RD FIT LIFE

Have Pasta in a Healthy Way!

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Pasta is usually a cheap meal that everyone loves!  It’s fast and easy, but oh so loaded in calories…  So how do you have a pasta dish and keep it healthy??

Here is how the dietitian does it!

All you need is spaghetti squash, lean meat, sauce and lots of yummy veggies!

INGREDIENTS:

  • 3 peppers (yellow, orange, red), chopped
  • 1 pound of lean hot/spicy sausage (turkey/beef/chicken)
  • Vodka sauce
  • 1 spaghetti squash

DIRECTIONS:

First you want to slice your spaghetti squash in half, clean out the middle and microwave it for 10-12 minutes.  Check out how I do it HERE!

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Once you get your squash in the microwave, begin browning your meat.  As your meat is browning, add all of your chopped vegetables to your skillet.

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Once you’ve sautéed your veggies with your meat a bit, you’ll want to add your vodka sauce and let it simmer until your spaghetti squash is done.

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When removing your spaghetti squash from the gourd, be very careful!  It should be very hot.  Grab a fork and begin scraping out the inside.

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Once all squash is removed, scoop out your meat/veggie sauce and voila!

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You’ve got yourself a fast, easy, and of course yummy meal!

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The meat sauce is always the best part because you can add all types of chopped veggies to it!  This time I just grabbed some peppers on sale… But you can chop zucchini, any peppers, onions, or even add broccoli!

To find out more about how great spaghetti squash is for you, click HERE!

Enjoy!

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Creamy Scalloped Garlic and Herb Chayote

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I am BEYOND excited to share a new recipe I threw together last night!  Chayote is an excellent non-starchy vegetable that most people in the United States are not familiar with.  To learn more, click HERE.  I would also like to add this dish is bariatric friendly!  Enjoy!

Ingredients:

  • 2 chayote
  • 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 clove garlic, chopped
  • 1 teaspoon of Italian seasoning
  • 1 teaspoon of sage
  • 1 teaspoon of oregano
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
  • 1/4 cup green onions, chopped

First you want to wash the outside of your chayote and then peel with a potato peeler.

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It helps me to cut them in half to be sure I peel all of the skin off in the crevice.  There is also a thin seed inside, so do remove that as well.

Once your chayote is all peeled, slice them into very thin slices.

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Here is where I added the olive oil, chopped garlic, Italian seasoning, oregano, and sage (The garlic powder will be saved for later ).  I stirred the chayote around to evenly distribute all of the seasonings and coat the pan with the olive oil, then covered the pan.  Place the skillet on medium heat for about 5 minutes then stir.

Once the chayote is very soft (enough to slice in half), I drained the liquid and moved the mixture to a bowl.  This is where I added the Greek yogurt and garlic powder.  You can definitely add more seasonings for flavor if you like stronger flavors!

To complete the dish, I sprinkled some chopped green onions on top!  You will now have a healthy, low fat, high protein replacement for creamy scalloped potatoes!

Enjoy!

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