Colorful Cauliflower/Carrot Frittata

I’m always on the lookout for easy breakfasts and a colorful cauliflower/carrot frittata fits the bill. It’s simple, delicious, and lasts several days in the fridge. The good news for my low carb and gluten free friends is it fits into their eating patterns, too!

Although serving it with some slices of No Knead Bread or adding some quinoa would make it just perfectly fiber-filled for me!

The cauliflower and carrots are going to provide vitamins, and minerals, while using left over ground meat, salmon, or chicken adds extra protein. You and I need the protein to start our day, so we feel full longer and utilize the amnio acids to restore and repair our cells.

This particular dish just happens to be lower in carbs too. However, I’m already thinking it needs a half a cup of cooked quinoa to provide extra fiber and nutrients.

What God puts in the garden is good! I love sampling all the goodies he has to offer and sharing them with you.

You know, an interesting thing I notice about God by reading scripture is He is always testing us. I guess that is why He places us in situations that provide luxurious food, overabundance, and opportunity. He wants to see how we respond.

Now the Passover, the feast of the Jews, was at hand. 5 Lifting up his eyes, then, and seeing that a large crowd was coming toward him, Jesus said to Philip, “Where are we to buy bread, so that these people may eat?” 6 He said this to test him, for he himself knew what he would do.

John 6 ESV – Jesus Feeds the Five Thousand – After – Bible Gateway

We see compassion for the crowds in Jesus’ words and actions. He is ready to feed 5000+ people with 5 loaves and two fish. Phillip responds like most of us do, blurting out how much money it would take to do this task.

Do you take comfort in God’s testing, knowing he has your best interest at heart? Every experience He takes us through brings us closer to Him. He is pretty awesome!

The colorful cauliflower/carrot frittata is proof of His divine nature in the things he makes, too!

I hope you enjoy it as much as my family did!

Colorful Cauliflower/Carrot Frittata


Colorful Cauliflower/Carrot Frittata

  • 1 12 ounce Bag Cauliflower/Carrot (Blend Frozen Vegetables (thawed))
  • 1 tsp Seasoning
  • 1/2 Cup Cottage Cheese (Or Milk)
  • 6 Eggs (Or 8 if you need more for the week)
  • 1/4 Cup Parmesan Cheese
  • 1/2 Cup Ground Beef (You can use chicken, turkey, sausage, salmon, or whatever you have left over from the night before. )

  1. Preheat oven to 375

  2. Place vegetables in a dish and season with your favorite seasonings. I like onion powder, or Redmond's salt seasoning.

  3. Add the ground beef or leftover meat of your choice (salmon/chicken/chicken apple sausage work well too)

  4. Combine the eggs and the cottage cheese in a separate bowl and mix well.

  5. Pour over the vegetables and bake at 375 for about 20 minutes or until eggs are done.

  6. Top with the parmesan cheese and serve!

As you can see this recipe is very low carb and low fiber, so I would add a cup of quinoa or serve it with a slice of whole grain bread!




Gluten Free Oat Bread

Gluten free oat bread is a challenge in my kitchen because I only have one grain mill. That grain mill has barley, spelt, and wheat berries ground in it weekly. But I wanted a gluten free bread to take to our Women’s Natural Health Night for those ladies who cannot tolerate gluten products and milling oats in my mill would cross contaminate the grain.

The solution, for me, is to soak the oat groats overnight then blend them in the bullet blender the next morning. I’m not sure if steel cut oats would work in this recipe, so I cannot weigh in on that topic. However, I do want to give my two scents regarding their health benefits, since I’ve been asked lately how healthy they are.

How To Decide if Oats Are Right For You

The concern of low-Carbers is oats are high in carbohydrates, but their glycemic index is 55, so that’s not bad. A high glycemic index is greater than 70 and low is less than 55. The index gives a rating for foods that spike blood sugar quickly. Keep in mind, all natural oats are going to contain all of the fiber and bran of the seed. Hence it will have a lower index, while steel cut oats are next lowest. The simple oat flakes, will of course, have the highest glycemic index.

