Spaghetti Squash Quinoa Veggie Bake

So I've been trying to eat healthier lately and as a result have been checking out some veggies I hadn't really tried before.

Spaghetti Squash... sounded interesting... Tawny said it was good... why not?

So I picked one up.

But what the heck am I supposed to do with it?

I started browsing recipes and found one on Artsy-Foodie.

Spaghetti Squash PLUS quinoa?! Wow! This totally fills the bill! So that was the base for this recipe.

As you can tell, I haven't really been blogging lately, so I didn't take the step by step pics I usually have. But this recipe is just way too good not to share!

Spaghetti Squash Quinoa Veggie Bake (printable recipe)

4 C cooked spaghetti squash (1 squash)
2 C cooked quinoa (cooked in veggie stock)
16 oz lowfat cottage cheese (I used Fiber One)
1/4 C chopped bell pepper
1/2 C chopped onion
2 large garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 C chopped mushrooms
1 can Rotel, drained
4 eggs, lightly beaten
4 egg whites, lightly beaten
8 oz shredded pepper jack cheese
1 TBLS herbs (I used Penzeys Fox Point)
drizzle of olive oil

Preheat oven to 375F.

Pour a drizzle of olive oil into a medium skillet and cook peppers, onions, garlic and mushrooms until tender. In a large bowl mix cooked veggies with all remaining ingredients. Pour into a greased lasagna pan. Bake 1 hour 15 minutes or until it's set and golden.

This smelled amazing while it was cooking. I really didn't know what to expect for the flavor. I figured it would be kinda frittata-like... and it was. But it was also hearty and light all at the same time. The mushrooms were savory. It had a bit of mild spice to it from the pepper jack and the Rotel. It was moist and creamy and satisfying.

Add a nice crisp salad and this is a perfect meal. And crazy healthy! When I was looking for cottage cheese, I found some by Fiber One. More fiber? Yes please!

This makes 8 hearty servings.
311 Calories
14.3g Fat
1.3g Saturated Fat
28.2g Carbs
5.8g Fiber
8.3g Sugar
20.1g Protein
8 WWPlus points

This would also make 16 or more delicious appetizer servings.

Wicked Good! Wicked Healthy! It was so good, that I sat down to post this right after dinner!

Why don't I eat like this more often??

Lighter Nacho Cups

Like everyone else, I'm trying to lighten up. (I was especially off track this holiday season!)

This month's BakeSpace Challenge was to lighten up a favorite "oh so bad for you" recipe.

I knew right away I'd be using this recipe. Because I toggle back and forth between the naughty version and the healthy version, depending on my mood!

So here are the Lighter Nacho Cups!



Lighter Nacho Cups

This just builds one hearty portion

1 oz Baked Tostitos Scoops (approx 14 chips)
4 oz extra lean ground turkey
your favorite taco seasonings
1/4 C Refried Beans
(green chilies & lime juice)
1/4 C Sargento Shredded Mexican Blend Cheese
2 TBLS Salsa
1 TBLS light sour cream
5 or 6 Jalapeno Slices
a few good shakes Chipotle Tabasco

Cook turkey w/taco seasonings. Heat beans with green chilies & lime juice.
Place chips on a plate (for microwave) or pan (for oven). Fill chip cups with 4 oz seasoned ground turkey.
Add beans to each chip cup.
Sprinkle evenly with shredded cheese.
Pop into the microwave or oven until cheese is melty.
Top with salsa, jalapenos, light sour cream and some Chipotle Tabasco!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Cook turkey w/taco seasonings.






Heat beans with green chilies & lime juice.
mmmmm.... so creamy!!


Place chips on a plate.


Fill chip cups with 4 oz seasoned ground turkey.


Add beans to each chip cup.


Sprinkle evenly with shredded cheese.


Pop into the microwave or oven until cheese is melty.


They don't get gooey melty, like full fat cheese. They totally will melt and stick together though!

Top with salsa, jalapenos, and some Chipotle Tabasco!




Mmmmm..... Smoky Chipotle Tabasco!! I LOVE this stuff!!!!


YUM! Ready to eat!!! (yeah... I got half way through them before I realized I forgot the light sour cream... not to worry, I added it! There's just not pic)




You can also add whatever nacho veggies you like... would you prefer fresh diced tomato & onion & lettuce... maybe some black olives? A tablespoon or two of guacamole (hey... that's good fat)

Ok.... so.... if I had made these with lean ground beef (instead of XL ground turkey), full fat cheese & sour cream they would have come in at:
707 calories
44 g fat
19 g saturated fat
39 g carbs
37 g protein

My super yummy still super satisfying version comes in at:
400 calories
12 g fat
5 g saturated fat
34 g carbs
40 g protein

Savings?
307 calories
32 g fat
14 g saturated fat
5 g carbs
PLUS 3 g protein

I could have gone FF on the refried beans... but they don't have much fat per serving anyway... and the FF refried beans have more carbs... so I'll take a smidgey of fat over extra carbs =)

I saved enough calories to have a margarita!!!!