When I first started Inspiralized, of course, all of my recipes were made with the spiralizer. There were certain recipes that I made and I’d think, “This would be better if the vegetable wasn’t spiralized,” but I posted it any way, because I wanted to show that you can use the spiralizer in so many different ways. It was kind of like stretching the truth.

That sort of applies with “spiralized rice,” which is basically a riced vegetable, first using the spiralizer and then pulsing it in a food processor until rice-like. I love the consistency that spiralizing the vegetable first makes for the veggie rice, but it’s not worth the extra effort. Okay, I said it! After years of spiralizing my veggies before ricing them in a food processor, I’m here to say: you can skip it!

I love love this recipe. I love teriyaki and broccoli together and the sweetness of butternut squash here is perfect. The squash gets fluffy and absorbs the sesame and teriyaki flavors beautifully.

I love spooning over a little extra sauce on the salmon at the end to really pack in the flavors here!

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Teriyaki Salmon with Sesame Butternut Squash Rice and Broccoli

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 35 minutes minutes

Total Time 50 minutes minutes

Ingredients

• 3 cups broccoli florets
• 1/2 cup onions
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil + more to drizzle
• 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
• salt and pepper
• 2 4oz boneless and skinless salmon filets
• ½ cup teriyaki sauce + more to drizzle
• 20 oz cubed butternut squash about 1.5 pound butternut squash, peeled and cubed
• ¼ cup vegetable broth + more as needed
• sesame oil to drizzle about a teaspoon
• to serve: sesame seeds

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. On a baking tray, lay out the broccoli, drizzle with olive oil, and season with garlic powder, salt and pepper. Roast for 35 minutes or until fork tender, flipping any florets if they start to burn.
• Place the salmon filets in a baking dish and pour over teriyaki sauce and use a brush or your fingers to coat the salmon entirely. Set aside to marinate.
• Meanwhile, place all of the butternut squash in a food processor and pulse until rice-like. You may need to do this in batches, depending on how big your food processor is. Set aside.
• In a large, wide skillet add the tablespoon of olive oil. Once oil is shimmering, add the garlic and onions and cook until soft, about 3 minutes. Add the butternut squash rice, season with salt and pepper, stir, and cook for 5 minutes. After 5 minutes, add the vegetable broth, stir, and keep cooking until softened to your preference (I cooked for a total of about 15 minutes.) Drizzle with sesame oil (about a teaspoon) and set aside.
• While butternut squash cooks, heat a non stick large skillet over medium-high heat. Once pan is hot, add the salmon and cook for 5-7 minutes, flip and cook another 5-7 minutes or until flakes easily and is no longer raw and pink on the inside. Right before it’s done, drizzle more teriyaki sauce on top of the salmon.
• Divide the butternut squash into bowls. Top with salmon and broccoli. Garnish with sesame seeds, if desired. Serve.

The post Teriyaki Salmon with Sesame Butternut Squash Rice and Broccoli appeared first on Inspiralized.

Before I get into this recipe, you may notice that the slices on top are orange and the slices inside are yellow. That is because I ran out of butternut squash slices! Don’t worry, I wrote the recipe correctly so that you won’t have that issue when you make it yourself at home. So, I had one butternut squash slice left, so the slice I photographed looks perfect, ha!

We’re all friends here and hey – if you have the same issue I did, know that you can grab a sweet potato and make the top layer out of sweet potatoes! I kinda dig it. Whether you make this perfectly or not, you will love this lasagna. It saves well for leftovers, it freezes well, and it’s one of those feel good comfort dishes that truly makes you feel good.

Tempeh is the chosen plant based protein here, and this was my first time using tempeh. I can’t believe I’ve waited this long! The consistency is just like a sausage and when you add dried herbs, olive oil, and garlic, you won’t believe it’s not meat! It’s filling, it’s flavorful, and it’s easy to prepare. It’s a powerhouse food created from soy beans. There is so much you can do to it and here, we’re transforming it into a lasagna!

How do you cook tempeh?

• Place tempeh in a small pot shallow pot of water
• Bring to a boil and cook for 10 minutes
• Let tempeh cool in a bowl
• Once tempeh is cooled, break it apart with your hands to make meat like chunks

The butternut squash slices roast evenly and the natural sweetness of the squash comes through in every bite. The squash roasts to fork tender, so you don’t even notice you’re eating a vegetable, it truly tastes like a lasagna!

I love eating Brussels sprouts this time of year and they’re great in a lasagna for squeezing in extra vegetables!

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Vegetarian Butternut Squash and Brussels Sprouts Lasagna with Tempeh

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 1 hour hour

Total Time 1 hour hour 15 minutes minutes

Ingredients

• 1 8- ounce block of tempeh
• 2 medium butternut squashes ?1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 shallot minced
• 2 garlic cloves minced
• 6 cups shredded brussels sprouts ?1 teaspoon dried thyme?1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary?1/2 teaspoon dried oregano?salt and pepper?1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 16 oz ricotta cheese
• 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 large egg
• 1 cup mozzarella?

Instructions

• Bring a medium pot of shallow water to a simmer. Add the block of tempeh and simmer for 10 minutes. Drain the tempeh and pat it dry. Allow the block to cool, and when it's cool enough to handle, crumble it into pieces (whatever size you like—they can be big crumbles or smaller crumbles).
• Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Cut the bulbous bottom off the butternut squash (the seeded part.) Slice the top off to ensure that it’s perfectly flat. Peel the butternut squash entirely. If the butternut squash is longer than 6 inches, slice it into two manageable pieces. Slice halfway through the butternut squash, just to the center (careful not to go further.) Spiralize the squash, using Blade A.
• ?Place a large skillet over medium heat and add in the olive oil, shallots, garlic, and brussels sprouts. Cook, stirring often, for 5 minutes or until sprouts mostly wilt. Set aside in a medium bowl.
• ?Heat the remaining oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the tempeh, thyme, rosemary, oregano, and black pepper. Cook the tempeh for about 5 minutes, stirring often, or until it's lightly browned, adding a little extra oil as needed. Add the soy sauce to the tempeh crumbles and cook for another 2 minutes. Add to the medium bowl with the Brussels sprouts and stir.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the ricotta, Parmesan and egg.
• Arrange a layer of squash slices in the bottom of a 4.2 quart casserole dish, overlapping them as needed to create a complete layer. Add a layer of the cheese, then Brussels sprouts and tempeh mixture. Add a butternut squash layer, cheese layer, Brussels sprouts later and another butternut squash layer. Top with mozzarella cheese.
• Cover the lasagna with foil and bake for 40 to 45 minutes or until squash is easily pierced with a fork and cheese has melted.
• Remove the lasagna from the oven, remove the foil, and set aside to rest for 5 minutes, then carefully slice and serve.

The post Vegetarian Butternut Squash and Brussels Sprouts Lasagna with Tempeh appeared first on Inspiralized.

If you’ve never tried ricing vegetables before and using them as a grain substitute, let this be your inspiration! Here, we take butternut squash, rice it, and cook it in a green curry paste with coconut milk as a Thai style risotto dish. It’s topped with crunchy chopped cashews for a perfect consistency!

I made two versions of this curry – one with chicken and one without, depending on your dietary preferences. If you don’t use chicken, I recommend using another protein – perhaps stirring in some tofu, some edamame beans, or your favorite plant based protein!

I love green curry paste, it’s more subtle than red curry paste and it transports me back to our Thai vacation. The butternut squash is slightly sweet and cooks to an al dente texture that leaves you saying, “that’s not real rice?!” It’s that good!

How to make vegetable rice

• Spiralize your vegetable OR chop it into cubes
• Place the noodles or cubes in a food processor and pulse until rice like
• Use the riced vegetable in a rice or grain dish

Whether you use chicken or not, you’re going to love this butternut squash risotto! If you want to make more risotto-style dishes, try my Crispy Salmon with Butternut Squash Risotto next!