Like anything, you and I have to judge for ourselves what works best for our bodies. Thinking logically, we can ask a few questions to determine where we are in our health and how oats may or may not be the right choice.

Whole oats

First, I would ask myself these three questions:

  1. Am I insulin resistant? This can be determined by a fasting insulin test (opinions for appropriate levels vary, but optimal is around 4-5 Miu/L and high is above 8), or a Triglyceride/HDL ratio higher than 2.5. Also, if there is a tendency to gain weight easily or great difficulty losing weight, are signs of insulin resistance. By the way, the best way to decrease insulin resistance is to MOVE. But if you are insulin resistant, eating a good protein like and egg and avocado, or unsweetened yogurt with berries and nuts may be better options. I have seen oats spike sugars for some people, but not others. Therefore, consumption can be determined individually with a $20 glucometer to show you how various foods spike your sugar.
  2. Am I sedentary or active? If I am sitting most of the day at a desk or watching T.V. , there are better lower glycemic choices for breakfast. However, if I plan to cycle 20 miles, lift weights, hike 10 miles, or chase children around all day, oats are a good choice for sustaining energy.
  3. Am I eating them plain or with added toppings? Well, you know this matters because very few people eat oats plain. The package ingredients always matter, too. Is there added sugar? If yes, how many grams per serving? As you know, it’s better to buy plain and sweeten with a natural sweetener, like 1/2 teaspoon of honey. Or you could also use 1/2 a banana so you at least get some potassium and minerals. Although, the hope is to train your taste buds to do without processed, refined, white sugar.
    Another thing that helps lower a sugar spike is adding cinnamon. A good nut and seed combination provides steady protein and fat and will also decrease the sugar spike of the oats.

But don’t worry, you’ll figure it out as you learn to listen to your body and its cues for hunger, satisfaction, and fullness.

Benefits of Oats

Oats contain beta-glucan that helps lower blood sugar and has cholesterol lowering benefits. They are a good source of fiber (4 grams/cup), protein (13 grams/cup), vitamins, iron, magnesium and zinc. Since this recipe uses the entire oat kernel the valuable phenolic acids and avenanthramides are present, too. The antioxidant properties of oats help fight skin, colon, and lung cancers, while also reducing the risk for cardiovascular disease.

God’s Design For our Bodies and Our Food

God’s plan for healing our bodies gets more interesting as I learn about His character in Bible study. There is always a plan to provide for His people spiritually and physically.

  1. He brings us to a good land, just like He did Israel. (Numbers 14:7)
  2. Heaven is opened to give rain in its season and bless the work of our hands. (Deuteronomy 28:12)
  3. The land is given as an inheritance. (1 Kings 8:36)
  4. Rich good land, broad, quiet, and peaceful. ( 1 Chronicles 4:40)
  5. He is happy when we set our hearts to seek Him (2 Chronicles 19:3)
  6. Houses full of good things, cisterns already hewn, vineyards, olive orchards, and fruit trees in abundance were there. (Nehemiah 9:25)
  7. We too, will look upon the Lord in the land of the living. (Psalm 27:13)

Rest in His promises today, my friend and enjoy the benefits of everything He provides for you!

Gluten Free Oat Bread


Gluten Free Oat Bread

  • 2 Cup Whole Oats (Rinse twice, and cover with water to soak overnight)
  • 1/2 Cup Half-n-half (coconut milk or buttermilk)
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 2 tsp Baking Powder
  • 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
  • 1/2 Cup Oat flakes
  • 1/2 Cup Arrowroot Flour
  • 1 tsp xanthan gum

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

    Once oats have soaked overnight, pour off the water, Add new water to cover the oats and measure 1 cup (oats and water together) in a high-powered blender (I like the Bullet) place the blended oats in a bowl and blend the 2nd cup of oats. Place it in the bowl. It should look like thick, creamy, oatmeal.

