Tag Archive for squash

Restaurant Worthy Side Dish!

Most of you know by now that I love squash!  All squash, but especially summer squash!  Lucky for me, it is summer, and all those summer squashes are plentiful.  The yellow is my favorite!

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About a year ago, we celebrated my dad’s birthday at a great restaurant in San Antonio called Bohanan’s.  It is a wonderful special occasion restaurant if you have not tried it!  Most of my family would consider themselves foodies, and really enjoy a great meal.  I am no exception!  You can always count on having a great meal at Bohanan’s.  Not only do they have some of the best steaks in Texas (which is saying a lot), but they have great seafood and side dishes as well.  One of my favorite side dishes we were served that evening was their Baked Squash.  It is melt in your mouth delicious, with just the right amount of savory paired with the sweet.  The sugar in ours is, of course, replaced with Swerve or natural sweetener of your choice.

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Just a few weeks after my father’s birthday, I found the squash recipe in our local Sunday paper.  I just love restaurants that publish their prized recipes!  It was so close to being Keto, that I knew I could tweak it to make it healthier for our family without the sugar and flour.  I think I have mastered it enough to share:

 

Sweet Life Baked Squash

Serves 10-12 (Can half, but saves great for leftovers)

3.5 lbs yellow summer squash

1/2 brick of Kerry Gold butter (extra for top)

20 slices of Kraft cheese

4-5 tsp of Swerve granular

1 cup mayonnaise

1/2 tsp Celtic salt

2 tsp fresh ground black pepper

4 eggs

Almond Flour for top

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees, and gather your ingredients.

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Start by washing the squash, trimming off the ends, and cubing it.

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Place your squash in a large saucepan and cover with water and a pinch of salt.

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Boil for about 10 minutes until tender when pierced with a fork.

Drain in a colander, place back in the pan, and cook over medium heat to release more of the moisture in the squash. Stir for a few minutes, and then remove from heat.  Most (not all) of the moisture should be evaporated from the pan at this point.

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Stir in your Kerrygold, Kraft cheese, Swerve, mayonnaise, salt, and pepper.

Mix until all the cheese is melted.

Beat the eggs lightly in a small bowl, and temper them by adding a small amount of the squash mixture.  Then pour them into the pan, and mix well.  It will look super runny, but it will firm up when you bake it.

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Pour your mixture into a 9×13 baking dish sprayed with coconut oil.

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Top with a sprinkle of Almond Flour and a few dabs of additional Kerrygold.

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Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.

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This dish goes great with any kind of bar-b-que, hamburger patties, steak, fish – really anything.  I was going to serve it with some brisket, but my husband was in the mood for burger patties so that is what you see.

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I hope you enjoy this great side dish with your next summer meal!  Enjoy!

 

Stuffed Low-Carb Yellow Squash

A Savory Summer Side!

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Perfect for the summer time veggie season!

This is super easy, and so delicious anyone in your family will love it!  Even my picky 4 year old will at least eat out the stuffing!

Ingredients:

5 yellow (summer) squash

1 zucchini squash, steamed, cooked and diced

2 eggs

3/4 cup Parmesan cheese + additional to top squash

1/3 cup melted butter + 2 Tbsp (not melted)

1 bunch green onion

4 Tbsp almond flour

1 tsp oregano

1 tsp garlic powder

Salt & pepper to taste

Instructions:

Start with your yellow squash by washing and cutting off the ends.  Then cut in half lengthwise.

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One squash = two servings.

Lay them cut-side up in a glass pyrex baking dish.  Fill the bottom of the dish with water so you can steam the squash until softened.

IMG_0736Microwave on high for 4 minutes.  Check them after this time…if they are still hard in the middle, then keep cooking them on high in 2 minute increments until they are soft enough to scoop, but not mushy.

When they are tender, remove them and let them cool a bit or you will burn off the tips of your fingers. Maybe not, but it will hurt!

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When they are cool enough to handle, use a soup spoon, and start hulling out the inside of the squash. Hull all but one half – leaving this one to chop finely.  Be careful not to poke all the way through.  Place the squash you have removed into a mixing bowl, and your now empty “boats” onto a cookie sheet.

Finely chop one half of one yellow squash into small bits, along with one zucchini squash that you have also steamed and finely diced.  Now, you will see a lot of water in the bottom of the bowl.  Try to drain as much of this as possible or it will be too runny.  I press and drain 3 or 4 times.  You could use a mesh colander for this also.  It is okay to be moist, but you don’t want standing water at the bottom of the bowl.

Once most of the water is removed, I use a sharp knife and run it through the squash in the bowl to break up the membranes in the squash.  This is not an exact science.  Just break up the larger pieces that you scooped out.

Add your eggs, 3/4 cup Parmesan cheese, 1/3 cup melted butter, finely chopped green onion with some of the green tops included.  Then add 2 Tbsp of almond flour and your seasonings.  Mix well!

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Use the mixture to fill your squash “boats” so it is slightly heaping.

IMG_0742Lightly sprinkle with the additional 2 Tbsp of almond flour, put a pat of additional butter on top and finish with as much Parmesan cheese as you desire.  I have also topped with mozzarella cheese as well.  Both are delicious!

Bake in the oven for 25 minutes at 350 degrees, and you have an amazing side dish!

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Enjoy!

 

Sprouts; Your Source for Supplements!

 

IMG_0683I always make my Sprouts run on Wednesdays because it is double ad day, meaning you get all of last week’s sales, plus the sale prices on the items for the following week!  It is usually a really great deal for produce.  Not everyone wants to make the trek over to 1-10 and Callaghan or 281 and 1604, but this week is worth it!  All supplements are 25% off, and if you spend more than $100 you get an additional 10% off.  This also includes items like Jay Robb Whey Protein and Stevia products!  It is worth the trip this week!

