Baked Cinnamon Kabocha Squash

So, have you heard of a kabocha squash because I hadn't until my husband brought it home this week thinking it was an acorn squash LOL! I saw it and immediately knew it wasn't one BUT I was kinda happy because I've never met a squash I don't like (like my friend Andrea says) and I was pretty psyched to try making this one!

I read up on Kabocha on a fave blog of mine called Nutritious Eats and learned a lot about Kabocha before making it!  If you are new to Kabocha, it’s similar to pumpkin or  acorn squash, but even better because it’s even sweeter and has the perfect fluffy interior.  Plus it's a nutritional GEM!  This anti-inflammatory food is bursting with nutrition. It’s full of beta carotene, iron, vitamins A, C, fiber and some B vitamins. And it’s got 40 calories per cup AND less than half the carbs of most other squash (about 7 grams per cup). Seriously a super food so, needless to say, after making this recipe and trying it, I scurried off to the store and bought some more today! 

So this basic cooking technique can be applied to any large squash really. Here we go.

One of the trickiest parts about large squash is cutting them. Honestly I am in fear at times that I am going to take that large knife and jam it straight into my body because most squash is hard to cut! Like really hard! I had to get pretty forceful with this one and that is why I typically roast mine in larger wedges versus trying to cut it into thin stripes. I mean, I’d really like to keep all my fingers!

Just like any other squash you can add chopped kabocha to stews or puree into soups, baked goods or breakfast items like pancakes! I love it just like this though!

Here is a video link on making it and below is the recipe! Don't mind the crying kiddos in the background, that's life! LOL

Ingredients

• 1 kabocha squash, cut in half lengthwise, seeds removed, then in slices about 2 in
• 2 Tablespoons virgin unrefined coconut oil, olive oil or olive oil spray
• Pinch of salt
• Siagon roasted cinnamon (can substitute regular cinnamon)
• INSTRUCTIONS

  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet in foil. Start with the tip of your knifes in the center of the squash and cut in half lengthwise, using a rocking motion on the knife to get it through (don't try to yank out the knife though). If it won't go through, gently remove knife, rotate half and cut through the other side the same way. Push the halves apart with your hands. Using a spoon, scoop out the seeds and stringy flesh and discard. Cut each half into 3 wedges (lengthwise).
  2. Melt coconut oil in microwave, toss with squash wedges. Season lightly with salt, then sprinkle generously with cinnamon. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until fork tender and browned in places.
  NOTES

  Store Kabocha in a cool, dry, dark place. They can last up to several months.
  You can use any spices you want to season this squash with, or just basic salt and pepper. It's also good with a drizzle of maple syrup.

Roasted Acorn Squash & Eggplant: A Delicious, Clean, Paleo Friendly Side

I love roasted veggies and these 2 are one of my faves. So easy to make and they take very little prep. I make them to snack on but also as a side dish. Below are the recipes for both. You can prep and cook them together as long as you cut them the same thickness. Before you begin, preheat the oven to 375.

Eggplant
Slice the egg plant, cutting off each end, into slices about 1/2 inch thick.

Place them in a Tupperware container and marinate for a few minutes in balsamic vinegar, splash of lime & your favorite seasoning.

Set aside.

Acorn Squash
Slice the acorn squash, cutting off the top first, into slices about 1/2 inch thick. Once you see the inside, scoop out the "guts" as I call them. The seeds and lose interior. Continue slicing until you've sliced the entire squash. 

Spray a cookie sheet or a baking rack on top of a cookie sheet with olive oil or any non stick spray. Place the acorn squash on top. Then sprinkle lightly with your favorite seasoning and I also like to add a little parmessan cheese. Then place the eggplant on the sheet or rack and bake for about 30 minutes or until they're golden brown.  I like to use a baking rack so I get the grill marks and it resembles BBQ roasting vs oven baking but both are fine and turn out just as yummy! Hope you enjoy them! I make these every week!

Spaghetti Squash Patties

When life gives you lemons, make lemonade. And when life gives you squash, you make squash patties!  I made a TON of spaghetti squash for life group earlier this week and we didn't feel like spaghetti again last night....of any kind, so I whipped up these with a recipe I made up using the ingredients I had. Ideally, I would've used eggs or egg whites for a binding agent but I used them up for meal prep on my egg muffins so I had to make without. I'll post MY recipe below but, for a better consistency and flavor, you can add an egg as well.  And this is for a very small spaghetti squash. If you have a larger one, slowly add more breadcrumbs to make it thick enough to form patties with. 

Ingredients

1 small spaghetti squash

1/4 cup shredded cheese

1/2 cup breadcrumbs

Italian no salt seasoning

1.  Slice the spaghetti squash in half, take out the "guts" like you would a pumpkin. Scrape out the seeds and the rest of the loose interior.  

2.  Brush it lightly with olive oil and place it face down on a pan.  

3.  Bake it at 400 for about 35 - 40 minutes.

4. Remove, let it cool and scrape out the inside with a fork into a bowl.  

5.  Add cheese, breadcrumbs and no salt seasoning to the bowl and blend.  You can also add an egg for an additional binding agent. I didn't because I didn't have one but I will next time I make these :)  

6.  After you blend the mixture well, form them into patties and place on a greased cookie sheet. 

7.  Bake at 350 for about 25 minutes, checking them to make sure they don't burn. They should be golden brown and slightly crisp on the outside when done.  

8.  Serve as an appetizer, side dish or finger foods for the kiddos!

21 Day Fix  APPROXIMATE Breakdown since it all depends on the size of your squash, how much egg and breadcrumbs you add :) 

4 patties = 1 green, partial blue, partial yellow & partial red (if you add egg)

Baked Zucchini Tots

Getting your kids to eat veggies can be difficult, especially if you have picky eaters! BUT, making foods like these makes it easier to sneak in some goodness!I adapted this recipe from the Skinny Taste Zucchini Tots recipe.  That recipe calls for breadcrumbs but I'm trying to avoid gluten so I replaced it with ground and cooked quinoa instead and got some extra protein out of it too!  Give this a try and let me know what ya' think! 

Ingredients

cooking spray
1 packed cup grated zucchini
1 large egg or 2 large egg whites
1/4 medium onion, minced (optional)
1/4 cup grated cheese (I used mozzarella & some parmessan because I didn't have much of either one but you can use your fave)
1/3 cup ground quinoa (I ground mine dry in my Blendtec)

1/3 cup cooked quinoa
Favorite seasoning (I used Kirkland no salt seasoning

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400°F.  Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray.

Grate the zucchini into a clean dish towel until you have 1 packed cup.  Wring all of the excess water out of the zucchini, there will be a lot of water. In a medium bowl,combine all of the ingredients and season to taste.

Spoon 1 tablespoon of mixture in your hands and roll into small ovals. Place on the cookie sheet and bake for 16 to 18 minutes, turning halfway though cooking until golden. Makes 16. A serving is 4.

21 Day Fix Breakdown

1 Green (zucchini)

1 yellow (quinoa

partial blue (cheese)

partial red (egg)