  2. Add the arrowroot flour, salt, baking powder, xanthan gum and mix well.

  3. Add the milk and eggs and vinegar and mix well.

  4. Grease a loaf pan with olive oil, and place the batter in the loaf pan.

  5. Sprinkle with the oat flakes and bake one hour or more until golden brown and toothpick comes out clean. I could have baked mine a little longer than an hour, maybe 10-15 minutes more. Remove to cool completely then enjoy!


Enjoy your gluten free breads and let me know how it goes for you! There are more bread recipes on the blog, so feel free to check them out! I am here for you if you need a RN Health and Wellness coach to help you get started on eating healthier as a lifestyle and never diet again! Book a free 30-minute consultation here or a workshop here!

God bless,

Mysty

Simplifying Health God’s Way



Quinoa & Black Bean Medley

A couple of years ago my daughter signed up for Purple Carrot. As with all great ideas and plans, not every recipe will please the masses. However, there was one she shared with me that featured black beans and sweet potatoes. Oh boy, was it a great combination! I can’t tell you how many times I’ve eaten it as a meal when I’m not wanting to spend a lot of time in the kitchen. My inspiration for this Quinoa & Black Bean Medley comes from that dish.

I use sauteed onions and garlic in olive oil, then add the sweet potato with salt, paprika, and cumin. After the potatoes soften a little, I add the rinsed black beans and precooked quinoa. I then top this dish off at the end with fresh oregano and kale from the garden. It is so good!

Health Benefits of Quiona & Black Bean Medley

The benefits of this medley are pretty impressive too! As many of you know quinoa is a complete protein (8grams per cup), rich in fiber (5 grams per cup), while providing a powerhouse of vitamins and minerals. So paired with the 8 grams of fiber and 7 grams of protein in black beans, you and I are one step closer to meeting our daily requirement in this dish. If that is not impressive enough, just think of the polyphenols and B vitamins present alongside garlic, onions, kale, and sweet potatoes. You’ll see the nutrition facts for this dish below in the recipe.

Sweet potatoes contain provitamin A, a nice supply of potassium, B5, B6, and naturally occurring vitamin E. Why is natural occurring vitamin E important? Because synthetic vitamin E (alpha tocopherol) has been implicated in negative outcomes for health! In a meta-analysis study it has been shown to increase all cause mortality! (1)

So, please, ditch the synthetic garbage and stick with God’s essential nutrients he provided for brain health, metabolism, energy, fighting inflammation, and disease. In addition to the sweet potato beauty, the powerhouse of kale is providing antioxidants, vitamin C, vitamin K, and calcium. It grows easily in the back yard or container garden too!

Buy some seeds in the spring and enjoy this wonderful vegetable all summer!

Snap Peas & Kale

Devotion

Moreover, feel confident in this: God knew exactly how to provide for your every need before you came to be. From reducing oxidative stress, helping your cell’s fight cancer, improving your digestive health, controlling blood sugar, and lowering your risk for chronic disease; He has a plan in the food he provides. The Psalmist is overwhelmed with God’s glory in the beauty of the moon and stars. He sees a bigger picture of life outside himself, and wonders at the mightiness of God.

It is exactly how I see God when I think of how mindful He is of us when reading about the nutrition facts in plants and animals. He also created a body for you and me that is always working overtime to undo the toxic elements it is exposed to. Although we are crowned with glory and honor and dominion over animals, plants, and creatures of the sea; alongside the great honor, comes stewardship.

When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him, and the son of man that you care for him? Yet you have made him a little lower than the heavenly beings and crowned him with glory and honor.

Psalm 8:3-5 ESV – When I look at your heavens, the work – Bible Gateway

Humbly accepting his great gift of healing for our spiritual health occurs by accepting His Son, Jesus Christ. But mindfully choosing the food he provides for our body’s health from the garden, over man-made harmful products, is also a way to honor Him physically.

God is so worthy of praise, isn’t He?!