 

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I got some great products on sale today and stocked up on:

Bulk Cashews (only in moderation folks)

Bulk Coconut

Grass Fed Whole Milk for the kids

Organic Celery

Cilantro and tomatoes to make another batch of salsa

Summer squash and zucchini (on sale – I always stock up)

All colors of bell peppers (on sale – stock up)

Green onion to use in a stuffing I make for the yellow squash (to be posted at a later date)

Coconut Butter

Brussel Sprouts (The ultimate cancer fighting food)

The Spaghetti sauce we like is also on sale

All Supplements are on sale – yes ALL!!!

Let’s talk about supplements for a minute…  There are a few we recommend to anyone starting on a Ketogenic diet.  The main reason, is because you are switching to REAL food and eliminating ALL processed foods and grains from which you obtain a large amount of sodium.

We always advise that you see your primary doctor to order base line blood tests to see where you might be deficient in certain nutrients. Shoot for optimal or ideal levels on your blood work- not average levels! (Unfortunately, our average population is not all that healthy.) We take more than we are showing you based on our own individual deficiencies.  The following are needed by the vast majority of individuals.

When you go through Keto Adaption you lose a massive amount of toxins and water. It is very easy to get dehydrated because you are losing essential minerals as well.  These supplements will help you immensely…

 
Celtic or Himalayan Salt – (The darker the better) think of all the boxed and processed foods you are no longer eating – they are filled with salt. When you give them up, you need to make sure you are supplying your body with quality sodium filled with trace minerals.

 
Potassium (99mg) – I take one in the morning and one in the evening.  If you have cramping when starting Keto, you can up the dosage and then bring it back down to two a day.  It maintains fluid balance in the body and relaxes muscles – also eat avocado, parsley, cabbage, celery, watercress, coconut, and cauliflower.

 
Magnesium Glycinate (800mg at night) – Magnesium helps hold potassium in the cells. It promotes healthy muscles, strengthens bones and teeth, heart muscle, nervous system, helps digestion and energy production.  Magnesium is also great for constipation, sleep and keeping a regular heart rhythm. Good sources: Nuts

 

Vitamin D3 – Is actually a steroid hormone that activates more than 930 genes in human physiology mostly in the brain – powerfully anti-inflamitory and a great antioxidant. Everyone differs on dosage – see your doctor, but D has over 900 uses in the human body. Depends on sunlight, body weight and other factors

Statins inhibit vitamin D production
Low Vit D Contributes to: Alzheimer’s, Parkinsons, Multiple Sclerosis
Weak bones and teeth, Illnesses

Other sources are fish, eggs, cheese, and oysters.

 

Vitamin C – This is great for your immune system and overall good health.  I usually take 1000mg in the morning and 1000mg in the evening.  When you limit your fruit intake, it is good to supplement with a quality Vitamin C.  Make sure you are also eating your bright veggies like the yummy peppers I bought today, broccoli, cauliflower, lemons, and limes.

My HEB Grocery Run on Monday

Monday is usually my HEB run for standard groceries.  I thought I would share what I bought for the next few days, and explain how I am going to use everything!

1.  Apple Cider Vinegar –IMG_0638 I ran out yesterday experimenting with my Keto Bar-B-Que sauce I hope to share soon.  It is always in the pantry!

2.  Coconut Oil Spray – I noticed today there are two different versions on the shelf.  The new one I purchased today is for high-heat cooking which is mainly what it is used for, so I am going to give it a try!

3.  Broccolini and Kerry Gold- This is one of our favorite veggies to have on the side!  Pile on some of the Kerry Gold to make it even better!

4.  Grass Fed Ground Meat – I plan to make cheese stuffed “Spaghetti” and Meatballs!  Yum!

5.  Heavy Whipping Cream – Always in the house for coffee, tea, eggs, sauces, and whipped cream mixed with Swerve!  Double yum!

6.  Organic tomato sauce – Also used up yesterday for my Bar-B-Que sauce.  I keep it stocked in the pantry.

7.  Coconut Milk – Used for a yummy curry Indian dish this week – make sure you buy the full fat!  Another pantry staple!

8.  Cauliflower – I am ricing the cauliflower to serve with my Indian Curry dish.

9.  Spaghetti Sauce – I bet you can figure this one out…It’s for the meatballs!  I couldn’t decide which one to use though..The one in the back is a new Vodka Cream sauce that was super low in sugar and carbs.  I will have to report back on the consensus.

10. Romaine lettuce – A staple for the fridge.  We love Blue Cheese and Caesar dressing topped with bacon, and salad pretty much goes with everything, right?

11.  Pickles (Dill) – There are a few brands we like, but these are the kid’s favorite, and they don’t have the artificial yellow food coloring that so many others have that can contribute to hyperactivity in children.

12. Pasture-Raised Eggs – These are in the basket on every trip!  We eat a lot of eggs!

13. La Croix – My sister-in-law introduced me to this flavor of sparkling water, and I’m hooked.  Sometimes you just need a little zing to your water, and this fits the bill!

14.  Zucchini – ON SALE at HEB right now!  Run and get some!  We use so much of this stuff because it is so versatile!  I bought two full bags of this yummy and healthy squash.  This will be used for the “Spaghetti”.  I’m so excited to share it with you later this week!

As I use some of these ingredients I will post “after” pictures to show you the end result!

Happy Monday!!!