Veggie-fied Spaghetti Squash Bake

Seems like I've been getting bombarded from all sides with Kale!  I know it's great for you but it's suddenly in my face all the time, so I have been trying to figure out new yummy ways to use it.  One of my trainers sent me a chili recipe the other day - it included kale & broccoli. Yep, Chili - with kale and broccoli.  It was amazingly delish.  My cousin sent me a link to a spaghetti squash bake she found on pinterest.  It looked pretty good, but I knew I could make it better, and here's what I came up with!

 

You'll need:

3 cups kale

1 small spaghetti squash (yields about 2 cups cooked squash)

5oz ground turkey (93/7)

4-5 chopped mushrooms

1/2 cup white kidney beans (drained/rinsed)

1 can no salt added diced tomatoes
1 can no salt added tomato sauce - 8oz can
seasonings - I used garlic powder, salt substitute, mrs dash tomato basil garlic
1/4 cup part skim mozzarella cheese
1tbsp reduced fat parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 350.
Spray 8x8 baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.
Brown turkey - season with all seasonings - to taste.  Set aside in a bowl.
Poke holes with a knife in spaghetti squash - cook in microwave for 8-12 minutes, until tender.  Cut in half, carefully - will be hot. Remove Seeds.  Shred with a fork (will resemble 'noodles') - put in bowl with turkey.
Sautee mushrooms for about a minute - add kale.  Sautee until it wilts down a bit (3 cups shrink up after a few minutes).  Add tomatoes & beans, season to taste with all seasonings.
When kale is cooked, remove from heat - add to squash & turkey in bowl.
Add Tomato Sauce & 1/2 of the Mozzarella.
Mix well.
Place in baking dish.  Top with remaining mozzarella and parmesan.
Bake for 30 minutes. 
Makes 4 servings.

Per serving:
180 Calories
5g Fat
21g Carbs
5g Fiber
14g Protein
203mg Sodium

 



Berries & Cream Protein Rich Muffins!

So I saw a recipe for some 'strawberry shortcake muffins' that looked

good, but I knew I could improve upon it and tweak it to my 'needs'!

 

These muffins are super tasty, low in carbs & calories, high in protein, and flour free!  They have some old fashioned oats & berries in them so they are full of good carbs.  These would make a perfect breakfast (I'd eat two of them for breakfast) or a great snack!!  You could even have them for dessert and top them with a little vanilla icecream or cool whip (sugar free or fat free if you like!).

 

You'll need:

1 1/4 cup old fashioned oats

3 scoops vanilla protein powder (I used Body Fortress)

2 large eggs

1 cup plain greek yogurt

1-2 tsp stevia (to taste)

2tsp reduced sodium baking powder

1/4 cup water

1 1/2 cups mixed berries (I used Wyman's triple berry blend w/ blackberries, blueberries, and raspberries)

 

Preheat oven to 400.

Line muffin tin with paper liners - spray with baking spray (to allow them to be removed from the muffins more easily)

In a blender combine all ingredients (except for berries).  Blend until a batter is formed.

Pour into bowl, fold in berries.

Divide into 12 muffin cups.

Bake 20-25 minutes.

 

Per muffin:

98 Calories

2g Fat

10g carbs

1g Fiber

11g Protein

85mg Sodium

 

and here's a video I always think of when I hear berries & cream!