Quinoa & Black Bean Medley

  • 2 Sweet Potatoes
  • 1 Can Black Beans (rinsed and drained)
  • 1 Cup Quinoa (Precooked)
  • 2 Cloves Garlic (Minced)
  • 1/2 Medium Onion
  • 2 Tbsp. Oregano (Fresh)
  • 2 Cups Kale (Fresh Chopped)
  • 1 tsp Salt
  • 1 tsp Paprika
  • 1/2 tsp Cumin
  • 1 Tbsp Olive extra virgin olive oil
  • 1/2 Cup Water

  1. Heat a skillet to low/medium heat. Add the olive oil, onions and garlic. Sauté until tender.

  2. Add the chopped sweet potatoes and cook until tender about 5 min, Sprinkle with paprika.

    Add the rinsed black beans and the water. Stir occasionally, then add the precooked quinoa. Season with salt and cumin.

  3. Lastly, stir in the chopped oregano and kale and stir until just wilted. Serve immediately.


References:

Clarke MW, Burnett JR, Croft KD. Vitamin E in human health and disease. Crit Rev Clin Lab Sci. 2008;45(5):417-50. doi: 10.1080/10408360802118625. PMID: 18712629.



Gluten Free Apple Tarts

I made forty-eight miniature apple tarts this week for some little, and not so little, munchkins at church. And because I like to include everyone, I changed my fresh-milled wheat recipe to ground oats and added tapioca flour for my gluten-sensitive friends. This combination for gluten free apple tarts is a result of many trial and error efforts to make a gluten free pie crust.

Rice flour is too gritty, and my bible study group tasted and rejected quinoa flour years ago! Although, I like almond flour and arrowroot flour as substitutes for many recipes, I had fresh old-fashioned oats on hand. To my surprise, it made a decent pie crust.

I’ve been trying various gluten free recipes over the years because several friends and family members have become gluten sensitive or have celiac disease. Celiac disease is an inherited autoimmune disorder and when wheat or other grains with the gluten protein are present it attacks the lining of the intestine. (1)

Although people may experience bloating, diarrhea, and abdominal pain with this disorder, more insidious damage is taking place. Bone loss, malnutrition, anemia, liver damage, joint pain, hair loss, and fatigue are a few other findings associated with celiac disorder. A person may have a positive antibody test indicating the possibility of this disorder; however, a definitive diagnosis is done with an intestinal biopsy.

Benefits of Gluten Free Apple Tarts

Now, the fun part of making something different is looking for and reporting the benefits. The top advantage for gluten free apple tarts is there is no bloating or abdominal discomfort for wheat sensitive people. You’re welcome. And those who don’t react to gluten can enjoy them too! Oat flour is a good source of protein and fiber, which is always helpful to feel full and satisfied as well as move toxins out of the body. It also is a good source of minerals like selenium, magnesium, manganese, and zinc.

Gluten Free Apple Tarts

I’m not sure why certain people develop gluten sensitivities. We live in a fallen world that is prone to decay. Our bodies included. I do know manufacturing and mass production is polluting our food supply with toxic chemicals. The general population is feeding on highly processed, bleached wheat with nearly all the nutrients removed, while synthetic vitamins are added. Not only that, but there are preservatives listed on the label that are skin irritants on a material safety data sheet.

The more information I find, the more passionate I am about helping all of us eliminate what we can. It is why I truly believe in increasing awareness of how wonderful God’s garden is for combatting disease. He loves us and cares for us in so many ways. All we have to do is turn to Him for complete healing, body and soul. We get nourishment for our cells to function each day and we are filled with hope for the day we won’t’ have to strive to keep these bodies going.


