Kitchen Adventures || Using What’s Left (Squash & Veggie Bowls)
Hey Friends! It’s Wednesday again! Isn’t it crazy how getting out of our normal routine can make us lose track so quickly? Speaking of routines, I think one of the things I’m struggling with the most during these mandates is grocery shopping and cooking.
If you’re like us, we are trying to minimize our shopping trips as much as possible. Not only to minimize our own potential exposure, but to make it easier for others to minimize theirs as well. I have so many comments I could make on how many people I see that have no regard for others and make no attempt to distance, but I’ll save that for another rant post.
ANYWAY, I used to do 1 big weekly trip and then make several small trips throughout the week for additional items, but lately I’ve been trying to cut it to once every other week. Two weeks of groceries is a LOT of food and for a household like ours where our basket is generally about 70% fresh produce (Yes, really. No, we aren’t vegetarian… we just eat a ton of veggies) it’s been tough to figure out how to make that work.
My first attempt at buying two weeks of produce resulting in me having to toss some of it out. Tossing out food hurts my heart. Tossing out produce I didn’t even get to hurts my SOUL. We’ve been so slammed I just wasn’t able to cook what I had intended. I always try to use what I can, even if it’s not at it’s best and that’s why the ingredients in this recipe came together, but the outcome was so good I’ll definitely make this again!
I planned a little better on this last trip. I didn’t cut back at all on my produce list, but I lined out several freezer meals that used a lot of it before it will even have the chance to go bad. Stay tuned for some of those recipes coming up!
Enjoy, guys!
INGREDIENTS
1 Large Spaghetti Squash – cooked well and mashed
1 Red Bell pepper – diced
1 Small Yellow Onion – Diced
3 Carrots – peeled and thinly sliced
3-4 Handfuls of kale – ribs removed and torn into chunks
3 Cloves of garlic – minced
1 package Force of Nature Wild Boar (or ground turkey sausage, ground chicken, or ground pork)
Oil for cooking
1 TBSP Italian Seasoning (or the equivalent combined of basil, oregano, and thyme)
Salt & Pepper to taste
INSTRUCTIONS
Choose your cooking method for the spaghetti squash. Cook time is kind ofup to you. I wanted more of a mashed texture vs the “noodle” texture you can get from spaghetti squash so I cooked a little longer. I used my instant pot – cut the squash in half and scoop out the seeds. Coat lightly with olive oil. Place on the trivet with a cup of water in the pot. Close and seal the valve on the lid. 5 minutes on high pressure and 10 minute natural release. For more of a “noodle” texture, vent the valve and remove after the 5 minutes.
If using the oven – preheat to 400. Cut the squash in half and remove the seeds. Poke a few holes in the skin side with a fork and coat the flesh side lightly with olive oil. Place face down on a baking sheet and bake until desired texture. About 30 minutes for the “noodles” and up to 50 for a mashed texture.
Heat a little oil in a pan over medium high heat. Add the meat you are using. Season with salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning and cook, breaking it up into small pieces until browned. Removed from pan and set aside.
Add the onion, carrots, and peppers along with a little oil if needed. Saute until they begin to soften. Add the garlic and the kale and cook, stirring frequently until the kale reaches the desired texture and has a bright green flavor. Add the meat back to the pan and mix well. Taste and adjust seasoning as desired.
Once the squash has finished, remove and let it cool until you can handle it. Then, scrape out the “noodles” or scoop into a bowl and use a fork to lightly mash. Divide it into your serving or storage bowls and top with the meat and veggie mixture.
That’s it! I was able to rescue some of my veggies and create a delicious, healthy dish!