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!

#lifestyle #recipe