Gluten Free Apple Tarts

  • 1 1/2 Cups Gluten Free Old-Fashioned Oats (ground into flour)
  • 1/2 Cup Tapioca Flour (Plus 1 tbsp for the filling)
  • 1 Tsp Xanthan gum
  • 1/4 Tsp Salt
  • 1 Tsp Sugar (optional)
  • 2 Apples (Peeled and Chopped)
  • 1/4 Cup Sugar
  • 1 Tsp Cinnamon
  • 1 Stick Butter
  • 1 Tbsp Olive Oil
  • 6 Tbsp Cold Water

  1. Preheat oven to 375 Degrees.

  2. In a large mixing bowl combine the ground oats, tapioca flour, salt, sugar, and xanthan gum.

  3. Cut the butter into small pieces and use a pastry cutter or fork to combine the butter and flour until it makes a course crumble. Mine was too dry, so I added the tablespoon of olive oil.

  4. Add the cold water and knead on a lightly floured surface until a firm dough forms. Roll out as thin as you can and cut circles for the tart shells with a biscuit cutter.

  5. Place the cut-out dough into the muffin pan.

Filling

  1. In the bowl combine the chopped apples, cinnamon, sugar, and 1 tbsp of tapioca flour together until well combined.

  2. Fill each tart shell with the apple filling and bake at 375 for about 20-25 minutes or until the tart shells are light brown and the filling bubbly.


Keep in mind, this is a treat designed for sharing with others and not to be used in place of a nutritious meal.

In any case, I hope you try the recipe and enjoy your gluten free apple tarts with friends. It’s delicious with a wonderful cup of Teecino herbal coffee substitute. No acid or caffeine, just wonderful bold flavor and enjoyment!

References:

Comparison of Gluten-Related Disorders – UCLA Digestive Diseases Celiac Disease Program – Los Angeles, CA (uclahealth.org)



Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Muffins

The best news about these peanut butter and chocolate chip muffins is they can easily be adjusted to include gluten free and wheat eating friends. However, if you have a nut allergy you may want to use a seed butter like pumpkin or sunflower. I find them not be a sweet as peanut butter but adding chopped prunes or a banana can fix that easily enough.

I also use dark chocolate chips. They have 72% cacao, and only 4 grams of sugar per tablespoon. Remember, 4 grams of sugar equals 1 teaspoon and we want to minimize the amount of sugar we consume to reduce inflammation and our chances of developing chronic disease.

Benefits of Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Muffins

Cacao contains flavonoids that help with oxidative stress in our cells and protect the epithelium layer of our blood vessels (1). It also contains polyphenols that decrease inflammation in the vasculature. The same autoinflammatory effect reduces insulin resistance. As mentioned previously, being cautious of the sugar content in your choice of dark chocolate is important. Benefits are minimized the more the cacao is processed, and as high amounts of sugar are added.

On the other hand, pairing your dark chocolate with high fiber whole grains and peanut butter gives you added benefits. Nuts and legumes provide protein, fiber, minerals, and antioxidants like vitamin E (tocopherol). Metanalysis observation studies show reduced ischemic heart disease in people who with regularly consume nuts (2).

God’s plan for our sustained health and productivity continues to reveal itself in the studies I review for these recipes. He is ever glorious, mighty, and willing to save us if we just turn to him for physical and spiritual nourishment.

You visit the earth and water it abundantly, enriching it greatly. God’s stream is filled with water, for You prepare the earth in this way,
providing people with grain.

Psalm 65:8-10 HCSB – Those who live far away are awed by – Bible Gateway

Gluten Free Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Muffins


Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Muffins

  • 1 1/2 Cups Gluten Free Oats ground into flour (or 2 cups fresh milled wheat)
  • 1/2 Cup Old Fashioned Oats
  • 1/2 Cup Tapioca Flour (or arrowroot flour)
  • 1 Tsp Baking Powder
  • 1/4 Tsp Salt
  • 1 Tsp Cinnamon
  • 1/2 Cup Natural Peanut Butter
  • 1/2 Cup Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • 1/2 Cup Chocolate Chips (72% Cacao Chips)
  • 1 Egg
  • 1 Cup Buttermilk or Unsweetened Vanilla Almond Milk
  • 1/2 Cup Honey

  1. Preheat Oven to 375

  2. Grind the 1 1/2 cup of oats into a fine flour then add the remaining oats, spices, salt, baking powder. Set aside.

  3. In a separate cup add your oil, egg, peanut butter, and milk blend well then add to the dry ingredients. Then add the chocolate chips.