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Thai Green Curry Butternut Squash Risotto with Cashews

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes minutes

Total Time 25 minutes minutes

Ingredients

• 4 cups cubed butternut squash
• 1/4 cup raw cashews
• 1 tablespoon coconut oil
• ½ cup diced onion
• 1 garlic clove minced
• 1 ” knob of ginger peeled, minced
• 2 heaping tablespoons green curry paste
• salt and pepper
• 1 15oz can lite coconut milk
• if desired: 1 cup shredded cooked chicken
• 1 lime juiced
• 2 cups baby spinach
• to garnish: fresh cilantro leaves

Instructions

• Place the butternut squash in a food processor and process until rice-like. Pour into a bowl and set aside. Wipe out the food processor and add in the cashews and edamame and pulse until chopped. Set aside.
• Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Once the oil is shimmering, add the onion, garlic, and ginger and cook for 1 minute or until fragrant. Add the curry paste and stir until vegetables are coated. Add the butternut squash rice, season with salt and pepper, and stir well to combine for about 1 minute. Add the coconut milk and stir well to combine. If using chicken, add in the chicken here. Let the mixture cook for 5-10 minutes until butternut squash is no longer crunchy.
• Once butternut squash rice is about done, stir in the lime juice and spinach and let cook for 1-2 more minutes or until spinach wilts. Remove from heat, divide into bowls, top with cashews and edamame, and garnish with cilantro. Serve warm.

The post Thai Green Curry Butternut Squash Risotto with Cashews appeared first on Inspiralized.

Turkey and Kale Butternut Squash Egg Muffins

Egg muffins are an easy way to “pack it all in.” The formula is easy. Seasonings + eggs + veggies + protein = muffins! I love tossing in leftover veggies from the week into egg muffins and having them for snacks or a quick and easy breakfast (maybe with some toasted on the side with my favorite vegan cream cheese.) When I have more time and want to make something in advance to keep me fueled properly for the week, I’ll make muffins with chosen ingredients, like these Turkey and Kale Egg Muffins with spiralized butternut squash.

We’re transitioning quickly away from winter squashes, so they’re getting smaller and smaller, which is perfect for this recipe, because the smaller the better, actually! A smaller squash yields smaller rounds, which are easy to pack into the muffin cavities and cook more easily and quickly. To make chip slices, watch this video.

You could use a chicken sausage or pork sausage in place of the ground turkey for even more flavor, but ground turkey is just something I always have on hand and it cooks easily and tastefully in these egg muffins. It’s also a great way to squeeze in extra iron and protein into your little ones’ diets – Luca loved them!

The key to making these muffins is precooking the squash, so that it fully cooks. If you don’t precook, the squash will be a little raw and al dente! Aside from that, it’s pretty self explanatory. If you’re vegetarian, just omit the turkey and make these totally veggie!

How to reheat egg muffins

• To reheat these egg muffins, preheat the oven to 375 degrees and pop the muffins in for 10 minutes or until reheated through.

Watch our video to learn how to spiralize a butternut squash using the Inspiralizer and subscribe to our YouTube channel to watch more videos:

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Turkey and Kale Butternut Squash Egg Muffins

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 40 minutes minutes

Servings 12 muffins

Ingredients

• 1 small butternut squash peeled
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1 large garlic clove minced
• 1/2 pound ground turkey
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• salt and pepper
• 1 cup finely chopped kale
• 1 dozen large eggs whisked

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Thoroughly grease a 12 cavity muffin tray.
• Slice the butternut squash halfway through lengthwise, careful not to pierce through the center. Lay one squash slice in each muffin cavity. If you have extra squash slices, you can add more into each cavity or reserve for future use. Bake in the oven for 15 minutes or until just soft and wilted. The squash doesn’t need to be fully cooked.
• Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Once oil is shimmering, add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the turkey and season with oregano, salt, and pepper. Cook until meat is browned. Once the meat is almost done browning, add in the kale and cook until mostly wilted or until meat is browned.
• Once turkey is done cooking, top the squash slices with the turkey mixture. Pour over the eggs.
• ?Place the muffin tray in the oven and cook for 25 minutes or until the eggs are cooked and edges are golden brown. Remove from the oven and let cool before popping the muffins out and serving.

The post Turkey and Kale Butternut Squash Egg Muffins appeared first on Inspiralized.

Butternut Squash Risotto with Crispy Salmon

Yes, this is a risotto-less risotto! There is no actual risotto rice in this grain free, gluten free, low carb version of risotto. Instead of risotto, we use riced butternut squash. To make butternut squash rice (or any spiralized rice, for that matter), you simply spiralize the vegetable with Blade D on the Inspiralizer, pack the noodles into a food processor, and pulse until rice-like. Here’s an easy how-to video on the exact process.

Once you have this vegetable rice, you can store it in the refrigerator for 3-5 days (better if it’s more like 3 days) and it can freeze for about 3 months. I love prepping spiralized rice on a Sunday and putting it in the refrigerator for easy and quick meals all week long. It takes about 5 minutes to do!

Once you have the butternut squash rice, it’s so easy to transform into this creamy risotto. With the use of broth and grated Parmesan cheese, the risotto is perfectly creamy, salty, and a little bit sweet.

And let’s talk about this salmon – it’s crispy and packed with flavor. The salmon is broiled for 10 minutes in a baking sheet pre-greased with some olive oil for that crispy outside. I’ll never cook salmon any other way! Here is an easy step by step to bookmark:

How to make crispy salmon

• Preheat the oven to the broil setting on high
• Grease a casserole dish or oven-safe skillet with olive oil
• Season the salmon with garlic powder, paprika, and salt and pepper (or whatever seasonings you’d like to use)
• Broil the salmon for 10 minutes
• Let the salmon rest for 5 minutes before serving

Easy, right? Enjoy this quick and easy weeknight meal for dinner or lunch – it’s healthy, packed with veggies and protein, and a fun new way to use your Inspiralizer.

Watch our video of this recipe using the Inspiralizer and subscribe to our YouTube channel to watch more videos:

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Butternut Squash Risotto with Crispy Salmon

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes minutes

Total Time 30 minutes minutes

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil + more to grease
• 2 4oz salmon pieces
• ¼ teaspoon paprika
• ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
• salt and pepper
• 1 small butternut squash peeled, spiralized with Blade D
• ½ cup white onion diced
• 1 large garlic clove minced
• ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1/2 cup vegetable or chicken broth + more as needed
• 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• freshly minced parsley to garnish

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to the high broil setting.
• Grease a small casserole dish or oven safe skillet with olive oil. Add the salmon in and season with garlic powder, paprika, salt and pepper. Place the salmon in the oven and broil for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool for 5 minutes before serving.
• While salmon cooks, place your butternut squash noodles in a food processor and pulse until rice-like.
• Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once oil is shimmering, add the onions, garlic and red pepper flakes and cook until onions are translucent, about 3 minutes. Add the butternut squash rice and season with salt and pepper and stir. Let the butternut squash cook for 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the broth and stir, and cook until liquid evaporates. Taste the rice – if it is still crunchy and starting to stick to the pain, add another ¼ cup of broth and continue to cook until soft. Remove the rice mixture from heat, stir in the cheese and stir well to combine. Cover with a lid and keep warm while salmon continues to cook.
• Once salmon is done cooking, divide the butternut squash mixture into bowls and top with salmon. Garnish with parsley, if desired.

The post Butternut Squash Risotto with Crispy Salmon appeared first on Inspiralized.

Butternut Squash Vegan Tofu Lasagna

Vegan and lasagna are two contradictory words. Lasagna is supposed to be baked lasagna pasta with layers and layers of cheese, right? Not necessarily! If you’ve never tried vegan lasagna, here’s your inspiration. And we’re making this an easy vegetable lasagna by replacing the pasta with spiralized butternut squash slices.

How do you make a vegan lasagna? You replace the cheese with tofu! Tofu is a healthy vegan source of protein, made from soybeans. Nasoya’s Extra Firm Tofu crumbles perfectly to mimic a ricotta-like filling and when seasoned with Italian herbs, it smells just like an Italian lasagna.

