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!

Blood Orange Cranberry Muffins

          

          I recently spent a few days in Portsmouth, NH for a little weekend getaway and spa trip! This was much needed after working the holiday and holiday weekend (yes dietitians are that important they need to work on Christmas!).

       

        During my trip to Portsmouth I made a stop at Stonewall Kitchen, or as I like to call it "foodie heaven". I probably spent a good half hour in there browsing and came across Blood Orange Marmalade which gave me a little inspiration for a yummy seasonal muffin using blood oranges and cranberries.

        If you have never tried blood oranges, you are missing out! Their high anthocyanin/ antioxidant content gives them their bright red/maroon color. They are also high in Vitamin C, making them the perfect food for fighting and preventing that winter cold! Blood oranges (also called Moro) taste similar to Navel oranges but have a sweeter berry flavor.

          

         

        For the muffins I balanced the sweetness from the blood oranges with tart cranberries. The added cranberries make these muffins an antioxidant powerhouse and the perfect combination of sweet and tart. I added the marmalade to the middle of the muffins as a sweet fun surprise. By doing this I was able to cut back on the added sugars in the muffin mix. These Blood Orange Cranberry Muffins make for a delicious breakfast, snack or dessert this winter season!

Blood Orange Cranberry Muffins

Ingredients

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 eggs, slightly beaten
• 1/2 cup blood orange juice
• 1/2 cup milk, fat-free
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 2 Tablespoons blood orange zest
• 1/2 cup coconut sugar, or brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup fresh or frozen cranberries (can substitute with dried cranberries)
• 1/4 cup blood orange marmalade (can substitute with orange marmalade)

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Lightly grease muffin tin with oil spray or line with paper liners.
2. In a medium size bowl, whisk together flours, baking powder and salt.
3. In a standing mixer mix together eggs, juice, milk, oil, zest, sugar and vanilla extract. Then fold in cranberries.
4. Fill each muffin tin 1/3 full with batter, then add 1 teaspoon of marmalade, then layer on more batter to fill each muffin tin approximately 2/3 full.
5. Bake in preheated oven for 20-25 minutes or until inserted toothpick comes out clean.
6. Let muffins cool for 5 minutes then remove and place on wire rack to finish cooling.

Maple Pecan Kettle Corn

    

       This month's Recipe ReDux theme is "Grab a Book and Cook". Recipe redux is celebrating its 42 months of recipes by asking everyone to pick there favorite cookbook and ReDux the recipe on either page 42 or 142.  My recent favorite cookbooks is Giada DeLaurentis's newest cookbook "Feel Good Food". It is full of healthy takes on her favorite recipes as well as fun beauty tips! 

   I decided on the recipe on page 142,  "Cinnamon Kettle Corn".  Popcorn is one of my favorite snacks, low in calories and high in fiber!  Kettle corn is a perfect sweet and salty treat, but can be high in fat and sugar. Giada's recipe slims down the calories a bit which I love. For a fun twist I decided to go with a more Christmas inspired version using maple syrup, cinnamon, nutmeg and pecans.
 

     
             I have to admit I have never made my own popcorn before, mostly because I thought you needed an air popper. But I was wrong! After some research I found that you can cook popcorn right on the stove in a sauté pan which is perfect because I am sick of spending over 4 dollars for a bag of popcorn when making ti from scratch will cost me less than 25 cents a bag!

     My Maple Pacan Kettle Corn is simple and cheap to make and is the perfect holiday snack or holiday gift. Just store in a Mason jar ans share with family and friends!

Maple Pecan Kettle Corn
servings: 8 (1 cup servings)

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup popcorn kernels
• 3 tablespoons canola oil
• 1/3 cup maple syrup
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/3 cup pecans, roasted

Directions:

1. In a large heavy bottom non-stick sauté pan on medium heat, warm up oil with 3 kernels of popcorn. Then cover pan with a lid. Once kernels start to pop add in remaining kernels plus syrup and spices, mix to coat kernels then replace lid.

2. Shake kernels frequently to prevent sticking and burning. Once kernels start to pop continue to shake pan for about 5 minutes or until popping slows down. Turn off heat. Once kernels stop popping, slowly remove lid (be careful of hot steam that will escape). Remove from sauté pan and place into a bowl to cool. Mix in roasted pecans.

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Oatmeal Cranberry Pistachio Cookies

     Happy Holidays! 'Tis the season for delicious sweets and baked goods! Cookies make a great easy treat for a holiday party or gift for friends and co-workers.  I got started early this year and began whipping up my first batch of holiday cookies this weekend to share with my co-workers. My favorite oatmeal cookie recipe got a bit of a makeover. To make them a bit more healthy I cut back on some of the fat and sugar and added a couple of my favorite ingredients; pistachios and dried cranberries.

        Pistachios are quickly becoming a staple in my kitchen for a quick healthy snack and an ingredient in baking and savory dishes. They are a tree nut like almonds, cashews and walnuts and are packed with mono-unsaturated fats, protein, vitamins and antioxidants. Did you know that pistachios yeild the most nuts per one ounce sering, you can eat about 49 nuts in comparision to about 23 for almonds, and all for only 160 calories! Pistachios contain a sweet and nutty flavor making them perfect in baked good and sweets. Their green color also make them a great addition to a holiday treat.

      Nothing says Merry Christmas more than these cookies. You can feel good about giving your friends, family, or co-workers something that is both healthy and delicious this holiday season! Happy baking!

Oatmeal Cranberry Pistachio Cookies

Makes 18-24 cookies

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups old fashioned oats
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon canola or vegetable oil
• 1/4 cup applesauce
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/2 cup craisins
• 1/2 cup pistachios, unshelled and roughly chopped

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Combine dry ingredients; oats, flours, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon.
3. Combine wet ingredients; oil, applesauce, egg, and vanilla. Mix wet ingredients into dry ingredients.
4. Fold in craisins and pistachios.
5. Bake for 12-15 minutes.

Pumpkin Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies

            When I am on the go I always have healthy snacks with me.  As my husband can attest I am the first to complain when I get hungry. Having snacks on hand is key to preventing my hanger!

            One of my favorite snacks is my low calorie oatmeal cookies, I've spiced them up a bit for the season by using pumpkin puree and pumpkin spice. What makes these cookies so great is that they are portable and portion controlled. The secret ingredient in this recipe is the applesauce, which I used instead of oil to cut down the fat calories and also help moisten and bind the cookies. 

           These cookies also make for an easy breakfast, just enjoy on the go with a yogurt or a hard boiled egg and a piece of fruit!

Pumpkin Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies

Makes about 18 cookies

Ingredients

• 1 cup old fashioned oats
• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon pumpkin spice
• 1/2 cup pumpkin puree 
• 1/2 cup coconut sugar or brown sugar
• 1/2 cup applesauce, no added sugar
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a large bowl mix together oats, flour, baking powder and salt.
3. In a medium bowl mix together pumpkin, sugar and applesauce.
4. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and mix to combine.
5. Fold in cranberries.
6. Bake for 10-12 minutes.