  4. Divide batter into 12 muffin cups and bake for 20 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.


God bless you as you make and share these muffins with others today!

References:

  1. Katz, D. L., Doughty, K., & Ali, A. (2011). Cocoa and chocolate in human health and disease. Antioxidants & redox signaling, 15(10), 2779–2811. https://doi.org/10.1089/ars.2010.3697
  2. Afshin, A., Micha, R., Khatibzadeh, S., & Mozaffarian, D. (2014). Consumption of nuts and legumes and risk of incident ischemic heart disease, stroke, and diabetes: a systematic review and meta-analysis. The American journal of clinical nutrition, 100(1), 278–288. https://doi.org/10.3945/ajcn.113.076901


Gluten Free Pumpkin Roll

A gluten free pumpkin roll is always on my Thanksgiving dessert list each year.  My celiac and gluten sensitive friends like their fall treats too! So, with hosting responsibilities on my mind, I’d like to give you and I another way to please our guests.

The best part is…they won’t even recognize the slight change in ingredients.

As our fall holiday plans begin to take shape and we check off our list of things to do, the blessings mount, don’t they? You and I may have managed to lose a little weight, or we are maintaining our current weight!

Whoop Hoo! What if we just want to sustain a healthier eating pattern?

Whatever the plans and dreams in our hearts we have an opportunity this Holiday to give glory to God in thanks and praise.

He restores joy and long months of distance by giving us time together for a holiday. The prolonged separation helps us see how much we miss and need each other.

May the Lord draw us closer spiritually as we gather and cherish this special day.

I will give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart; I will recount all of your wonderful deeds.

Psalms 9:1

Gluten Free Pumpkin Roll
Gluten Free Pumpkin Roll

The big plus for a gluten free pumpkin roll is decreasing exposure to wheat sensitive guts that stimulate the immune system to attack itself. We will both benefit from a little diligence in decreasing inflammation, right?

Since our immune systems can be under constant attack eating a few ultra -processed foods. Food sensitivities play a role in making us feel bad. Staying on track is important to both of us. That’s why you’ll find me giggling like a schoolgirl when I get to brainstorm ideas with my clients.

They love creating their own meal plans to enjoy!

Now when it comes to baking, I am not the best gluten free baker. However, I care about the people in my life who are susceptible to the damaging effects of wheat.

So, even though developing this recipe took several tries, it was worth it!

The one I made for a friend’s dinner and went over pretty well. Therefore, I hope it is a pumpkin roll you can use too!

Gluten Free Pumpkin Roll Recipe


Gluten Free Pumpkin Roll

I love sharing one of our Thanksgiving favorites for all of you. This particular pumpkin roll meets the needs of gluten sensitive people in our community.

  • 1/2 Cup Almond Flour
  • 1/2 Cup Arrowroot Starch/Flour
  • 1/2 Cup Pumpkin Puree'
  • 1/4 Cup Sugar with 1 scoop Pure Stevia (Or 1/4 Cup Stevia Blend)
  • 1/4 Cup Maple Syrup (Optional)
  • 3 Large Eggs
  • 1 Tsp Baking Powder
  • 1 Tsp Xanthan Gum
  • 1 Tsp Pumpkin Pie Spice
  • 1/4 Cup Powdered Sugar
  • 1 8 ounce Block of Cream Cheese
  • 1 tsp Vanilla
  • 1/4 Cup Maple Sugar (Yes, another one, for the filling.)

  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Combine the flours, stevia blend or sugar (your preference) and spices in a bowl and whisk well. Add the Eggs and pumpkin and also blend. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, lightly grease the top of the paper with butter. Pour the batter over the parchment paper and spread out evenly. Bake for 10 minutes.

    Sprinkle a dish towel with 1/4 cup of the powdered sugar. When the cake is done, handle the baking sheet with oven mitts and turn the cake onto the surface of the towel. Pull off the parchment paper. Gently roll the cake into a log while in the towel. Place the towel in the freezer and set your timer for 15 minutes.

