Healthy Fall Salad and Delicious Souffle

Wilted Spinach with Fall Fruit Compote and Chicken

This is a great recipe for just 2 people.  It is best made with leftovers.  It just makes preparation so much faster!

Here are my leftovers:

1 chicken breast seasoned with salt, pepper and garlic cut into chunks 
(I usually cook several chicken breasts at once and have them on hand for quick meals) I cook my chicken breasts in a grill pan but you could do them in a regular pan, on an actual grill or on a George Foreman...whatever floats your boat!

Compote (this was leftover from a stuffed porkloin I made earlier in the week...these measurements are my assumption of what was used in this salad...triple this recipe to stuff a porkloin- it will be one of the best things you've eaten)

1/8 c. raisins

1/8 c. dried cranberries

1/8 c. chopped walnuts/walnut pieces

1/2 apple diced

1/2 small yellow onion diced

1/2 tsp apple cider vinegar

salt and pepper to taste

chicken broth

I start with the onions and apples and saute them in a scant amount of olive oil (or butter) until they are softened I then add about 3 tablespoons of chicken broth and let it reduce.  I add raisins, cranberries and nuts last.  Once browned I add another splash of chicken broth and let it reduce again.  Add chicken in at the end just to warm it up.

Fresh additions:

6-8c. fresh spinach

In the same pan, throw in spinach tossing to coat in compote mixture.  Let sit 3 minutes then remove from heat, tossing again and let it sit as it wilts

Butternut Squash Souffle!!

This recipe is a great alternative to sweet potato casserole for Thanksgiving. WAY fewer calories in this one!

Ingredients and Directions:

1 butternut cooked squash- there are many ways to go about cooking this. I put mine in a 400 degree oven for 30 45 minutes.  It was very easy to cut it, remove the seeds and goo and then scoop it away from the skin.

3T butter (or butter substitute)

1/3c. higher fat milk (easily made dairy free with almond milk)

1/3c. sugar (this was 2/3 less than the recommended amount in the recipe.  I think you could even omit sugar altogether)

1 1/2t. salt

1/2-1t cinnamon

1/2 t. nutmeg

1 1/2t. fresh ground black pepper

4 eggs at room temp

Put all ingredients except eggs in the blender and puree to an even consistency, add eggs altogether but just pulse the blender to blend eggs into mixture.  DO NOT OVER BLEND!

Pour mixture into a souffle dish or casserole and bake for 1 hour in an oven preheated to 325.

SO DELICIOUS

Happy Fall Ya'll!

Fall Pureed Vegetable Soup

Ingredients:
1/2 large butternut squash
1 medium yellow onion
2 large carrots
1 medium sweet potato
salt and pepper to taste
3T butter (or butter substitute)
3T minced garlic
1/4tsp pumpkin pie spice
1 tsp thyme
1/2 tsp rosemary
1 bay leaf
2-3 cans chicken broth
1-2 c. fresh spinach
chopped walnuts for garnish

Instructions:
1. prepare veggies by peeling the butternut squash (with a vegetable peeler- I just learned how much easier this is than removing the skin with a knife) then roughly dicing the other vegetables so that they will cook evenly.  Don't worry about cubing perfectly, you're going to puree it later!  Leave the skin on the carrots and sweet potato.  It's easier and I think it adds nutrients.

2. spread the veggies on a baking sheet that has been sprayed with cooking spray and roast at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes.

3. sautee garlic and butter until bubbling then add the spices and herbs

4. transfer veggies from pan to soup pot with the garlic, butter and spices and coat veggies.

5. add 1 can chicken broth and allow to reduce

6. add spinach then another can of chicken broth, cover and bring to a boil.

7. puree soup with an immersion blender and add additional chicken broth until the soup comes to your desired consistency.

(I have no picture here because I burned myself trying to take it. My left limb is beginning to look horrible- burn + bandaged finger)

8. serve with chopped walnuts and cracked black pepper as garnish.  I also added some garlic bread (gluten free of course)

Here's my garlic bread recipe:

This is a great alternative to your typical garlic bread.  It has much fewer calories and it takes no effort.

sandwich bread (or you can use something fancy if you have it)
olive oil
garlic powder
salt and pepper

1. set oven to broiler setting
2. place bread on pan and lightly drizzle with olive oil- I make a zig-zag on each piece of bread
3. sprinkle salt (I use sea salt) and crack pepper over the top then dust with garlic powder (if you use garlic salt omit the added salt from the recipe)
4. put in the oven until browned each broiler varies in intensity, but it won't take long so watch it carefully.

Your toast will be crispy on the top and soft on the bottom- it is SO good (and ridiculously easy)!

Disclaimer: I used Instagram to alter my photos a bit.  The soup is not a pretty color like in the photos...the spinach gives it a pea green color...It still tastes really good, but if the color is too much for you, just omit the spinach from the recipe!