The key to turning tofu into a cheesy consistency is by first mashing it with a fork and then seasoning it with nutritional yeast. Nutritional yeast is a popular food product used in vegan cooking, because it adds a cheesy flavor to everything – pasta, chips, dairy-free sauces, bakes, even popcorn! Nutritional yeast is full of vitamins and antioxidants, so we’re boosting up the nutritional value of this lasagna.

The butternut squash is spiralized to make gratin slices, which are layered to make this lasagna naturally gluten free. The squash gives the lasagna a slightly sweet flavor and butternut squash cooks to an al dente texture in the oven, so you won’t miss those lasagna noodles.

Give this easy vegan lasagna a try, using Nasoya’s Extra Firm Tofu and you won’t believe your eyes when you’re forking this delicious meal. It’s kid-approved too, Luca loved it!

Note: Although this post is sponsored by Nasoya, all opinions are my own, always.

How do you spiralize butternut squash?

Watch our video to learn how to spiralize butternut squash using the Inspiralizer and subscribe to our YouTube channel to watch more videos:

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Butternut Squash Vegan Tofu Lasagna

Prep Time 25 minutes minutes

Cook Time 1 hour hour 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour 35 minutes minutes

Ingredients

• 2 14oz package Extra Firm Tofu (Nasoya), drained
• 4 tablespoons nutritional yeast
• 1.5 tablespoons Italian seasoning or 1 tsp each of oregano, basil, parsley
• 2 teaspoons garlic powder
• salt and pepper
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• ½ cup diced onion
• 1 garlic clove minced
• 1 medium butternut squash peeled
• 3 bell peppers 1 green, 1 red, 1 yellow, diced
• 1 40oz jar marinara sauce

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Grease a 9 x 13 inch baking dish and set aside.
• Drain the tofu by wrapping it up in thin kitchen towels (or paper towels) and pressing down firmly. Repeat until the tofu is drained as much as possible. Place the tofu in a large mixing bowl and mash with a fork until crumbled. Add the nutritional yeast, Italian seasoning, garlic, and season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
• Slice the bulbous end off of the butternut squash and reserve for future use. Take the neck and peel it, first slicing off the top. Slice the squash lengthwise halfway through, careful not to pierce through the center. Spiralize the squash on Blade A. Set aside the squash slices.
• Heat the oil in a medium pot over medium-high heat. Once oil is shimmering, add the onions, garlic and bell peppers and cook until crisp-tender, about 5 minutes. Add the marinara sauce and cook another 5 minutes to heat the sauce.
• Spoon the sauce into the baking dish to cover the bottom. Lay out the butternut squash noodles in an even layer. Spread one-third of the tofu mixture over the squash and then add more sauce. Repeat, ending with sauce. Cover the dish with foil and bake until the squash is tender, about 45 minutes. Uncover and let rest at least 10 minutes before serving.

Notes

Inspired by Whole Foods.

The post Butternut Squash Vegan Tofu Lasagna appeared first on Inspiralized.

I’m a big fan of the one pan recipes, especially during the holidays, because I hate cleanup. This one pan, easy weeknight dinner is exactly that – it cooks quickly, all in the same pan, and is packed with flavor and nutrients.

You can enjoy this skillet meal as a side dish around the holidays or just as an fall or winter inspired meal for the family. You can use spiralized sweet potatoes instead of spiralized butternut squash, but don’t skip the spiralized apples – they give this dish just the hint of sweetness it needs.

Classic stuffing flavors like thyme, celery, and crunchy pecans give this dish a Thanksgiving vibe, but it’s fit for any day of the year.

You can also use any type of sausage you’d like – turkey sausage, chicken sausage would work really well here, too. I like Italian fennel sausage because it gives the skillet a richer flavor, but if you want something lower in fat, substitute in a different sausage.

And if you’re vegetarian, you can substitute in lentils, quinoa, farro, brown rice, or even tofu.

Watch our video to learn how to spiralize an apple using the Inspiralizer and subscribe to our YouTube channel to watch more videos:

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Butternut Squash, Sausage and Apple Skillet

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 35 minutes minutes

Total Time 55 minutes minutes

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 3 garlic cloves minced
• 3 celery ribs diced
• ½ cup diced yellow or white onion
• 2 teaspoons dried thyme
• 3 sweet Italian sausage links decased
• 3/4 cup roughly chopped pecans
• 1 large butternut squash peeled, Blade C, noodles trimmed
• 1 Gala apple Blade C
• ½ cup shredded parmesan or Gruyere cheese or mild cheddar

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
• Place a large, deep skillet over medium heat and add in the olive oil. Once oil heats, add in the garlic, celery, onion, thyme and season with salt and pepper. Cook for 3-5 minutes or until the vegetables soften and then push to the side of the skillet and add in the sausage, breaking it up with a wooden spoon and cook until it’s no longer pink, about 6-7 more minutes.
• Add in the butternut squash. Stir to combine and cook for 2 minutes to let the butternut squash start to heat through.
• Meanwhile, spiralize the apple on Blade C.
• Fold in the apple noodles and pecans, stir once more and then top with the cheese and bake for 15-20 minutes or until butternut squash is no longer crunchy.

The post Butternut Squash, Sausage and Apple Skillet appeared first on Inspiralized.

Over the weekend, I got into full on fall season mode (which is ironic, because it was pretty warm this weekend.) We went apple picking with my brother and sister in law and their 3.5 year old daughter – and my grandmother!

It was just one of those feel good weekends when you’re just so grateful for family and your health.

The news has been a scary place lately and sometimes, when you spend too much time reading the news, watching the news and scrolling through Twitter, you get caught up in it and think that the world is a sad, negative place.

But it really isn’t- there is so much to look forward to, to celebrate, to love, and to enjoy. Like, spending the afternoon picking apples and on a hayride.

Last week, I made this casserole, because it was a little chilly and I was craving fall coziness. I had broccoli and butternut squash in the house and wanted to make something to have in the fridge over the weekend and this recipe was born.

I’ve been wanting to make a raw quinoa casserole and I finally did it. It’s so easy! You just add enough liquid for the quinoa to cook in the oven (quinoa cooks in a 2 to 1 ratio), cover it, and let it steam and cook.

This meal is so flavorful and if you want to add a meat-y protein for your meat lovers out there, cook some ground turkey and add in there before you melt the cheese on top!

Luca loved this (you can see how I served it to him here.) Anyway, expect more fall recipes, because I’m in the spirit!

Watch our video of this recipe using the Inspiralizer and subscribe to our YouTube channel to watch more videos:

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Cheesy Broccoli, Butternut Squash and Quinoa Casserole

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 45 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour

Servings 4

Ingredients

• 1 medium butternut squash peeled, Blade C, noodles trimmed
• florets from 1 large head of broccoli + its stem spiralized with Blade D about 3 cups of florets
• 1 cup uncooked quinoa
• 1 cups vegetable broth low sodium
• 1 cups unsweetened almond milk
• 6 oz shredded cheddar cheese
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• ¼ teaspoon onion powder
• ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
• salt and pepper

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Grease a casserole dish with cooking spray.
• Place the butternut squash noodles and broccoli (florets and spiralized stems, if using) in the casserole dish and sprinkle evenly over with quinoa. Set aside.
• In a medium saucepan, whisk together the chicken broth and milk over medium-high heat. Once heated, add half of the cheese and whisk until the cheese melts. Remove from heat and pour the cheese mixture evenly over the vegetables in the casserole dish and season with garlic powder, onion powder, red pepper flakes, and salt and pepper. Stir together to combine.
• Cover the casserole dish with foil and bake in the oven for 30 minutes at 375 degrees. Remove from the oven, stir, and sprinkle over the remaining cheese and cook uncovered for 10 minutes or until cheese melts.
• Serve.

The post Cheesy Broccoli, Butternut Squash and Quinoa Casserole appeared first on Inspiralized.

Today, I’m on HSN! The Inspiralizer Pro is on sale for $29.95 and in three colors: white, gray, and red!

You can actually get it for $19.95 with code SPRINGHSN (first time customers only!) – which is an insanely good deal! And, a great gift idea for Mother’s Day, which pairs perfectly with today’s recipe: a easy, healthy and tasty veggie bake!

