Recipe Wednesday - Record Cold Requires Comfort Food

     Recipe Wednesday means I bring you a great recipe to consider for your collection.  My intention is to bring you delicious recipes featuring better food choices.  Let's face it, if it doesn't taste good, you won't eat it no matter how good it is for you.   Today's feature is Low Carb Baked Spaghetti Squash.

Baby, it's cold outside!  Warm up on the inside with healthy comfort food.  Graphic from www.climatecrocks.com.

     February 2015 polar vortex brings historic cold, and cold weather requires  good ol' comfort food.   Comfort food doesn't have to be a belt buster, it can be good for you.  Give this Recipe Wednesday's feature a try:

Find  more tasty and good for you recipes at www.kitchme.com .

Low Carb Baked Spaghetti Squash with Garlic Cream Sauce

Prep Time: 10 min     Cook Time: 45 min    Ready in 55 min    Serves 6

Ingredients:

2-1/2 # spaghetti squash

3/4 cup heavy cream

1 clove garlic, pushed through press

3 tsp fresh sage, finely chopped OR 1/2 tsp dried sage

1/4 cup parmesan cheese

salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1.  Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

2.  Prick squash in several places with a fork and bake 45 minutes until tender.

3.  Allow squash to cool slightly.

4.  As the squash is cooling, heat cream, garlic and sage in sauce pan over medium heat.

5.  Cook 10 minutes until cream thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon.

6.  Cut squash in half, scoop out seeds.  Pull squash strands out from each half with a fork, transfering to warm serving bowl.

7.  Pour sauce over squash and toss lightly to coat.

8.  Add salt and pepper to taste, sprinkle with parmesan cheese.

9.  Serve immediately.  Enjoy!

Recipe from Kitchme.com, inspired by original recipe on Food.com, 5 star rated, 46 reviews.

Search Recipe Wednesday for other health inspired recipes.  Remember, food that's good for you can taste good, too!

LINKS:
Cooler Weather means Comfort Food - substitutions for healthier cooking

Black Bean and Chicken soup

Frost is in the air and the smells of comfort food come from the kitchen....

In my neck of the woods we are getting our hard frosts, the nights get down right cold.  It's time to visit the area pumpkin fests where the Atlantic Giants come to get weighed, the annual do or die day when all the endless work of the growing season culminates in one day for area pumpkin growers, weigh off. 

The Nekoosa Giant Pumpkin Fest, held in Nekoosa, WI annually on the first Saturday of October.  Local pumpkin growers come to show off the fruits of their very hard labors.  

 The colours are peaking, and going past peak.  This is the time of the year when we get back to baking and roasting.  When the killing frost comes, comfort food is king.  Here's a great recipe from lowfatlifestyle.com for a great soup to warm you up after a chilly day.

Black Bean Chicken Soup
Serve with baked tortilla chips and a green salad.

Serves: 12

• 1 pound black beans, soaked, cooked, and drained
• 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut in bite size pieces
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin powder
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 large onions, diced
• 2 - 14.5 ounce cans diced canned tomatoes (use juice from one can only - drain other)
• 2 cups frozen yellow corn kernals
• 2 - 14 ounce cans fat-free chicken broth
• 2 tablespoons cumin
• 2 tablespoons garlic powder
• 1 - 2 teaspoons fresh ground black pepper

Sprinkle chicken pieces with 1/2 tsp cumin, 1/2 tsp garlic powder, and 1/4 tsp black pepper. Cook on medium high heat in a cooking oil sprayed non stick skillet, until chicken is cooked through and lightly browned, or about 5-7 minutes.

Combine all ingredients and cooked chicken in crockpot.

Stir well, and taste to make sure spices are how you like them. Cook on high heat one hour, then on low for 3 to 4 hours. Add a jalapeno if you like it hot!

Low Fat Recipes Furnished by LowFatLifestyle.com© - Copyright 2007

  

Recipe Wednesday - Creamy Turkey Fettuccine

Creamy Turkey Fettuccine Recipe

Creamy Turkey Fettuccine photo by Taste of Home

Need a little comfort food?  Quick, diabetic friendly and healthy, this is a family favorite submitted to Taste of Home by Paula Marchesi of Lenhartsville, PA
Prep/Total Time: 30 minutes    Yield: 6 servings

INGREDIENTS

• 12 oz uncooked fettuccine
• 3/4 cup fat-free milk
• 4 oz fat-free cream cheese, cubed
• 1/2 cup reduced-fat garlic-herb spreadable cheese
• 2 cups cubed cooked turkey breast
• 3 cups frozen, chopped broccoli, thawed
• 1/2 cup chopped roasted sweet red peppers
• 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese, divided

DIRECTIONS

• cook fettuccine according to package directions.  Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, combine the milk, cream cheese and spreadable cheese.  Cook and stir over medium heat until cheeses aer melted and mixture is smooth.  Stir in the turkey, broccoli, roasted peppers, 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese and pepper; heat through.
• Drain fettuccine and place in large serving bowl.  Top with turkey mixture; toss gently to coat.  Sprinkle with remaining Parmesan cheese.  

YIELD: 6 servings

Nutritional Facts1-1/3 cups equals 376 calories, 7 g fat (4 g saturated fat), 59 mg cholesterol, 461 mg sodium, 46 g carbohydrate, 4 g fiber, 32 g protein. Diabetic Exchanges: 3 lean meat, 2-1/2 starch, 1 vegetable, 1 fat.

Originally published as Creamy Turkey Fettuccine in Light & Tasty June/July 2006, p25

Cooler Weather means Comfort Food

With the return of cooler weather comes thoughts of comfort food.  However, the annual return to comfort foods need not mean a return to diet breaking calories.  Your favorite comfort foods can be made over in to better options.  You're eating healthier now, making better choices.  Your favorite stand by recipes can make better choices, too.  

Try these simple substitutions to slim down your cherished old comfort food recipes.
To save FAT & CALORIES:

• Fat-free milk
• Frozen reduced-fat whipped topping
• Lean/extra-lean ground beef or turkey
• Reduced-fat/fat-free mayo, salad dressing and evaporated milk
• Reduced-fat cheese and dairy products

To save SUGAR:

• canned fruit in extra-light syrup or juice
• Sugar-free instant pudding

To save SODIUM:

• Reduced-fat reduced-sodium condensed cream soup
• Reduced-sodium chicken or beef broth
• Reduced-sodium soy sauce
• Reduced-sodium taco seasoning

To Save CHOLESTEROL & SATURATED FAT:

• 2 egg whites for 1 whole egg in omelets and scrambled eggs
• No-yolk egg noodles
• Olive or canola oil to replace butter

Making simple substitutions as we cook or bake counts as better food choices.  Remember, this is a lifestyle change, not just a diet.  Thanks to the October/November 2012 issue of Taste Of Home Simple & Delicious for these tips.  

Visit TasteofHome.com and sign up free for more recipes that trim calories the easy way.