Spaghetti Squash Cheddar Bites

             This may be one of my favorite posts just because it's all about cheese!! Yes, I admit cheese is one of my favorite foods. Cheese, in moderation, makes a great high protein snack and can add a ton of flavor and creaminess to dishes.  Cheddar cheese is one of my top favorite cheeses, because a little goes a long way with flavor and the sharper the better!  Also, did you know cheddar cheese is naturally lactose free? So those of you with lactose intolerance can indulge as well! 

         I was lucky enough to receive free samples from Cabot Farm to do some recipe testing. I love that Cabot is a local sustainable family-farmer owned cooperative with more than 1200 farms throughout New England and New York.

      

     Cabot is challenging us to come up with a healthier appetizer or snack using Cabot Cheddar cheese. The Super Bowl (Go Patriots!!) and my love for mac and cheese were the inspiration for my healthier Spaghetti Squash Cheddar Bites. I wanted a healthy finger food that would please just about anyone. These cheddar bites definitely are a crowd pleaser.  Using spaghetti squash instead of macaroni helps cut down on the carbohydrates and calories and the sharp cheddar brings in a ton of flavor and protein. Cooking them in a muffin tin also helps with portion control. Each bite is only 75 calories! 

Spaghetti Squash Cheddar Bites

Makes: 12; Servings: 6

Ingredients

• 1 medium spaghetti squash
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• salt/pepper to taste
• 6 ounces Cabot Extra Sharp Cheddar Cheese, shredded
• 1/4 cup onion, diced
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1 egg, slightly beaten
• olive oil spray
• 1/4 whole wheat bread crumbs
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika

Directions
1. Preheat oveen to 425 degrees. Cut spaghetti squash in half lengthwise and remove seeds. Place on baking sheet cut side up. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook for 35-40 minutes or until tender.
2. While spaghetti squash is baking.  In a medium saute pan on medium heat add 1 tablespoon olive oil and saute onions for 3 minutes or until translucent. Add garlic and cook for another 30 seconds or until frangrent. Set aside.
3. In a small bowl mix together Dijon mustard and egg.
4. Once spaghetti squash is cooked remove from oven and turn oven heat down to 375 degrees. Let squash cool for 10 minutes then shred with a fork, then add shredded squash to colander to drain any water then pat dry with paper towel. (This is key to prevent the squash from being to soggy!)
5. In a large bowl mix together squash, with egg mixture, then add in onions and cheese and mix to combine.
6. Spray muffin tin with olive oil spray. Add equal amounts of squash mixture to each muffin tin. Sprinkle with breadcrumbs and paprika.
7. Bake mixture for 20 minutes. Then place muffin tin on top rack and broil for 2-3 minutes.

Nutrition (per 2 bites): 154 Calories, 12 g carbohydrate, 9 g protein, 10g fat

Disclosure: I received free samples of Cabot Cheese mentioned in this post. By posting this recipe I am entering a recipe challenge sponsored by Cabot Creamery and am eligible to win prizes. I was not additionally compensated for my time.

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Pears with Pistachio Goat Cheese and Fig Butter

           If I haven't mentioned this already, one of my biggest pet peeves is food waste. I hate having to throw away food that has gone bad, it's a waste of money and food that could have been enjoyed! So when I am trying to come up with a last minute snack or meal I usually end up using random ingredients left over in my pantry or fridge. And, most of the time, my creations come out pretty delicious!  
        This time I was trying to come up with a quick appetizer for a family New Years party and had a bunch of pears that needed to be used up. Pears are a great seasonal snack, but I wanted to spice them up a bit and so was born these sweet and savory pear bites!  For something savory I added goat cheese and pistachios and for natural sweetness I used some leftover fig butter. Who says cheese needs to go on crackers anyway? All in all these tasty seasonal snacks are packed with flavor and texture and make a easy appetizer for your next dinner party.
     

Pears with Pistachio Goat Cheese and Fig Butter

Ingredients

• 3 pears, cut into 1/4 inch slices
• 4 ounces goat cheese
• 1/2 cup fig butter
• 1/4 cup pistachios, crushed

Directions:

1. For each pear slice, spread on 1 teaspoon goat cheese, 1 teaspoon fig butter and sprinkle on 1/2  teaspoon pistachios.

If you don't have these ingredients you could substitute another soft cheese (i.e. brie, light cream cheese, or Neufchatel etc.) for goat cheese; apples for pears; apple butter or pumpkin butter for fig butter; and crushed walnuts or pecans for pistachios. Be creative and let me know what you come up with!

Corn and Pea Fritters with Cilantro Lime Dipping Sauce

I am always looking for time saving solutions in the kitchen. Libby’s is coming out with new Vegetable Pouches that are shelf stable, stored in environmentally friendly packaging and are microwavable. Because Libby’s pouches can be stored at room temperature they take only a minute to microwave, easy for a quick side dish or addition to appetizer, salad or soup!

  Libby’s was nice enough to send me some free samples to test and make a recipe with. For my recipe I used their Sweet Corn and Sweet Pea pouches to make a Corn and Pea Fritter. The recipe takes all of 3 minutes to prepare and 5 minutes to cook. While the recipe was cooking I put together a cilantro lime dipping sauce made with Greek yogurt and avocado. This recipe is both sweet and spicy and made for a quick appetizer to keep everyone satisfied until the main course was ready!  These fritters are also made healthier by cooking them in a lightly greased pan versus frying them.  

Corn and Pea Fritters        

Servings: 4 (2 fritters per serving)

Ingredients:

• 1 pouch Libby’s Sweet Corn, drained and washed
• ½ pouch Libby’s Sweet Peas, drained and washed
• 2 tablespoons onion, minced
• ¼ cup all-purpose flour
• ¼ cup parmesan cheese
• 1 egg
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• vegetable oil spray

Directions:

1. Add all ingredients into a large bowl. Mix to combine.

2. Lightly coat sauté pan turned on medium heat with vegetable oil. Spoon ¼ cup of mixture on pan, press to flatten. Cook each fritter for 2-3 minutes on each side or until golden brown.

 

Cilantro Lime Dip

Ingredients

• 5.3 ounce container of 0% plain Greek yogurt
• ½ avocado
• juice of ½ lime
• 1 jalapeno, minced
• ¼ cup cilantro leaves

Directions

1. Add all ingredients to a food processor.

2. Process until smooth.

“I received free samples of Libby’s new Vegetable Pouches mentioned in this post. By posting this recipe I am entering a recipe contest sponsored by Libby’s and am eligible to win prizes associated with the contest. I was not compensated for my time.”

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