Yes, I’m back in Florida, and this time, I’m without the baby! It was such a quick trip this time, I decided to save the baby a trip and leave him home with Lu. My mother-in-law (Lu’s mother) actually flew in from Puerto Rico to spend a couple of weeks in New Jersey visiting Lu, Luca, and Lu’s brother, Jose and their family. SO, Luca will be surrounded by love for the weekend! And Lu will have a little extra help!

The toughest part is going to be pumping. But, it’s all part of being a working nursing mama, and I’m grateful not to have to do this on the regular. I’ll survive!

Speaking of motherhood, Mother’s Day is right around the corner, which is what prompted this recipe: an easy dish you can make for your mama or your family for brunch, lunch, or dinner. It has an elegant presentation and has a bit of an upscale flavor, thanks to the fragrant leeks, strong gruyere cheese, and subtly sweet butternut squash.

You could also add your other favorite protein (like some chicken, for example) or add in some more texture with cannellini beans!

I hope you give this recipe a try – Mother’s Day or not and if you’re in need of a good gift idea for Mother’s Day, make it the Inspiralizer Pro on HSN this Sunday!

Watch our video to learn how to spiralize a butternut squash using the Inspiralizer and subscribe to our YouTube channel to watch more videos:

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Spiralized Butternut Squash and Leek Quinoa Bake

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes minutes

Total Time 35 minutes minutes

Ingredients

• 1 medium butternut squash peeled, Blade C, noodles trimmed
• 1.5 cups sliced leeks
• 1.5 - 2 cups cooked quinoa
• olive oil to drizzle
• salt and pepper
• 2 cups grated Gruyere cheese
• 4 sage leaves chopped
• to serve: side salad

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Lay the squash noodles and leeks out in a 9 x 12 baking dish. Drizzle with olive oil and toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper. Roast for 15-20 minutes or until wilted. Add the quinoa, toss, and top with the cheese. Roast for 5-8 minutes or until cheese melts. Immediately garnish with sage and serve with a side salad or as is.

The post Spiralized Butternut Squash and Leek Quinoa Bake appeared first on Inspiralized.

For those of you who don’t follow me on Instagram (although you should, because I’m doing a massive giveaway once I hit 200k followers – plus, it’s a good place to find daily healthy inspiration!), I’m in Florida right now.

I came down to Florida two weekends ago for my sister’s bachelorette party and because Lu was traveling for work and I had to be back in Florida two weeks later for my sister’s wedding, it didn’t make any sense to fly back to NJ and be alone without Lu and then fly back down a couple weeks later.

Plus, I love that Luca is spending lots of bonding time with his grandparents! I grew up with both sides of my grandparents living down the street, so I was constantly there – and it led to really strong relationships with my grandparents.

I remember hiding underneath the coffee table in my grandparents’ house so many times when my Mom would come to pick me up after spending the night there. I want Luca to feel the same way about my parents!

Needless to say, I’m happy to be here in Florida for many reasons – the sunshine, the extra set of hands, etc. Luca loves it too – he loves being outside and feeling the fresh air, I see his mood lift immediately when we walk him outside!

Anyway, the point is that in the winter in Florida, the nights aren’t as hot or humid as they are during the summer, and I LOVE how cool they get (and by cool, I mean mid 60s, haha!) After a few cool nights, I was craving something warm and cozy and thus, this curry was born.

Originally, I wanted to make this curry with cubed butternut squash, but then I thought it’d be nicer if the butternut squash was spiralized into noodles. And I was right!

The butternut squash noodles add a little sweetness to the curry flavors and offer a different consistency and texture, making every bite of this curry the best.

Okay, the baby’s waking up – I have to run, I hope you cozy up with this curry soon!

Watch our video to learn how to spiralize a butternut squash using the Inspiralizer and subscribe to our YouTube channel to watch more videos:

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Lentil and Cauliflower Curry with Roasted Butternut Squash Noodles

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 1 hour hour

Total Time 1 hour hour 20 minutes minutes

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1 small yellow onion peeled and diced
• 2 celery ribs diced
• 2 carrots peeled and diced
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 large garlic clove minced
• 2 tablespoons curry powder
• 1 teaspoon turmeric
• 2 teaspoons cumin
• ½ teaspoon ground coriander
• 1.5 teaspoons chili powder or more, for more spice
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger or replace with 2 teaspoons fresh minced ginger
• 1 28 oz can diced tomatoes no salt added, drained
• 1 head of cauliflower chopped into small florets
• 1.5 cup lentils
• 2 13.6oz cans lite coconut milk
• 1 cup vegetable broth
• 2 medium butternut squashes
• fresh cilantro leaves to garnish

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
• Heat the oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Once oil is shimmering, add the onions, celery and carrots, season with salt and pepper, and cook for 5-7 minutes or until softened.
• Add the garlic (and ginger, if using) and stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
• Then, add the curry powder, turmeric, cumin, coriander and chili powder and stir until vegetables are coated in the spices.
• Add in the tomatoes, cauliflower, lentils, coconut milk, and broth and stir to combine well. Season with salt. Cover and bring to a boil.
• Once boiling, reduce heat to medium-low and let cook for 30 minutes or until lentils and cauliflower are tender.
• While curry cooks, line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Peel the butternut squashes and chop the bulbous ends off and reserve for future use.
• Spiralize the peeled butternut squash necks with Blade C.
• Lay out the butternut squash noodles, spritz with olive oil cooking spray, season with salt and pepper and bake in the oven for 15 minutes or until cooked through.
• When curry is ready, divide the butternut squash noodles into bowls and top with curry. Serve garnished with cilantro.

The post Lentil and Cauliflower Curry with Roasted Butternut Squash Noodles appeared first on Inspiralized.

It took me a long time, about 27 years, to finally find my healthy stride and to commit to a healthy lifestyle forever. Hopefully, sharing my journey may inspire and help someone else who struggled to get there, like I did.

I’m partnering with Simple Mills to talk about the keys to sticking to a healthy lifestyle and tips on how to get started – AND to share three delicious pizza recipes with spiralized toppings, made with their Almond Flour Pizza Dough (I couldn’t believe how perfectly crispy the crust was!)

I’ve written several posts on the topic of a healthy lifestyle. If you’re looking for extra inspiration (and have some time blocked off), you’ll enjoy reading through these posts.

How to get started

Whether it’s 2pm and you’re at work staring at your monitor, or it’s 10pm and you’re laying in bed, whether it’s Sunday or Wednesday or Friday, the first step is this: START.

I love the saying, “an expert was once a beginner.” You have to start and there’s no better time than the present. And in that same vein, you have to know that you’re not going to start off and immediately be your healthiest you (just like a beginner won’t start and right away become an expert.) It’s going to take time and it’s going to be a JOURNEY. Don’t expect overnight results. This isn’t a 3-day cleanse that helps you lose a couple pounds of water weight before your high school reunion. This isn’t even something that by the end of the week, you can fit into that new party dress you bought.

This is about feeling good in your own skin, finally. I truly believe that you glow from the inside out and if you nourish your body properly, you’ll feel good AND look good. This is about never having to say, “Ugh, I need to go on a diet!” OR never having to feel anxiety about fitting into a bathing suit, scrambling to lose weight before summer starts.

So, once you start, acknowledge that for the rest of your life, you are going to choose (most of the time – more on that below) to eat healthy. You are going to choose this because you want to feel good. You don’t want to feel lethargic anymore or feel food guilt. You want to be able to eat what you want, but still look good.

First, start. Commit. Decide that you’re choosing balance over restriction, always.

