Spaghetti Squash & Spicy Black Bean “Meat”balls

Check out the guest blog I did for the University Health Network earlier today:

Here’s a tasty, and not to mention healthy, twist on a classic Italian dish! If you’re in the mood for pasta but want to aviod eating something starchy, you can try opting for spaghetti squash instead. This lighter, low-calorie substitute amounts to approximately 42 calories per cup and contains several essential nutrients, such as vitamins A, C and B6.

Of course, spaghetti is not spaghetti unless it’s served with meatballs! Being a vegetarian, I decided to try making meat-free meatballs for the first time. I found a simple recipe online and made a few small modifications of my own. I have to admit I was a bit worried that the meatballs wouldn’t stick together well and would just end up crumbling, but this recipe worked out fantastically! The meatballs were firm on the outside and slightly soft on the inside. The added pinch of red pepper flakes gave them a bit of a kick as well.  

With a few minor modifications, this recipe can also be vegan-friendly. Regardless of your dietary preferences, this dish is sure to please your palate :) Enjoy!

Spaghetti Squash & Spicy Black Bean “Meat”balls

Makes about 12 “meat”balls (each roughly the size of a golfball). Serves 2-4.

Ingredients:
1 spaghetti squash, cut in half length-wise, seeds scooped out
1 can no-salt added black beans
1 egg (vegan substitute: 1 tbsp ground flaxseed + 3 tbsp water)
1/4 cup whole wheat breadcrumbs
1 tbsp worcestershire sauce (vegan substitute: try this vegan-friendly worchestershire sauce recipe)
1 tbsp grated parmesan cheese (vegan substitute: nutritional yeast)
1/2 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp onion power
1/4 tsp oregano
1/4 tsp black pepper
Pinch of sea salt
Pinch of red pepper flakes
Cooking spray
1.5 cups of your favourite low-sodium pasta sauce

Directions:
1. Place the squash, cut side down, in a large pot filled with a couple of inches of water. Cover and bring to a boil for about 20 minutes, or until the squash is tender. Allow the squash some time to cool, then scrape a fork across the flesh to separate the strands. Season with a bit of pepper, sea salt, or herbs such as basil and oregano.
2. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and spray a baking sheet with cooking spray.
3. Pour the beans into a large mixing bowl and mash with a potato masher until almost smooth. Mix in the egg, breadcrumbs, worchestershire sauce, parmesan cheese, and seasonings with a fork.
4. Use a tablespoon measure or spoon to form meatball-sized portions, using your hands to roll them into ball shapes.
5. Arrange on the baking sheet, spray with a bit more cooking spray (this will help them develop a bit of a crisp on the outside), and bake for about 20 minutes.
6. Divide the spaghetti squash into bowls. Combine the “meat”balls and pasta sauce in a sauce pan and gently stir until heated through. Divide the warm “meat”balls and sauce over the spaghetti squash. Garnish with some parmesan cheese or freshly chopped basil. Dig in!

Meatless Monday: Stuffed Butternut Squash

I’ve had a mild obsession with butternut squash lately. It’s just SO GOOD, and can be used in so many different ways! I had pinned a recipe on Pinterest a while back for stuffed acorn squash and figured why not try it with a butternut squash? I didn’t really follow a specific recipe for this. I sort of made it up as I went along, throwing a bit of this and that in whenever I saw fit. Here’s the jist of the recipe:

Stuffed Butternut Squash

Ingredients:

1 bottom half of a butternut squash, seeds removed – the squash should be hollowed out like a bowl so it can be easily stuffed

1/4 cup cooked quinoa (you can also substitute any other leftover grains you may have lying around, such as brown rice or bulgur)

1/4 cup black beans, rinsed and drained

1 tbsp olive oil

1 clove garlic, minced

1 cup mixed vegetables, chopped (I used peppers, onions, tomatoes and mushrooms)

1 green onion, thinly sliced

2 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped

2-3 tbsp feta cheese*, crumbled

1/2 tbsp Parmesan cheese*

*Feel free to omit the cheese to make this recipe vegan-friendly, or substitute with non-dairy cheese.

Directions:

1. Place the butternut squash, cut side down, on a baking tray lined with tinfoil. Bake in the oven at 375 degrees for 30-40 minutes, until tender.

2. While the squash is roasting, heat the olive oil in a large frying pan on medium heat. Add the garlic and saute until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the chopped vegetables and saute until softened, about 4-5 minutes. You can also add a pinch of chili flakes if you want a bit of heat.

3. Remove the frying pan from the heat. Add the quinoa, black beans, green onion, cilantro, and feta cheese to the vegetables; mix to combine.

4. Carefully turn the squash over so it looks like a bowl. Stuff the squash with the vegetable/quinoa/bean mixture; sprinkle with the Parmesan cheese. Place the squash back in the oven and broil for about 2 minutes, or until the cheese is golden brown.

5. Eat and enjoy!

This recipe was so tasty and very filling. I plan on making it again very soon!

Happy Meatless Monday :)

Be Well xo

Southwest Veggie Burgers

I know, it’s yet another veggie burger recipe, but this one was delish and super healthy – brown rice, black beans, sweet potato… mmm. Did I mention it’s also vegan?? It was inspired by a recipe I found on my Whole Foods app! I will warn you that although tasty, these burgers don’t hold together very well when you flip them. I just reshaped them a bit after flipping them and they turned out just fine :)

Southwest Veggie Burgers

Yields 4 large patties

Ingredients:

1 cup cooked brown rice

1 cup no-salt-added black beans, rinsed and drained

1 cup cooked and mashed sweet potato

1/4 cup diced tomato

1/4 cup diced bell pepper

1/4 cup shredded carrots

1/4 cup chopped cilantro (unfortunately we didn’t have any fresh, so I had to used dried)

2 tbsp finely chopped onion (original recipe called for 3 green onions)

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tbsp no-salt-added chili powder

1 tsp ground cumin

Pinch of red chili flakes

Dash of pepper

1 tbsp lime juice

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400ºF. Cook the rice according to instructions.

2. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. Form the mixture into 4 large patties. Place on the baking sheet and bake, turning halfway through cooking, until browned and slightly crisp on the outside (about 30 minutes).

3. Serve on a whole grain bun with your favourite toppings! I had guacamole and salsa on top of mine with a little bit of cheese, and it was absolutely delightful.

Enjoy! :)

Meatless Monday: Sweet Corn & Black Bean Salad

Happy Meatless Monday! This week’s recipe was one of those recipes that just got thrown together with whatever was lying around the kitchen. The result: a fresh, tasty, super healthy lunch :)

Sweet Corn & Black Bean Salad

Ingredients:

2 cups black beans, rinsed and drained

1 cup frozen sweet corn, thawed

1/2 cup grape tomatoes, roughly chopped

1/2 cup chopped bell peppers

1/4 cup finely chopped red onion

1 large handful fresh cilantro, chopped

1 tbsp olive oil

2-3 tbsp freshly squeezed lime juice (about half a lime)

Pepper, to taste

Simply mix everything together! I had this salad on a warm, whole wheat tortilla with a bit of cheddar cheese sprinkled on top. I threw the salad in a saucepan for a couple of minutes to heat it up and added some cayenne pepper to give it a bit of a kick. Enjoy!