Creamy Pumpkin Sauce with Zoodles

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If your looking for a great vegetarian meal packed with nutrients, try our creamy pumpkin sauce with zoodles. It’s easy to make and is a perfect lunch or dinner option.

Ingredients

2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tbsp butter
1 cup pumpkin puree
1 cup low sodium chicken broth
2 tbsp half and half cream
⅛ tsp ground nutmeg
¼ tsp chili powder
⅛ tsp cayenne pepper
⅛ tsp black pepper ideally freshly ground
2 medium zucchini, spiralized

Directions

Add butter and garlic to sauce pan and heat over medium-low heat for 1-2 minutes.

Add the pumpkin purée, chicken broth, half and half and spices and stir to combine. Simmer over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally.

While the sauce simmers, place your spiralized zucchini noodles (zoodles) in a microwave safe dish. Add ¼ cup water and place a lid partially over the top, but with a space for the air to vent. Heat for 4 minutes, or until zucchini noodles are desired texture (for softer noodles, heat for 4 or more minutes. If you prefer more bite to your zoodles, stick to 2-3 minutes). Drain water and split zucchini noodles between 2 plates.

Remove sauce from heat and spoon over zoodles. To round out the meal, consider serving with a baked chicken breast or fillet of salmon. Enjoy!

Baked Ratatouille

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Not just a popular Disney movie, ratatouille is a delicious, hearty and nutritionally rich dish packed with phytochemicals. Delicious on its own, or served with a side of brown rice or quinoa.

Ingredients

1 Onion, sliced thin
2 Garlic cloves, minced
2 tbsp Olive oil
1 Medium eggplant (~1 pound) cut into 1-inch pieces
2 Small zucchini (yellow and green if possible), cut into 1-inch pieces
1 Red bell pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 ½ cups Cherry tomatoes, cut in half
1 tbsp Chopped fresh thyme or ½ tsp dried thyme
1 tbsp Chopped fresh rosemary or ½ tsp dried ground rosemary
1 tsp Salt
½ tsp Fresh ground pepper
⅛ tsp Ground coriander
¼ tsp Fennel seeds
½ cup Cherry tomatoes, cut in half

Directions

Preheat oven 375 degrees

In a 13×9” pan, combine all vegetables. Drizzle olive oil and sprinkle the seasonings evenly over the vegetables, then stir to mix completely.

Bake at 375 degrees for 20 minutes.

Stir mixture, then bake for an additional 25 minutes, or until vegetables are tender to a fork. Serve alone or with a side of quinoa or brown rice.

Pulled Pork Tacos

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Mexican Pulled Pork Tacos (Carnitas) are so flavorful and delicious. Serve these tender pork tacos with lime wedges along with your favorite sides. Utilize the slow-cooker Mexican-style Pulled Pork recipe to make the meat ahead of time for a quick meal.

Ingredients

4 cups Mexican style pulled pork
8 Soft corn tortillas
Optional
Cotija cheese
Salsa
Hot sauce
Sliced avocado
Chopped cilantro
Lime wedges
Thinly sliced red radishes

Directions

Fill each corn tortilla with ½ cup pulled pork. Add your favorite toppings such as cilantro, hot sauce, and cotija cheese. Serve 2 tacos per person.

Mexican Pulled Pork Salad

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An easy and protein packed salad. Use the recipe for slower cooker Mexican pulled pork (recipe here) for a great summer weekday meal.

Ingredients

4 cups chopped romaine lettuce
1 cup Mexican style pulled pork
½ avocado, diced
⅓ cup low sodium black beans
½ cup low sodium salsa

Directions

On the lettuce scatter the pulled pork, avocado cut into chunks, black beans and salsa. Enjoy!

Mexican Pulled Pork

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Slow cooker Mexican pulled pork, a perfect recipe for people new to the kitchen and seasoned chefs alike. Although pork has a reputation for being unhealthy, lean cuts of pork such as lean pork tenderloin, are as lean and low in calories as chicken breast. It’s also a terrific source of B vitamins, iron and protein. Prepared in a slow cooker or crock pot, the rich flavors of this dish are able to develop without heating up your home and driving up your utility bill. Try making a big batch on the weekend, storing the pulled pork in the fridge and using it in different recipes through the week.

Ingredients

1 lb Pork tenderloin
2 tbsp Mrs. Dash taco seasoning
1 Small (14oz) can of green enchilada sauce
1 Small can of diced green chilies

Directions

Place pork tenderloin in slow cooker. Sprinkle with taco seasoning. Do not add any liquid. Cover and cook on low heat for 10-12 hours.

Discard any liquid and visible fat. Shred with forks or hand mixer. Add enchilada sauce and green chilies. Still to combine completely.

Add to salad, burritos, or serve alone with vegetables and serving of complex carbohydrate.

Pumpkin Mousse

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Pumpkin is known as a superfood. Rich in vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, it is incredibly healthy. Try out this delicious light and airy mousse, which is a perfect alternative to pumpkin pie, but with fewer calories and fat.

Ingredients

1 large package vanilla instant pudding mix
1 ½ cups skim milk or almond milk
1 can (15 oz.) pumpkin
½ tsp cinnamon
¼ tsp ginger
⅛ tsp allspice
⅛ tsp ground nutmeg
12 tbsp fat free whipped topping
Options …
1 tsp *may substitute 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice for all above spices*

Directions

In a large bowl, beat pudding mix and evaporated milk to package directions. Refrigerate for 5 minutes.

Add pumpkin and spices to pudding and mix well. Refrigerate for 10 minutes.

Top each with 2 tbsp of whipped topping before serving.

Optional

Sprinkle some crushed cinnamon gram crackers or ginger snaps.