Here are some tips on how to get started:

• Stock your pantry and fridge with healthy foods. I have lists in all of my cookbooks on what to keep in your pantry and fridge for healthy eating. Ditch the Domino sugar for organic coconut sugar. Love chocolate chip cookies after dinner? Try Simple Mill’s Chocolate Chip Crunchy Cookies. NEED to have cream cheese with toast in the morning? Snack on Cheez-Its or have a little kid in the house who loves them in their snack pack? Try Simple Mills’ Farmhouse Cheddar Crackers. There is literally a healthier alternative for every type of food out there, so stock your pantry right, and when you reach in for a craving, at least you’ll be eating something that’s made with real, whole ingredients and will nourish your body while satisfying a sweet or salty tooth! I find this fun – it’s a big ‘ole trip to the grocery store that feels cathartic!
• If you need to set a goal to keep you on track of the lifestyle, don’t make it a materialistic one. Don’t say, “That’s it! I finally want to be a size 4, I’m starting a healthy lifestyle!” This healthy lifestyle should be all about simply feeling good. There’s no better feeling than waking up and having energy, feeling alive, and yes, fitting into your favorite jeans. But the second you get home, you throw on comfy sweats, so what’s the point, right? If you want to set a numerical goal, make it something like, “I’m going to eat X amount of servings of veggies each day” or, “I’m going to be able to do X amount of burpees by the end of the month.” And if you HAVE to set a weight loss goal (I did at first), understand that it’s just one stepping stone in a lifestyle, not a stopping point or an “end” goal.
• Set yourself up for success with planning. “Ugh, I had a donut for breakfast because I was starving and had to hop into a 3-hour long meeting!” If you’re having a donut because it was voted the world’s best donut and you just really, really want to try it, that’s one thing. BUT if you’re grabbing a donut because you forgot to pack a healthy protein bar or throw together a breakfast before you ran out the door, that’s another thing. Part of the lifestyle is fitting healthiness into every part of your day. So, set yourself up for success by meal planning and making sure that you have grabbable, healthy, satisfying snacks around – whether at your desk at work, in your purse, or gym bag, set yourself up for success!
• Don’t do everything at once. Don’t setup an intense, 6-day a week workout program along with a total overhaul of your diet. Try eating healthy first and building in some low intensity workouts a few days a week. Don’t try to do it all, it’ll result in burnout and if you’re doing it all and not seeing immediate results, it can be discouraging. Be kind to your body and keep remembering, this is FOREVER, not just a specific amount of time. There’s no rush!

Keys to sticking to a healthy lifestyle

Here are some tips for sticking to the healthy lifestyle, once you’ve started it:

• Accept that yes, while you can’t eat whatever you want 24/7 anymore, you will still be able to have your favorite foods. Since you’re committing to a lifelong journey of healthy eating, one night of having a slice of chocolate cake won’t derail you. If you were on a diet, it would, but if you’re committing to the overall picture, it’s just one small smidge. So when you commit to this lifestyle, you won’t feel guilty about indulging.
• Keep this in the back of your mind at all times, especially when you’re about to make a very unhealthy choice: will this make me feel good? Will the bloated, exhausted, thirsty feeling you get after eating something unhealthy be better than the alternative, which is having energy, glowing, and being confident in your own skin? Usually, it won’t be. Honestly, unless I’m having some uncontrollable craving or I’m participating in something special (a celebration, an event, etc), I do my best to skip the temptations. For example, if I’m at a wedding, I’ll have as much of the wedding cake as I want. Usually, all I need is a few bites – because I know that if I eat the whole slice (and a bite of Lu’s), I won’t feel good on the dancefloor for the rest of the night, and it’s just not worth it. Now I’m not saying you have to think about every single food decision you make, because it gets easier once you hit that healthy stride, but at first, it helps to just be more conscious of your food decisions.
• Tell everyone about it – and NEVER feel bad about making a healthy choice while out with friends or family. This one gets me every time – someone asking me, “What do you do when you go out to dinners with friends? I’m always looked at funny if I don’t eat what they eat or want to share appetizers.” Just like people who make fun of the Kardashians, they’re laughing all the way to the bank. So what do you care if a friend gives you a stank face for not having a piece of bread or wanting to split artichoke dip with them? You’re trying to feel your best – and every single dinner with a friend isn’t an excuse to go HAM, especially if you’re a social person and like to go out a lot. When I first started my healthy journey, I was “that” girl who didn’t have dessert or didn’t partake in fried apps. When I told my friends about my new goals, they simply said, “Ugh, you’re so good, I wish I could be as good as you!” to which I’d respond, “You can too!” Don’t you want to be a positive influence on your friends? And plus, I’d rather have another glass of wine than a mozzarella stick. But that’s just me.
• Always evolve. There are going to be times in your life when your body is different and your life is different. Case in point: I got pregnant! I went from knowing how much food I needed to fuel myself and what extra treats I could indulge in without compromising my healthy lifestyle and THEN I started growing a human inside of my tummy! I had to eat more, and I was clearly going to gain weight – like, a lot of weight. I gained about 35 pounds! Did I just say, “Eff it, what’s the point?!” No – I did the exact opposite. I focused on being even HEALTHIER, for three reasons: 1) to keep my baby healthy and nourished, 2) to have energy and feel good while pregnant so I would enjoy my pregnancy, and 3) be able to snap back into shape post-partum. Just accept that your life is going to go in all sorts of directions (pregnancies or not) and you need to accept that. You may go through a really bad breakup or mourn the loss of a loved one (something I also had to go through last year) where you may turn to food for comfort or not have the energy to stick to your fitness regimen. THAT’S OKAY. Everything is going to be okay, because again, in the grand scheme of things, a few months (or nine) where you’re adjusting your eating and exercising patterns won’t cause you to fall off the wagon, if you do your best to keep healthy and be kind to yourself.
• Keep it 80/20. I’ve talked about this 80/20 rule ad nauseum, and I’ll say it again: eat clean and well 80% of the time, and let yourself enjoy some Oreos or skip a workout 20% of the time. By doing this, you’re giving yourself flexibility and you’re not being too restrictive, leading into compulsive behavior, food anxiety, and potentially, eating disorders. Personally, I don’t label my diet and I don’t totally eliminate any foods (I choose not to keep some foods in my house, to eliminate 24/7 temptation, but I’ll have them outside of my home, during the 20%.) For example, your 80% of the time might be Monday through Saturday OR your 80% of the time may be random – like a special event you know is coming up OR a spontaneous date night in with your boo after a rough day at work. You never want to feel persecuted by your lifestyle and allowing this 20% of flexibility makes it more sustainable and thus, a healthy lifestyle. And take it from someone who has struggled for 27 years, found a healthy lifestyle, found her “goal weight”, then got pregnant, had a baby, and is getting back into shape post-partum, the 80/20 rule works!  And if you start to see that ratio shift to 70/30, 60/40, just reset. Rein it back in.

I hope these tips get you inspired to make some healthy changes in your lifestyle!

Healthy Gluten-Free Pizzas with Spiralized Toppings

Now remember when I said to stock your pantry with healthier alternatives of your favorite snacks and sweets? Well, here’s a perfect example of that, using the universal “guilty pleasure” food: PIZZA! Using Simple Mill’s Almond Flour Pizza Dough and the Inspiralizer, I’ve made three different pizzas, using three different topping varieties: BBQ Chicken and Caramelized Onion, Spicy Chicken Sausage and Peppers, and Goat Cheese and Butternut Squash.

And for some pizza porn:

Spicy Chicken Sausage and Peppers

BBQ Chicken and Caramelized Onion

Goat Cheese, Sage and Butternut Squash

Instead of eating a pizza dough made with sugar, flour, additives and other chemicals, you’re eating eight REAL ingredients: Almond Flour, Arrowroot, Flax Meal, Cauliflower, Baking Soda, Organic Oregano, Cream of Tartar, Organic Garlic. These are ingredients that will nourish your body! It’s a win-win!

In all honestly, after making these pizzas last week, I said to my mother (who devoured them alongside me!), “I don’t think I’ll ever miss pizzeria pizza again!” Of course, there’s a time and a place for pizzeria pizza (like date nights, etc!), but honestly, this Simple Mill’s Almond Flour Pizza Dough is spot-on – it gets crispy and holds together perfectly (which is hard to come by with premade gluten-free crusts!) I can’t wait to make these for Lu when we’re back in Jersey City together. And of course, I can’t wait to make one for Luca one day, when he starts eating real foods!