    Meanwhile, Whisk 1 block of cream cheese with 1/4 cup maple syrup and 1 tsp vanilla until soft.** See notes below for alternatives.

    Remove the cake from the freezer, and apply the cream chees frosting to the inside of the cake. Roll back into a log and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

I have replaced the sugar in the cake with stevia or monk fruit blends and it works well for those on special eating plans. But I forgot to add the maple syrup in the video and  FYI, I did not miss the extra carbs at all! It was sweet enough with the maple sweetened filling. 

Also, my preference for sweetening the cream cheese filling is to use 1/4 cup maple syrup with the vanilla to  sweeten. You may of course use 1/4 cup powdered sugar if you are not concerned about the added sugar, just remember portion control. 


And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful

Colossians 3:14-16 ESV – And above all these put on love, which – Bible Gateway

I hope you enjoy this gluten free pumpkin roll for your gluten sensitive friends! God wants you and I thriving spiritually and physically. He also gave us the power to do that! The blessing of His Son for our redemption and the provision of all good things in the garden to heal our bodies. We can be truly thankful.

I am here for you if you have any questions about the recipe or if you want to talk to a health coach about making some changes in your lifestyle, exercise, attitude, or nutrition. You can contact me here at Book an Appointment for a 30-minute free consultation.



Kale Pesto & Spaghetti Squash

“….so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to Him: bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; being strengthened with all power, according to His glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy;
Colossians 1:10-11

Paul and his run on sentences! Breaking it down for me today for a short devotion….bearing fruit, increasing in knowledge of God; being strengthened with all power….(NOT according to my might but HIS might) and not just His might but His glorious might.

Now that is a promise worth holding onto for the rest of my days!

I have no strength apart from Jesus and I have no knowledge without the Word of truth shared in the bible. May the hope of these verses lift your spirit to a new level today just as a hearty meal from the garden will lift your stamina.

This sounds complicated because of three step process, but I assure you….it is easy. I chose to use Kale in this pesto only because I did not have basil on hand, and there is a LOT of it in the garden.

I’ve also used spinach in the past (LOVE THAT) it’s a little sweeter, but I like to keep things versatile so you can substitute and use what works for you. This is also one of those really good preparation day meals to cook ahead and eat later in the week.

There are so many benefits of kale with good amount of protein, rich in vitamins A, C, & K see this Healthline article for all the benefits!

Kale Pesto & Spaghetti Squash

Pesto

  • 1 Cup Fresh Kale (Spinach or Basil)
  • 1 Roasted clove of garlic (this gives a milder garlic flavor you can use fresh, but it will be strong!)
  • 2 Tablespoons of Romano Cheese
  • 1 Tablespoon of Sliced Almonds
  • 1/3 Cup Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • 1 Tablespoon of lemon juice
  • 1/4 Tsp Salt
  • 1 Dash of Pepper

Puree in a food processor until smooth.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Prepare Spaghetti Squash by washing well, cutting in half, scoop out seeds, sprinkle with salt, pepper, garlic powder and onion powder, Bake one hour until tender. Meanwhile, prepare meatballs.

Meatballs

  • 1 Pound of lean ground beef (Turkey or Chicken)
  • 1/4 Cup finely chopped onions
  • 2 Tablespoons of Fresh Parsley
  • 1 Tablespoon Grated Romano Cheese
  • Sprinkle with garlic powder, salt and pepper ( I don’t measure this, it is to your own taste)

Roll into 1 inch balls and bake alongside squash for about 35-40 minutes.

When the squash is done, remove from oven and let cool until it can be safely handled. Carefully fluff with a fork to remove the flesh of the squash, add a little salt, pepper, and garlic powder as needed for flavor. Place in a container and add one tablespoon of the pesto. Mix well and top with meatballs. I added roasted asparagus. Delicious!

You’ll be more than ready to bear fruit in all your good work!