Butternut and Chicken Tomato Bake (Paleo)

First post of 2017! I’m expecting great things out of 2017:

1. I’m finishing Student Teaching and college in the next few months
2. I’m moving to Thailand to teach and travel!!!!!
3. I’m planning to continue to post recipes until moving day (and maybe even while in Thailand).

Needless to say, I am very excited for upcoming events!

Now, onto food. This is something I served at my family’s Christmas Eve party. It was a definite hit and gobbled all up before the evening ended. Enjoy!

P.S- Results are in! My most popular post of 2016 (with 2,681 views): Shrimp and Chicken Fajitas! 

Butternut and Chicken Tomato Bake (Paleo)

Ingredients:

4 cups butternut squash, cubed

2 tbsp avocado oil

salt and pepper

1.5 lb chicken thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces

1 onion, chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 tsp dried thyme

1/2 cup whole fat coconut milk

1/2 cup tomato sauce

2 tbsp tomato paste

2 cups fresh spinach

1 egg

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 425°F. In a bowl, toss together the butternut squash, 1 tbsp oil, salt and pepper. Spread in a roasting pan and place in the oven for 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat the other tbsp of oil in a skillet. Add the chicken pieces, salt and pepper, and cook all the way through. Add in the onion and garlic cloves and sauté for 2 minutes. Add in the coconut milk, sauce, and tomato paste and bring to a boil. Let boil for 1 minute and then reduce to a simmer to thicken. Add in the spinach and cook until wilted.

Once butternut squash is finished, gently mix squash in with the chicken mixture. Transfer entire mixture into a baking dish. In a bowl, whisk an egg and then pour on top of mixture. Place mixture into a 350°F oven for 20 minutes. Let cool before serving.

This year’s annual Christmas Eve Sibling picture (I’m the one on the left!)

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Roasted Butternut Squash with Spinach and Tahini Dressing

Last minute Christmas recipe!

Roasted Butternut Squash with Spinach and Tahini Dressing

Ingredients:

6 cups raw cubed butternut squash

1 tbsp avocado oil

1 tbsp balsamic vinegar

salt and pepper

2 tbsp tahini

1 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp water

2 cups fresh spinach

Feta cheese

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 415°F. In a bowl, toss together the butternut squash, avocado oil, vinegar, salt, and pepper. Spread squash in a roasting pan and place in the oven for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, whisk together the tahini, olive oil, and water in a small bowl. Mix in a dash of salt and set aside.

In a serving bowl, combine the spinach, squash and dressing. Serve into individual bowls and top with feta cheese.

Curried Squash and Spinach Soup (Paleo)

Snowy Saturday = (sweats + Netflix + hot soup) +  x

x = homework

I’m leaning more on the “-x” for the equation.

Anyway, comfort food is a must on a snow day and this soup definitely fits the bill!

Curried Squash and Spinach Soup (Paleo)

Ingredients:

1 tbsp avocado oil

2 cups onions, chopped

2/3 cup celery chopped in small pieces

4 garlic cloves, minced

2 tsp curry powder

1/2 tsp turmeric

4 cups chicken broth (vegetable broth if vegetarian or vegan) 

2 cups water

4 cups cooked and pureed butternut squash

salt and pepper

5 tbsp tomato paste

5 cups fresh spinach

Directions:

Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add in onions, celery, and garlic and sauté for 10 minutes. Add in curry and turmeric and sauté until fragrant, about an additional minute. Add in chicken broth, water, squash, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil and allow to simmer for 20 minutes. Afterwards, use an immersion blender to make smooth. Stir in tomato paste and cook for another 10 minutes. Add in spinach and allow to wilt before serving.

Cheesy (yet cheese-less) Butternut Squash Mash

Oh. My. Goodness. I cannot think of a better recipe to post to start off 2016. Just thinking about this sauce makes my mouth water- no lie.

Luckily, it requires just throwing everything in a pot and cooking until hot. And I swear, it looks and tastes like this dish is cheese-heavy. Yet, no cheese is used!

Not that I mind cheese, but I tend to eat an indecently large amount of this mash whenever I make it and I’d rather avoid that meaning that I just ate a block’s worth of cheese.

Hmmmm, I was so excited to introduce this recipe that I forgot to start off by saying Happy New Years. So Happy New Year, everyone! I’m not a big new years resolution person- simply because I start my goals whenever throughout the year- but I thought of a couple things that I want to start doing.

1. Drink green tea everyday- particularly between 3pm-4pm (the time I usually begin picking at food before dinner)
2. Listen to music more! Listening to music generally puts me in a better mood and gets me up and moving, and yes, sometimes dancing (only in private though 😉 )

Sounds simple and silly? That’s because it probably is! But these are mini improvements that I actually want to incorporate into my well-being. So, all is well.

And with that, I’ll leave you with a quote that has pushed me these last few years (and even inspired to travel to India and recently decide on new traveling destinations): “Great things never came from comfort zones.”  Here’s to 2016!

Cheesy (yet cheese-less) Butternut Squash Mash

Ingredients: 

2 cups cooked and diced meat (whatever you fancy!)

2 cup broccoli stems, diced (or another cut-up veggie)

1 cup butternut squash, mashed

1/4 cup sour cream

1/4 cup unsweetened almond milk

3 tbsp ghee

1 tbsp apple cider vinegar (do NOT omit!)

1 tbsp stoneground mustard 

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp onion powder

Directions: 

Combine all ingredients in a pot over the stove. Cook until thoroughly heated. Serve.

Butternut Squash Chocolate Cookies (Paleo)

All I want to do is make these cookies.

All. Day. Long.

But, finals are once again upon me and I only have time to look at this picture and salivate. The struggle is real.

I think this will be the first thing I make once my semester is over.

Here’s to 2 weeks from now!

Butternut Squash Chocolate Cookies (Paleo) 

Ingredients:

1/4 cup pureed butternut squash, COMPLETELY cooled

1/4 cup coconut butter, melted

1 tbsp pure maple syrup 

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp vanilla extract

1/8 tsp salt

2 tbsp cocoa powder

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line a baking pan with parchment paper. Combine squash, coconut butter, syrup, cinnamon, vanilla, and salt in a food processor. Blend until smooth and then scoop out all contents into a bowl (make sure to scape sides and bottom of food processor with a spoon as the coconut butter tends to stick!) Add in cocoa powder and stir until all the ingredients are evenly mixed. Place in the fridge for 5 minutes. Take out, drop into desired cookie sized-shapes on parchment-layered pan, and press down lightly. Transfer to the oven and let cook for 12 minutes. Let sit to harden before eating.