The doughs were easy to make – just whisk together apple cider vinegar, water, and oil and then add the mix! I made two 8-inch pizzas and then one larger pie and all three came out so well! My parents and I devoured the pizza for dinner with a big side salad.

The best part? These pizzas fit into my overall healthy lifestyle – a wholesome pizza crust paired with a good old fashioned cheesy topping! Total balance. And I woke up feeling great!

You can find these mixes at Whole Foods!

Note: Although Simple Mills sponsored this post, all opinions are my own, always.

Recipes

BBQ Chicken and Caramelized Onion Pizza

Time to Prep: 15 minutes
Time to Cook: 35 minutes
Serves: 4

Ingredients

2 small boneless chicken breasts (or 1 large one)
3/4 cup barbecue sauce (or more, if you like it saucier)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 small red onion, peeled, Blade A, noodles trimmed
salt and pepper
1 box of Simple Mills Almond Flour Pizza Dough
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Place the chicken breast into a pot and cover with water. Bring the water to a boil and once boiling, reduce heat to medium-low and cook for 12 minutes or until chicken is cooked through and juices run clear. Remove from the water and shred with two forks. Add the chicken to a medium mixing bowl and pour over barbecue sauce and toss to coat. Set aside.

Meanwhile, while chicken cooks, heat the oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Once oil is shimmering, add the onions and season with salt and pepper. Let cook, tossing occasionally, until onions are caramelized, about 15-20 minutes.

While onions and chicken cook, prepare the pizza dough. Prepare the dough according to package directions and create two crusts. Cook for 5 minutes in the preheated oven (per the package instructions). Then, top each crust with mozzarella cheese. Then, top with BBQ chicken and caramelized onions. Pop both crusts into the oven and cook until crust is firm and browned, about 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and cut into four slices and serve.

Butternut Squash, Sage, and Goat Cheese Pizza

Time to Prep: 15 minutes
Time to Cook: 35 minutes
Serves: 4

Ingredients

1 small butternut squash (1.75 pounds), peeled, Blade C, noodles trimmed
salt and pepper
1 box of Simple Mills Almond Flour Pizza Dough
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
4oz goat cheese, crumbled
about 14-16 sage leaves
red pepper flakes, to garnish

Directions

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Place the butternut squash on the baking sheet, spritz with olive oil cooking spray, season with salt and pepper, and bake for 10-15 minutes or until soft and wilted, but still al dente. Once butternut squash is done, lower oven heat to 350 degrees.

While butternut squash cooks, prepare the pizza dough. Prepare the dough according to package directions and create two crusts. Cook for 5 minutes in the 350 degree preheated oven (per the package instructions). Then, top each crust with mozzarella cheese. Then, top with butternut squash noodles and top with goat cheese, pushing it in between the butternut squash noodles and around the outer crust. Top with sage leaves. Pop both crusts into the oven and cook until crust is firm and browned, about 15 minutes. Remove from the oven, garnish with red pepper flakes, and cut into four slices and serve.

Spicy Chicken Sausage and Peppers Pizza

Time to Prep:
Time to Cook:
Serves: 8

Ingredients

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
2 spicy Italian chicken sausage links, decased
2 green bell peppers, Blade A, noodles trimmed
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
salt and pepper
1 cup marinara sauce
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once oil is shimmering, add the chicken sausage, crumbling with a wooden spoon. Cook until cooked through, about 7 minutes. Remove the chicken sausage with a slotted spoon or tongs and immediately add in the bell pepper noodles and season with garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Toss occasionally until most wilted, 5 to 7 minutes.

While bell peppers cook, prepare the pizza dough. Prepare the dough according to package directions and create one large crust (use all the dough). Cook for 5 minutes in the 350 degree preheated oven (per the package instructions). Then, top each crust with marinara sauce, leaving a little more than 1/4″ around the edges for the crust. Then, top with 3/4 of the mozzarella cheese. Then top with bell pepper noodles. Then top with chicken sausage. Then top with remaining mozzarella cheese. Pop the crust into the oven and cook until crust is firm and browned, about 20-25 minutes. Remove from the oven and cut into eight slices and serve.

The post Gluten-Free Pizza with Spiralized Toppings Three Ways appeared first on Inspiralized.

As I planned my strategy for Inspiralized for 2018 last week, I decided this: 2018 will be the year of EASY recipes.

Easy as in – minimal ingredients that you can easily find in a typical grocery store and prep time that is always under 30 minutes.

Aside from being easy, I only want to post recipes on my blog that I would actually eat, unless otherwise requested. So why would I post a recipe if I wouldn’t eat it myself? Great question. Let me explain!

Sometimes, I post recipes that are made with ingredients that I don’t like, because I know that other people (like you, the readers) like!

Since I love providing recipes that you want to make, I hope you all reach out to me and send me suggestions (via email or through an Instagram DM, Tweet, or Facebook message). Otherwise, all of the recipes on the blog in 2018 will be ones that I would personally make for a meal.

I guess it’s the year of me and you!

Today’s recipe checks off TWO of those boxes: EASY and something I would make for dinner for Lu and I. If I can make this dish with baby Luca napping, so can you! It takes minimal prop (the toughest part is peeling the butternut squash!) and has so much flavor, thanks to the sweetness in the butternut squash that complements the pancetta (aka Italian bacon!)

I’d love to hear what recipes you’d like to see in 2018 – maybe proteins (for example, ‘salmon’) or ingredients (for example, ‘broccoli’).

I’m going to be sharing a couple of more recipes before 2018 starts, so stay tuned to the blog!

Nutritional Information & Recipe

Weight Watchers SmartPoints*: 7 points

*These points were calculated using the official Weight Watchers SmartPoints calculator. We are in no way affiliated with Weight Watchers, we are providing this information based on popular demand.

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Butternut Squash Pasta with Leeks and Pancetta

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes minutes

Total Time 30 minutes minutes

Ingredients

• 4 ounces diced pancetta
• 2 garlic cloves minced
• ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 3 leeks sliced
• 1 large butternut squash about 3 pounds, peeled, Blade D, noodles trimmed
• salt and pepper
• 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions

• Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once the pan is heated, add the pancetta and cooked until crispy, 5-7 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the pancetta to a paper towel lined plate.
• Let the pan cool (with pancetta fat) for 2-3 minutes and then add the garlic and red pepper flakes and stir for 1 minute or until fragrant. Add the leeks and butternut squash noodles to the pan and season with salt and pepper. Cook until pasta is al dente or softened to your preference, 5-7 minutes. Stir back in the pancetta along with the Parmesan cheese. Divide into bowls and serve.

The post Butternut Squash Pasta with Leeks and Pancetta appeared first on Inspiralized.

Thanksgiving is this week. I CANNOT believe that. I feel like the summer just ended, and I had my baby.

The holiday season is officially starting and I’m kicking it off with a healthy, spiralized dish that can be served as a side dish on your Thanksgiving (or whatever holiday!) table — or, as a high-protein vegetarian dish, thanks to Bob’s Red Mill’s lentils.

This is also the first dish I’ve cooked for the blog post-partum! It felt great to get back in the kitchen and whip up something spiralized for this blog. I’ve missed you all and my new recipes.

And I’m so excited to have baby Luca here for Thanksgiving. My parents are flying up from Florida to celebrate with us and my Grandmother is coming over, as well as my sister and her fiancé. It’s going to be nice having my mother back here to help me with the baby and to spend some quality time together, just her and I. Plus, Luca loves her – she’s like a baby whisperer!

During the holidays, it’s all about holiday parties and spending time with friends and family, EATING. Ah, I love it – gathering around a table for the sole purpose of enjoying good food and one another’s company.

If you’re like me and are always figuring out what to bring to a Friendsgiving or holiday gathering last-minute, then today’s post is for you. It’s packed with veggies (brussels sprouts and spiralized butternut squash) and vegetarian protein: lentils. It can be prepped in advance and reheated (another plus of this dish!) and is equally as delicious for leftovers.

