YumSugar

Swap Pasta For Spaghetti Squash This Week

Susannah Chen — Tue, 06 Mar 2012 10:57:54 PST

Before Spring officially arrives, now's the time to take advantage of spaghetti squash. Never worked with spaghetti squash before? Don't even be a little afraid: cooking with one is more intuitive than you'd think. And with a texture reminiscent of pasta, this vegetable is the perfect vehicle for a light olive oil and cheese dressing or any traditional pasta sauce. Watch the video to enjoy a "spaghetti" dish that's nutritious, wholesome, and gluten-free.

10 Dishes to Get You Excited For Fall

Katie Sweeney — Tue, 06 Sep 2011 09:55:28 PDT

I don't know about you, but I have a hard time dealing with the Summer to Fall transition. It makes me sad to say goodbye to warm nights, succulent barbecue, and plump berries. However, it's important to remember the months to come have plenty of fabulous fun to offer as well! Think slow-cooked meats, root vegetables, and decadent desserts. To encourage you to start imagining braises and soups, I've rounded up my favorite Fall recipes.

Is It a Tomato or Squash?

Katie Sweeney — Tue, 06 Sep 2011 03:50:28 PDT

In terms of produce, September is a time that straddles Summer and Fall. Late-season heirloom tomatoes are juicy and plump, while early-season butternut squash are way too tempting. To celebrate the plethora of produce that can be found in markets, I've put together this fun quiz. I'll list a variety of tomato or squash and you tell me which it is. Ready, set, go!

Source: Flickr User nim

Take the Quiz

In Season: Zucchini

Susannah Chen — Mon, 15 Aug 2011 09:47:50 PDT

We've been giving a lot of attention to berries, tomatoes, and corn this Summer, but that doesn't mean we've overlooked other vegetables at their peak. Case in point: zucchini, the slender Summer vegetable that's in abundance between May and August. Find out what we do with it when you read more.

A Reader Recipe: Bacon Ranch Squash Casserole

Fit Community — Wed, 20 Jul 2011 15:26:35 PDT

Don't be put off by the words "bacon" and "ranch"; this recipe from FitSugar reader VersaStick is a lightened version of bacon ranch squash casserole. She posted it in our Healthy Recipe group in the FitSugar community.

Read on for the full recipe!

Savory Sight: Delicieux at Ambiente

Yum Community — Thu, 24 Feb 2011 03:57:08 PST

Now that you know how to cook the perfect steak, aren't you curious to see how this bovine beauty's made across the map? Here, Julia Walsh shares how steak's done, the Frankfurt way.

A couple of weeks ago I attended the Ambiente design fair in Frankfurt, Germany, and as a journalist, I had full access to the Press Center there for the weekend. Aside from free wireless and happy hours with other international writers, my favorite part of the experience was lunch! The entrées at the Press Center were absolutely mouthwatering and I'm still dreaming of them. On my first day, I had this filet of beef with polenta and a wintry vegetable medley of bell peppers and zucchini. The little sprig of thyme was an adorable added touch!

Have your own delicieux food photos to share? Upload them in our community, and you may just be featured here on YumSugar!

Easy Sunday Dinner: Green Apple and Butternut Squash Casserole

Susannah Chen — Sun, 19 Dec 2010 05:30:17 PST

If you liked the unexpected pairing of butternut squash and panettone in a rustic Italian bread salad, then you'll love this unpredictable combination of squash with tart, bright green apples.

Skip the heavier, savory squash bread pudding or butternut-blended mac and cheese for a hearty meatless dish that also happens to be light.

Top the Winter produce pairing with pecans for added protein and a generous topping of bread crumbs to achieve a crisp crust. Want the recipe? Then read more.

A Reader Recipe: Stuffed Acorn Squash

Fit Community — Fri, 19 Nov 2010 14:00:26 PST

Check out this recipe for stuffed acorn squash with turkey and wild rice that FitSugar reader eatspinrunrepeat shared in the Healthy Recipe community group.

See the recipe when you

Originally posted at Eat, Spin, Run, Repeat.

For squash:

1 tsp agave nectar
1/8 tsp salt
1 acorn squash, halved and seeded (Note: Keep the seeds – you’ll need them for the stuffing!)

For stuffing:

Seeds of the acorn squash
Cooking spray
200g lean ground turkey
1 tsp olive oil
1/4 small onion, diced
1 stalk of celery, finely diced
1 clove minced garlic
1 tbsp chopped walnut pieces
2 tbsp dried cranberries, roughly chopped
3 tbsp wild rice
1 tsp dried thyme
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
2/3 cup water
2 tbsp orange juice

Preheat oven to 350°F. Cut acorn squash in half and scoop out the seeds. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil, and place the acorn squash, cut side up on top. Use a basting brush to coat the flesh with the agave nectar. Spread out the seeds on the aluminum foil next to the squash, and sprinkle the squash and seeds with salt. Roast the seeds for about 10 minutes, then remove them from the oven. Be careful not to burn them.

Continue roasting the squash for about 45-50 minutes, or until flesh is soft when pricked with a fork. (Note: If you don’t have enough time to do this, you can accelerate the process by zapping the squash in the microwave for 10 minutes. This will reduce the time needed for roasting to about 25 minutes.)

Meanwhile, coat small frying pan with cooking spray and brown the turkey. Remove from heat and set aside.

Heat olive oil in a medium saucepan and sauté the onion and celery until celery is slightly softened. Stir in garlic, walnuts, cranberries, rice, ½ tsp thyme, and season with black pepper. Cook for another minute.

Add water and orange juice, and lower heat to simmer. Cover the saucepan and allow the rice to cook for 20-25 mins. Check the pot every five minutes to ensure that the rice does not get stuck to the bottom.

When squash has finished roasting, take the baking sheet out of the oven. Add turkey back into the rice mixture and stir until heated throughout. Scoop the stuffing into each squash half, and sprinkle with remaining ½ tsp with thyme.

Cover the squash halves with foil and return the squash to the oven for 5 minutes. Place one half on each plate and serve.

Serves 2.

Nutrition per serving: 367 calories, 13g fat, 3g saturated fat, 65mg cholesterol, 125mg sodium, 42g carbs, 5g fiber, 6g sugar, 24g protein.

10 Healthy Thanksgiving Dishes

FitSugar — Thu, 18 Nov 2010 05:50:20 PST

While Thanksgiving may be about giving thanks, the holiday is centered around one big meal. Let me rephrase: one big gluttonous, fat-filled meal. For some that's OK. Since the holiday only comes once a year, they give themselves leeway to go overboard. If this isn't you, don't worry! We've got 10 dishes that will let you enjoy all the sweet and savory deliciousness of Thanksgiving, minus the calories and the fat.

How to Prep a Butternut Squash

Susannah Chen — Thu, 04 Nov 2010 09:45:49 PDT

Recently, I praised butternut squash for its mild sweetness and versatility - but I was surprised when so many of you said you'd never prepared one before, or find it hard to work with. Since it'd be a bummer to miss out on this Fall vegetable at home (unless you can afford $400 for an automated butternut squash peeler!), I thought I'd help you out with instructions on how to prep it yourself. Here's a step-by-step lesson.