No real news over here- I'm still living my best basic life and enjoying all the fall things.
This past weekend we met up with my whole family at the orchard/pumpkin patch. We stocked up big time, as Haralsons (my FAVORITE) are now in season. We then spent a lazy afternoon out at the cabin.
Ahh, I wish this season would last for awhile. In Minnesota, we have about four more weeks until it starts to get freezing. But you know what's good for both beautiful fall weather AND freezing weather? Chili. I make a lot of chili. Beans? Good. Meat? Good. Tomatoes? GOOOOOOD. Name that show.
This time I made a spaghetti squash to go with it. I mean, I didn't maaaaaake the squash. I bought the squash and baked it. In case you're new to spaghetti squash, there are a few tricks I've learned.
Before you try and hack through it, poke it with a fork in a few places and microwave for a few minutes. Microwaving it will help slightly soften it, making it less dangerous to cut open. Is it just me or is cutting round roly objects really nerve-wracking?
Anyway, once she's open, scrape out those guts and seeds and throw them away. I like to use my handy pumpkin carving tool scraper thingy, but I've heard that an ice cream scooper works well too.
Bake it skin-side up (flesh down with a teensy bit of olive oil) on a rimmed baking sheet for about 45-60 minutes. I like to turn it flesh side up with about 20 minutes left to go and add a pinch of salt and pepper. You'll know it is done when you can shred it easily with a fork. If there's any moisture pooled up, just gently pour it out of the squash. It doesn't have much of a flavor to it which makes it a super versatile vegetable. It can add bulk to a meal while packing in a lot of nutrients (vitamin C, vitamin A, fiber).
Turkey chili over spaghetti squash
-1 spaghetti squash, cooked as described above
-1 lb lean ground turkey
-1 can chili beans (don't drain)
-1 can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
-1 28 oz can petite diced tomatoes
-1 4 oz can tomato paste
-1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
-1/2 teaspoon salt
-1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
-1/4 teaspoon chili powder
-Hot sauce to taste
In a large Dutch oven or skillet, cook ground turkey over medium high heat. Cook until no longer pink. Reduce heat to low. Add remaining ingredients. Cover and simmer for at least 10 minutes.
Shred cooked spaghetti squash and divide into six portions. Ladle chili over each portion. Top with hot sauce if desired.
My whole family liked this, and my husband and I felt SO FULL after our portions (thank you, fiber!). It's an easy, cozy fall meal that is budget-friendly too!
Recipe makes six servings. Per serving: 331 calories, 40 grams carbohydrates, 17 grams of fiber (YOWZA), 9 grams fat, 22 grams protein, 935 mg sodium.