Lentils are my favorite way to add protein and fiber to any dish – breakfast, lunch, and dinner. I have about 8 bags of Bob’s Red Mill’s lentils in my pantry so that I always have an easy protein to throw together. I prepare them simply – the ratio is 1:3 (so, 1 cup of lentils per 3 cups of water or broth) and I use water and then a couple of bay leaves for an extra hint of flavor.

For extra holiday flair, stir in some pomegranates. And for a little extra flavor, sprinkle over feta or some shaved Parmesan cheese. Either way you make this dish, it’ll be sure to gather everyone around! And a great way to use your Inspiralizer.

And stay tuned for holiday deals on the Inspiralizer for Black Friday/Cyber Monday – the deals will be announced on Thursday (Thanksgiving), so stay tuned and get some early holiday shopping done!

Note: Thank you to Bob’s Red Mill for sponsoring this post. I love working with brands who support Inspiralized’s healthy mission and as always, all opinions are my own.

Nutritional Information & Recipe

Weight Watchers SmartPoints*: TBD points

*These points were calculated using the official Weight Watchers SmartPoints calculator. We are in no way affiliated with Weight Watchers, we are providing this information based on popular demand.

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Balsamic Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Spiralized Butternut Squash with Lentils and Smashed Walnut Vinaigrette

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes minutes

Total Time 45 minutes minutes

Ingredients

• 2 cups Bob’s Red Mill lentils
• 6 cups water
• 2 large bay leaves
• 2 cups halved brussels sprouts
• olive oil to drizzle
• balsamic vinegar to drizzle (about 2 tablespoons)
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• salt and pepper
• 1 medium butternut squash peeled, Blade C, noodles trimmed
• 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
• For the vinaigrette:
• ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
• ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup
• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• ½ cup walnut halves toasted and smashed

Instructions

• Place the lentils, water, and bay leaf in a medium pot and bring to a boil over high heat. Once boiling, reduce heat to medium-low and let cook until water is absorbed and lentils are cooked, 15-20 minutes.
• Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. On one baking sheet, lay out the brussels sprouts. Drizzle with olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Season with garlic powder, salt, and pepper and toss with hands or tongs. Roast for 25 minutes or until browned and fork tender.
• On the other baking sheet, lay out the butternut squash noodles. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Once the brussels have been cooking for 10 minutes, place the butternut squash into the oven and cook for 10-15 minutes or until softened.
• While lentils cook and vegetables roast, prepare the vinaigrette. Place all of the ingredients into a small mixing bowl and whisk together.
• Place the brussels sprouts, butternut squash, and lentils in a large mixing bowl and toss to combine. Spread the mixture out on a serving platter and pour over the vinaigrette. Serve garnished with parsley.

The post Balsamic Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Spiralized Butternut Squash with Lentils and Smashed Walnut Vinaigrette appeared first on Inspiralized.

Welllll, that’s a wrap, folks! Today is our last post from my blogger guest post series. I’ve had so much fun introducing you to these ladies and hopefully you’ve bookmarked some of the blogs – they’re such talented ladies with such delicious recipe ideas!

We’re ending on a high note with the gorgeous Sarah from Broma Bakery. Best known for her baked goods (like, the best you’ve ever seen) and amazing photography, Sarah’s dishing up something spiralized today!

Sarah and I clicked at a blog retreat a couple of years ago and ever since, I’ve been a huge fan girl! Sarah was visiting NYC earlier this year and we grabbed dinner while she was in town and I got to meet her sweet and super tall boyfriend!

She’s hilarious, talented, gorge, and I couldn’t be more excited to end this blogger series with Sarah’s recipe.

I’d love to know what you thought of this blogger guest post series and if you’d like me to bring on more guest posters in the future!

And as for content moving forward, well, I got nothin’! I’m going to try my best to work on some recipes for the blog, but I have to say, I’m really enjoying this time alone with Luca You can follow me along at inspiralizedali for baby and mother content, if you’re interested.

Sarah Fennel is a professional photographer, food writer and teacher. Her love of food is showcased on her blog, Broma Bakery, and has led to opportunities to work with people and businesses who share her passion for eating and living well. She has been profiled by King Arthur Flour, Bake From Scratch, and Boston.com, and her photography has been featured in magazines, restaurants, and cookbooks. In the last year she’s taught two food photography workshops around the country, and has started an online food photography program for budding food photographers. When she’s not photographing recipes, she enjoys practicing yoga and going out to eat with her boyfriend, Alex. She lives in Detroit.

From Sarah:

Hi, everyone! My name is Sarah and I blog at Broma Bakery. Ali and I met a few years ago at a blogger retreat in Utah, and I instantly fell in love with her contagious smile, total charm, and business-savvy way of thinking (wait ok is this a proposal speech because this sounds like a proposal speech).

Aaaanywho. Today I’m sharing with you all a recipe for the most creamy, delicious, vegan Spiralized Butternut Squash with Creamy Cashew Alfredo. Besides soaking the cashews overnight, this recipe is a cinch to put together. Plus, the alfredo sauce will keep in the fridge for up to a week (yaas meal prep yaas). Last, if you’re eating for fewer people, this recipe can be easily halved

Hope you enjoy, and feel free to come say hi on my blog or follow along on Insta at @bromabakery. Happy cooking!

Connect with Sarah:

• Her blog, Broma Bakery
• Instagram
• Facebook
• Twitter
• Pinterest

Note: Hi, it’s Ali! I’m currently taking time off the blog for a maternity leave. During this time, I will be featuring some of the bloggers who have inspired me – they’ve provided spiralized recipes for all of you to enjoy during my absence. I’m honored to introduce them to you if you don’t know them already – and I hope you enjoy this new series!

If you have any questions regarding this recipe or anything Inspiralized related, you can feel free to leave a comment and Meaghan, our Director of Community & Brand will get back to you! You can also reach her via e-mail – she will escalate anything urgent to me, but as I said, I will be preparing for my little one’s arrival and then, of course, enjoying time with him and my husband. You can follow me on Instagram for personal updates – on @inspiralizedali and @inspiralized. Thank you for your understanding and patience as I begin this exciting new chapter of my life!

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Spiralized Butternut Squash with Creamy Cashew Alfredo

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes minutes

Total Time 30 minutes minutes

Ingredients

• 2 cups raw cashews
• 1/2 large onion diced
• 2 garlic cloves minced
• 1 1/4 cup unsweetened almond milk
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
• juice of 1 lemon
• 2 large butternut squashes spiralized (makes about 8 cups noodles)

Instructions

• Soak cashews overnight in 3 cups of water. Once soaked, drain completely.
• In a large pan over medium heat, sauté the onion and garlic until translucent. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly.
• In a high-powered blender, blend soaked cashews, cooked onions and garlic, almond milk, salt, pepper, mustard, and lemon until very creamy. Set aside.
• Meanwhile, sauté spiralized squash in the same pan you used for the onions and garlic for about 10 minutes, or until cooked through. Pour in the alfredo sauce, tossing to combine before serving!

The post Spiralized Butternut Squash with Creamy Cashew Alfredo appeared first on Inspiralized.

The gorgeous Monique from Ambitious Kitchen is sharing a seriously drool-worthy recipe today on the blog!

Mac and cheese, yes please!

Monique and I met on a blogger retreat (noticing a theme?!) and we immediately connected and have been friends since. She was recently in NYC visiting and we met up for lunch before she jetted back of to Chicago – she was all glowy from wedding planning!

She is my go-to resource for healthy baking (seriously, some of her vegan cookies got me through my late third trimester sugar cravings!) and today, she’s revamping a pasta classic into something healthy!

Monique Volz is the founder of Ambitious Kitchen, a healthy living and food blog devoted to inspiring others to lead healthy, active lifestyles. Monique’s passion is enabling others to nourish their bodies better, while inspiring them in the kitchen and beyond. Ambitious Kitchen provides nourishing meals, better for you treats and protein packed snacks. She currently resides in Chicago, IL with her fiance.

