Roasted Rosemary Chicken with Veggies

I love butternut squash, and it's so plentiful and sweet this time of year.  Here's a great recipe that uses butternut squash, not as the main ingredient, but mixed in a scrumptious medley.  Two thumbs up.

Roasted Rosemary Chicken with Veggies
Adapted from this recipe.



Ingredients:

• 1 butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cubed
• 3 carrots, cubed
• 4 zucchini, cubed
• 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 3 tablespoons Dijon mustard, divided
• 3 teaspoons rosemary, divided
• Tastefully Simple Seasoned Salt
• freshly-ground black pepper
• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts or 8 chicken tenders

Directions:

• Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees, F.
• In a large mixing bowl, toss the butternut squash and carrots with 1 tablespoons olive oil, 1 tablespoons mustard, 1 teaspoon rosemary and TSSS and black pepper to taste.  Pour into a large baking dish and bake in pre-heated oven for 20 minutes.  
• Meanwhile, add the zucchini to the mixing bowl along with 1 more tablespoon each of olive oil and mustard, 1 teaspoon rosemary, and some more TSSS and black pepper and toss.  Set aside.
• In a separate mixing bowl, combine chicken with the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 tablespoon mustard, 1 teaspoon rosemary, and TSSS and black pepper to taste.  Set aside.
• Once the butternut squash and carrots have roasted for about 20 minutes, they should be semi-soft.  Remove baking dish from the oven, add the zucchini and toss.  Lay the chicken pieces on top of the veggies.
• Return the baking dish to the oven and continue roasting for another 25 (tenders) - 35 (breasts) minutes until the chicken is cooked through.  Remove from oven and let sit for a few minutes before serving.

Spinach Stuffed Salmon

Another quick fish idea.  Easy enough for a Thursday night, fancy enough for a dinner party.  Eat more fish!

Spinach Stuffed Salmon

Ingredients:

• 4 6-ounce wild salmon center-cut filets (about 1.5 pounds total)
• 2 cups frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed dry (it squeezes down to about 1 cup)
• 1/2 cup shredded parmesan
• 1/4 cup pine nuts or chopped walnuts
• Tastefully Simple Seasoned Salt
• olive oil in a mister
• lemon wedges

Directions:

• Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees F.
• Cut a hole, width-wise, into each salmon filet, leaving a 1/3-inch boarder around 3 sides, forming a pocket.  Set aside.
• In a bowl, mix together the thawed spinach with the parmesan, pine nuts and a couple shakes of TSSS.
• Divide the spinach mixture into 4 equal parts and stuff into each of the prepared salmon filets.
• Spray a baking sheet with olive oil.  Place the stuffed salmon filets on the sheet, then spray the tops of each filet with more olive oil.  Sprinkle with TSSS.
• Bake for 12 - 15 minutes until cooked through.  Squirt with lemon wedges before serving.

Honey Dijon Salmon

Salmon is so quick and versatile.  I was late starting dinner today, so I threw this together in under 30 minutes.

Honey Dijon Salmon


Ingredients:

• 1.5 pound salmon filet, skin on
• Tastefully Simple Seasoned Salt
• equal parts whole grain Dijon mustard and honey

Directions:

• Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees F.
• Place the salmon filet, skin side down, onto a baking sheet.  Sprinkle with TSSS.
• In a small bowl, mix together about 2 tablespoons each of mustard and honey.  Spread it on top of the salmon.
• Bake for 20 minutes until cooked through.

Baked Spaghetti Squash

This is very similar to a baked pasta, except with spaghetti squash in place of the pasta.  Not only is this loaded with veggies, it's scrumptious as well.

You can add whatever you want to it, including, but not limited to, mushrooms, spinach, zucchinis, and bell peppers.  You can also replace the ground turkey with sausage for a flavorful kick.

Baked Spaghetti Squash


Ingredients:

• 1 medium spaghetti squash
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 pound ground turkey
• salt and pepper
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 jar marinara sauce
• 1 16-ounce tub (2 cups) of reduced-fat ricotta cheese
• 1 cup of shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese, divided
• 1/4 cup of shredded Parmesan cheese
• small handful of fresh basil leaves

Directions:

• Using a sharp chef's knife, carefully cut several small slits around the outside of the spaghetti squash.  Place the whole squash into a large microwave-proof bowl with a couple tablespoons of water.  Microwave on high for 5 minutes.  Remove and carefully flip the squash over.  If your microwave does not have a turntable, you'll want to rotate it 180 degrees as well.  Microwave on high for another 3 - 5 minutes until the squash is soft but not mushy.  The skin should give a little when you push lightly but firmly on it.  Set the squash aside for 30 minutes to let it cool.
• Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F.
• In a large saute pan over medium-high heat, brown the ground turkey in a tablespoon of olive oil.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.  Add the garlic and stir for a minute.  Drain the fat and set the meat aside.
• Once the spaghetti squash is cool enough to handle, cut it in half length-wise with a sharp knife.  Scoop the seeds out with a spoon and discard.  Then, using a fork, scoop out the squash strands directly into the saute pan with the browned meat.  Discard the squash shell.
• Add an entire jar of prepared marinara sauce to the meat and squash mixture.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Stir to combine.
• Spoon half of the squash mixture into the bottom of a baking dish.  Layer all the ricotta cheese over it.  Then sprinkle on 3/4 of the shredded mozzarella cheese.  Pour the remainder of the squash mixture into the dish.
• Bake in the pre-heated oven for 30 minutes until bubbly.  In the last minute, sprinkle the remaining mozzarella and the Parmesan on top and return to the oven so the cheese can melt.
• Remove from oven and let sit for 5 minutes before serving.  Top with a chiffonade of basil leaves.