Pumpkin, Sausage & Spinach Calzones

I came across a recipe for pumpkin, sausage and spinach calzones in some magazine. Since I couldn't pin it, I lost track of the actual recipe. But what I ended up making was pretty stinking good. Totally delicious. Decently healthy. Yummy goodness.  

I decided on using the spicy/hot Italian chicken sausage from Sprouts. I like a little kick, but if that's not your thing, sweet Italian sausage would work too. Of course, you can go with turkey, pork, or whatever meat you like. You can also use your cheese of choice. I went with a white extra sharp cheddar. Again, I like things that have a little extra bite or whatever. For time's sake, I rounded up a recipe for no-yeast WW pizza crust from Kristin in Her Kitchen. I also saved some time by using frozen chopped spinach. 

Pumpkin, Sausage & Spinach Calzones

Ingredients for the crust:

1 1/2 cups WW flour

1/2 cup AP flour

1 tsp garlic salt

2 tsp baking powder

3/4 cup water

1/4 cup EVOO

Ingredients for the filling:

EVOO

8 oz Italian sausage

2 cups frozen chopped spinach

Salt & pepper

4 heaping TBSP pureed pumpkin

3-4 oz cheese, shredded 

Directions:

• Preheat the oven to 450*F and grab a non-stick cookie sheet.
• In a large bowl, combine the dry ingredients for the crust; whisk together. Add the water and EVOO. Mix well. Set aside.
• In a saute pan, add some EVOO and heat it up on high. Add the sausage. Cook thoroughly. Remove the sausage from the pan. Turn the heat down to low.
• Add a tad bit more EVOO to the pan (may not be necessary if you're using a sausage with more fat). Add the spinach, salt & pepper. Saute for a couple minutes, or until the spinach is warmed up. Remove from heat.
• Divide your dough for the crust into 4 equal parts. Roll out into like 7-8" circles. Place 1 heaping TBSP of pumpkin and spread it around (leave about 1/4" around the edges). Divide up the spinach, sausage, and cheese between the circles. Fold each circle over. Use a fork and go around the edges to seal them. 
• Place the calzones on your cookie sheet. You can spread a little EVOO on top. Bake for about 15 minutes, or until slightly golden. 

Enjoy!

Butternut Squash & Spinach Quesadillas

Another successful Meatless Monday! I adapted these delicious quesadillas from the Pioneer Woman, making them a little healthier and much simpler to make. I don't know about you, but I don't like waiting around for butternut squash to roast in the oven. I've become a huge fan of the frozen kind that I found at Sprouts. I also ended up using spinach that chopped and frozen, so it took no time at all to steam both the butternut squash and spinach together in my Pampered Chef steamer thing. I did take the time to make my own whole wheat tortillas, but that is totally optional. 

The mother and I thought they were quite delicious. The brother, surprisingly, didn't complain too much. He just said they tasted "insanely healthy." The recipe I have made 3 generously filled quesadillas, so adjust it to your needs. Enjoy!


Butternut Squash & Spinach Quesadillas

Ingredients:
2 cups cubed butternut squash
3 cups chopped spinach
4 oz Monterey Jack cheese, shredded/grated
Salt, pepper & chili powder to taste 
6 whole wheat tortillas (click here for recipe) 
Cilantro, for serving

Directions:

• Preheat a griddle to about 400 degrees. Prepare with cooking spray.
• Steam butternut squash, spinach, salt, pepper, and chili powder until the squash is soft.
• Assemble quesadillas, one at a time. Begin by spreading about 3/4 cup of the squash/spinach mixture on a tortilla, sprinkle with cheese, and top with another tortilla.
• Place the quesadillas on the hot griddle and cook for about a minute on each side.

Stuffed Bell Peppers

I've been trying to do a little more "creative" cooking here lately.  The goal is to use what we have on hand and/or what's on sale at Sunflower for the week.  I don't really like this.  I'm very "type A" and I like to have very specific plans and directions.  I don't like not knowing how what I'm making is going to turn out.  But I'm trying.  And it's been successful.  These stuffed bell peppers came about because I had a tomato and onion that needed used.  I also have a stockpile of ground turkey.  And quinoa.  And shredded cheese.  The peppers were on sale.  Despite never have making anything of the sort before, they turned out really well.  I probably would have been fine with just using quinoa or quinoa and beans, but the brother made me promise to put meat in them!  So I used ground turkey, but ground beef would also be acceptable.  They don't look super pretty... kind of like puke inside a pepper... I promise it tasted MUCH better!  Here you go:

Stuffed Bell Peppers

Ingredients:

1  lb. ground turkey or whatever you like

1  c quinoa

3  c low-sodium broth or stock of your choosing

1  small onion, chopped

2  cloves garlic 

1  Roma tomato, chopped (mine was big, so you might want 2)

Spices to taste (I opted for cumin and coriander) 

Green bell peppers, halved (I only used 3, but there's easily enough stuffing for 6.  I froze 1/2.) 

Shredded cheese of choice (I like mozzarella, but we had fiesta blend)  

Directions:

Cut your peppers in half and clean them out.  Place them in a baking dish and pour 1 cup of the broth/stock AROUND them.  Heat the oven to like 350.  Start cooking the quinoa in 2 cups of the broth/stock.  Once it starts to boil, turn the heat down and let it simmer until the liquid is absorbed...then get it off the heat.  Brown your meat, and then add in the onion and garlic.  Cook until the onions are pretty soft.  You may need to add some EVOO (I think I did).  Once the quinoa and meat and all is done, mix it together; add the tomato.  Make sure you've put your spices in there somewhere!  Now, fill up your pepper halves.  Sprinkle with cheese.  Put them in the oven and let them bake!  I left mine in for 20 minutes, which meant that everything was warm, but the peppers were still a little crunchy.  I liked it.  For softer peppers, just leave them in there a little longer.  Enjoy!   

Crouton Crusted Chicken

This evening we enjoyed crouton crusted chicken with a nice salad on the side.  The brother said it was very "satisfying."  (That's very impressive coming from a teenage 6'4" boy.)  I found the chicken to be particularly tender and juicy.  This was a very simple and quick meal, although you do have to plan ahead! 

Crouton Crusted Chicken

Ingredients:

Buttermilk (low fat)

Chicken breasts or tenders

Fat-free seasoned croutons

Directions:

Take your thawed chicken breasts and flatten them out (to about 1/2" thick) with a meat tenderizer.    Then, put them in a zip-loc bag with buttermilk (enough to cover the chicken).  Let this sit in the fridge for at least 6 hours or overnight.  When you're ready to cook dinner, set the oven to 450.  Get your baking sheet out and line it with foil (I sprayed too).  Grab your bag of croutons and smash them!  (Or use a good food processor.)  Place the crushed croutons in a pie plate or something similar.  Take your chicken out and thoroughly coat it with the crumbs; place on baking sheet.  Bake for 10-15 minutes or until cooked thoroughly. Make sure to turn them about halfway through. 

The salad is simply a couple of Roma tomatoes and a cucumber cut up with feta cheese crumbs and Greek vinaigrette.  I would have liked some black olives too, but there were none to be found in the pantry.