't miss the butter and cream at all!
Creamy Bacon Stuffed Chicken
INGREDIENTS:
1/4 cup of fat-free cream cheese
2-3 strips of thick cut hickory smoked bacon (chopped)
1/4 cup of spinach (chopped)
1 1/2 tablespoons of green onions
2 tablespoons of feta cheese
2 chicken breasts
salt to taste
garlic powder
cayenne powder
soul seasoning
pepper
1 teaspoon coconut oil
INSTRUCTIONS:
-in pan, sauté the bacon bits for about 5 minutes on medium heat, or until crispy, then remove from the heat and drain all the fat
-cook the chopped spinach and drain out any water
-in a bowl, mix cream cheese, cooked bacon, cooked spinach, green onions, and feta cheese then set filling aside aside
-preheat the oven to 350º F
-with a sharp knife, cut a two inch slit in each chicken breast, like a pocket – make sure to not cut it all the way through
-season the chicken to your liking, don't forget to season the "pocket" – but keep in mind the filling's saltiness from the bacon, feta, and green onions.
-fill the chicken with about a tablespoon of filling
-in a hot pan coated with coconut oil place the chicken and sauté each side for about 3 minutes, filling side up
-after flipping the chicken, place the filling side down on the pan and place the pan in the oven for 5 minutes
This is so good; not as healthy as our soup was but we all deserve a little guilty pleasure, right?
Sweet/Spicy Butternut Squash Wedges
INGREDIENTS:
1/2 medium butternut squash
1 tablespoon of olive oil
salt to taste
pepper to taste
1 teaspoon granulated sugar (preferably brown)
1/2 teaspoon cayenne powder
1/2 teaspoon pumpkin spice (plain cinnamon works, too)
1/4 cup of glazed walnuts or pecans (chopped roughly)
1 tablespoon maple syrup
INSTRUCTIONS:
-preheat oven to 350º F
-wash, peel (optional), and halve a medium sized butternut squash
-rub olive oil all over then sprinkle salt and pepper
-after poking holes around the squash with a fork or knife, place the squash in the oven for 10 minutes or until tender
-mix sugar, cayenne powder, and cinnamon in a small bowl
-after 10 minutes, remove the squash from the oven and slice into half-inch wedges
-sprinkle dry rub on both sides of each wedge then toss the nuts on the wedges
-place the squash back into the oven for 15-20 minutes
-during last five minutes, drizzle maple syrup on the wedges and turn the oven to broil
I hope you enjoy these recipes and hopefully wow your friends and family!