From Monique:

Hey guys! Monique here, blogger behind Ambitious Kitchen, a food and wellness blog devoted to wholesome meals, better for you treats, and living an ambitious life. I’m also the co-founder of Healthy Glow Co., a community and resourceful website that encourages women to live healthier vibrant lives through nourishing meal plans & fitness.

Currently I live in Chicago and am getting married this Fall in the windy city. A little background on me: I started Ambitious Kitchen in 2011 while I was doing PR, marketing and social media for both small and large-scale food brands. After three years I left my full-time job to work on Ambitious Kitchen full time, and have never looked back. It has been an incredible journey thus far, and I’ve been lucky to meet some pretty inspiring women like Ali along the way!

As you guys know Ali is prepping for her bundle of joy (so exciting!) and asked me to do a Inspiralized recipe takeover on her blog. Of course, we LOVE Inspiralized recipes over here at AK, so I’m incredibly excited to share this one with all of you.

In this deliciously creamy version of ‘mac and cheese’ I cut out the noodles and used one of my favorite fall veggies: Butternut Squash. We’re jumping into cooler weather here in Chicago, so this season is all about cozy comfort foods to keep you satisfied and nourished.

I say, what better way to bring on the fall than with a cozy bowl of homemade mac and cheese? I lightened up your favorite childhood classic with fresh butternut squash noodles, dairy-free milk and extra veggies.

Connect with Monique:

• Her blog, Ambitious Kitchen
• Instagram
• Facebook
• Twitter
• Pinterest

Note: Hi, it’s Ali! I’m currently taking time off the blog for a maternity leave. During this time, I will be featuring some of the bloggers who have inspired me – they’ve provided spiralized recipes for all of you to enjoy during my absence. I’m honored to introduce them to you if you don’t know them already – and I hope you enjoy this new series!

If you have any questions regarding this recipe or anything Inspiralized related, you can feel free to leave a comment and Meaghan, our Director of Community & Brand will get back to you! You can also reach her via e-mail – she will escalate anything urgent to me, but as I said, I will be preparing for my little one’s arrival and then, of course, enjoying time with him and my husband. You can follow me on Instagram for personal updates – on @inspiralizedali and @inspiralized. Thank you for your understanding and patience as I begin this exciting new chapter of my life!

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Broccoli & Butternut Squash Noodle ‘Mac & Cheese’

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes minutes

Total Time 25 minutes minutes

Ingredients

• 1 head broccoli cut into florets
• 1 tablespoon ghee or butter
• 2 cloves garlic thinly sliced
• 1 2 pound butternut squash, spiralized (or you can use sweet potato noodles)
• 6 oz sharp cheddar cheese cut into small cubes
• ¼ cup parmesan cheese
• 1/3 cup unsweetened cashew milk
• ½ teaspoon onion powder
• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

• Add broccoli florets in a large pot and add 1 inch of water to the bottom then sprinkle with a little salt. Place over high heat and bring water to a boil, then cover, reduce heat and allow broccoli to steam for 8 minutes or until tender and al dente. (You can also use a steamer if you have one!) Remove from heat, drain and transfer to a separate bowl until later.
• Next add ghee (or butter) to the pot and place over medium heat. Once ghee is melted, add in sliced garlic and saute for 30 seconds or until fragrant. Add in butternut squash noodles and cook for 3-4 minutes or until they are al dente. Reduce heat to medium low and add in cheddar cheese, parmesan, cashew milk and onion powder. Stir every so often for 3-5 minutes or until cheese is completely melted. Stir in broccoli and salt and pepper. Taste and adjust seasonings as necessary. You may want to add in garlic powder or even cayenne (for a spicy version). Recipe serves 2.

The post Broccoli & Butternut Squash Noodle ‘Mac & Cheese’ appeared first on Inspiralized.

Lexi from Lexi’s Clean Kitchen is taking over the blog today!

Lexi is honestly one of the sweetest, kindest women in the business, and I couldn’t be happier to introduce her to many of you who may not know of her wildly popular blog – or cookbook – yet.

Alexis Davidson is the voice behind Lexi’s Clean Kitchen—the go-to food blog for clean and delicious recipes that shows readers that living a healthy lifestyle can be simple, fun, and above all satisfying. After discovering firsthand the healing power of food, Lexi was inspired to create recipes that omit negative health instigators like gluten, grains, dairy, and refined sugars while still delivering the taste and gratification people expect. She inspires readers to get creative, whether they are gluten-free, eat Paleo, or just love delicious food.

Her first cookbook, Lexi’s Clean Kitchen, launched last November, takes a practical approach to clean eating that won’t deprive you of your favorite foods. This fundamentals cookbook transcends dietary labels – it is for everyone who loves preparing delectable meals that satisfy every palate and every craving.

From Lexi:

This easy, meatless weeknight dish will be a huge hit with the whole family. A delicious curry sauce over tender butternut squash noodles and tons of vegetables! Add a protein of choice to make this a heartier main dish!

Connect with Lexi:

• Her blog, Lexi’s Clean Kitchen
• Instagram
• Facebook
• Twitter
• Pinterest

Note: Hi, it’s Ali! I’m currently taking time off the blog for a maternity leave. During this time, I will be featuring some of the bloggers who have inspired me – they’ve provided spiralized recipes for all of you to enjoy during my absence. I’m honored to introduce them to you if you don’t know them already – and I hope you enjoy this new series!

If you have any questions regarding this recipe or anything Inspiralized related, you can feel free to leave a comment and Meaghan, our Director of Community & Brand will get back to you! You can also reach her via e-mail – she will escalate anything urgent to me, but as I said, I will be preparing for my little one’s arrival and then, of course, enjoying time with him and my husband. You can follow me on Instagram for personal updates – on @inspiralizedali and @inspiralized. Thank you for your understanding and patience as I begin this exciting new chapter of my life!

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Easy Curry Butternut Squash Noodles

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 30 minutes minutes

Ingredients

• Curry Sauce:
• 1/2 teaspoon fresh Ginger grated
• 2 garlic cloves. Mined
• Red pepper flakes
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 tablespoon green curry paste *see notes
• 2 cups full fat coconut milk
• 2 teaspoons lime juice more to taste
• 1 teaspoon fish sauce
• 1 teaspoon coconut sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt more to taste
• Other Ingredients:
• 1 large butternut squash about 3 cups noodles
• 1 red pepper thinly sliced
• 1 green pepper thinly sliced
• 1 yellow onion thinly sliced
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 tablespoon scallions thinly sliced
• 1 tablespoon cilantro for garnish
• 1 lime sliced into wedges for garnish
• 1 red chili pepper sliced thin for garnish
• Optional: 1cup fresh spinach

Instructions

• Make the Sauce: Heat ginger, garlic, red pepper flakes, cumin, and green curry paste on medium heat for 1 minutes. Add coconut milk, lime juice, fish sauce, coconut sugar and sea salt. Whisk to combine. Bring sauce ingredients to a boil over medium-high heat. Once at a boil, lower the heat to low, and let simmer for 10-15 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning as desired.
• Heat 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil in a large sauté pan. Add peppers, onions, and sea salt.
• Sauté until onions turn translucent and the peppers have started to softened, about 3-5 minutes. Add butternut squash and sauté for an additional 5-7 minutes. If adding the spinach, add at the end and toss until wilted.
• Place butternut zoodles, peppers, and onions in a large serving bowl. Pour curry sauce over the veggies. Garnish with cilantro, scallions, and red chili pepper if using. Serve warm!

Notes

Notes:
* This dish isn’t very spicy, but has a kick. If you don’t like spicy food, start with 1/4 teaspoon green curry paste and add more to taste while the sauce is cooking!
* You can add any veggies to this dish that you have on hand! Potatoes, carrots, corn, spinach, etc. If you add vegetables, add them along with the peppers and onions with the exception of dark leafy greens such as spinach and kale. Add the leafy greens once the butternut squash has cooked for at least 5 minutes and cook the leafy green just until it starts to wilt. If added before, the greens will be overcooked.

The post Easy Curry Butternut Squash Noodles appeared first on Inspiralized.