The Nourishing Gourmet

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Spaghetti Squash Pizza Pie

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Spaghetti Squash Pizza Pie

By Andrea, from It Takes Time

With just four ingredients, you can create this kid-friendly real food Spaghetti Squash Pizza Pie for $10!

Spaghetti squash is the basis for this simple kid-approved recipe. This popular alternative to pasta is a variety of winter squash with a mild taste and is low-carb. It is quickly transformed into a crust that can be topped with a variety of vegetables, cheeses, and tomato. This recipe is gluten-free, grain-free, and dairy-free!

I purchased all three ingredients at a local health food store. I like Bionaturae tomato paste because it’s organic and packaged in glass. I love Applegate meat products for their commitment to real food and label transparency.

Spaghetti Squash Pizza Pie ingredients for $9.46

Where ever you derive your ingredients for this meal, your family will love it!

Spaghetti Squash Pizza Pie

  • 1 medium/large spaghetti squash
  • 1 tablespoon melted butter or ghee.  (Olive oil may be substituted.)
  • 1 egg
  • 4 ounces tomato sauce or diluted tomato paste
  • 4-6 nitrate-free pepperoni
  • sea salt to taste
  • black pepper to taste
  • optional pizza seasonings

Directions

Pierce whole spaghetti squash with knife or fork.

Place in shallow baking dish with water.

Bake at 400 degrees till soft.

Cut and remove flesh. Discard seeds and skin.

Place squash in nut milk bag or cheesecloth. Squeeze to remove moisture.

Place squash in a bowl. (You’ll need 3-4 cups of flesh. If you have extra, save for another use.)

Add lightly beaten egg and desired seasonings.

Blend thoroughly.

Press into pie plate.

Bake at 400 degrees for approximately 20 minutes.

Remove from oven and top with tomato sauce and pepperoni. (Feel free to add raw milk cheese, onions, or vegetable toppings.)

Cook in the oven for another five minutes till done.

Enjoy!

Spaghetti Squash Pizza Pie
 
 
This kid-approved recipe is readily made with just 4 ingredients. Add or subtract depending on dietary needs and preferences.
Ingredients
  • 1 medium/large spaghetti squash
  • 1 tablespoon melted butter or ghee. (Olive oil may be substituted.)
  • 1 egg
  • 4 ounces tomato sauce or diluted tomato paste
  • 4-6 nitrate-free pepperoni
  • sea salt
  • black pepper
  • optional pizza seasonings
Instructions
  1. Pierce whole spaghetti squash with knife or fork.
  2. Place in shallow baking dish with water.
  3. Bake at 400 degrees till soft.
  4. Cut and remove flesh. Discard seeds and skin.
  5. Place squash in nut milk bag or cheesecloth. Squeeze to remove moisture.
  6. Place squash in a bowl. (You’ll need 3-4 cups of flesh. If you have extra, save for another use.)
  7. Add lightly beaten egg and desired seasonings.
  8. Blend thoroughly.
  9. Press into pie plate.
  10. Bake at 400 degrees for approximately 20 minutes.
  11. Remove from oven and top with tomato sauce and pepperoni. (Feel free to add raw milk cheese, onions, or vegetable toppings.)
  12. Bake for five minutes till done.

 

Fermented Fruit Leather with Protein Punch

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Fermented fruit leather with chia seeds - A great, portable and healthy snack --- The Nourishing Gourmet

By Andrea, from It Takes Time

This kid-friendly snack is not only low in sugar, it offers a nice touch of protein. The fermentation process helps reduce natural sugars, and the addition of chia seeds not only adds protein but  brain-boosting omega 3 fatty acids as well!

Once the fruit mixture is dried, simply cut into strips. Your kids will love this healthy version of the popular Fruit Roll-up!

Fermented fruit leather with chia seeds - A great, portable and healthy snack --- The Nourishing Gourmet

Method for Fermented Fruit Leather with Protein Punch

Place 2-3 cups fresh or frozen fruit chunks in food processor (S blade) or high-powered blender.

Process until a smooth consistency. (Shortcut option: Use store-bought unsweetened organic applesauce.)

Add desired spices (cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger) to taste.

Stir in 2 tablespoons whey, packaged culture starter or kombucha.

Blend thoroughly.

Add the fermentation starter.

Blend in the chia seeds.

Stir.

Pour fruit mixture into mason jar.

Cap the jar and place on shelf away from direct sunlight for 24-48 hours.

Spread the fruit mixture on sheets of unbleached, lightly oiled parchment paper or ParaFlexx sheets.

Keep the mixture fairly thin. If the leather is too thick it will be difficult to roll.

Dehydrate for 8-15 hours at a setting of 100-115 degrees. You will know the leather is done when you can peel it off the sheets. If some parts are still soggy, put the trays back and dry longer.

This kid-friendly fruit leather is simple to package in parchment paper or snack bag. Add a note or tie with raffia or ribbon. Pack an extra for your kids to share with a friend or teacher!

Fermented fruit leather with chia seeds - A great, portable and healthy snack --- The Nourishing Gourmet

Fermented Fruit Leather with Protein Punch
 
 
Kids love this real food version of the popular Fruit Roll-up! The fermentation step is optional, but helps reduce natural sugar and add a probiotic twist. I add cranberries to the fruit blend, to cut back on sugar and add a nice tart flavor.
Ingredients
  • 2-3 cups fresh or frozen fruit chunks
  • spices to taste such as ginger, cinnamon, and/or nutmeg
  • 2 tablespoons whey, kombucha, or packaged culture starter
  • ½-1/4 cup chia seeds
Instructions
  1. Combine fruit chunks in food processor (S blade) or high-powered blender.
  2. Add spices to taste.
  3. Blend thoroughly.
  4. Add the whey, kombucha or packaged culture starter.
  5. Add the chia seeds.
  6. Stir.
  7. Pour fruit mixture into mason jar.
  8. Cap lightly and place on shelf away from direct sunlight for 24-48 hours.
  9. Spread the fruit mixture on sheets of unbleached, lightly oiled parchment paper or ParaFlexx sheets.
  10. Continue to spread the mixture until fairly thin. If the leather is too thick it will be difficult to roll.
  11. Dry at 100 degrees for 8-12 hours until smooth and no longer sticky.
  12. Package as desired and enjoy!

Looking for more kid-friendly, healthy snack ideas?

 

Fall Essential: Roasted Delicata Squash Slices ( or “Fries”)

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One of the quintessential fall produce items is winter squash, and I am loving it! However, I wasn’t always a squash fan. I remember once going over to a friend’s house in high school and they served huge halves of acorn squash with brown sugar as the sole dinner item. I liked the flavor fine, but after eating such a large amount of it, the texture started getting to me. Now I happily eat squash and can truthfully say that I love it!

Delicata squash played an important role in helping me learn to love squash. This sweet squash is absolutely delicious. We typically cut it in half, seed it and roast it slathered in butter, and sometimes just a touch of maple syrup. Delicious. But my now four year old seems to have a bit of a hard time with the texture, just like I used to. But when I made these delicata squash “fries”  (as she named them), she loved them, and Joel and I did too. We like butternut squash fries, but they do tend to be pretty soft and you have to be really careful not to overcrowd the pan otherwise they will get soggy. These stay firm and have a much closer texture to potatoes. And with their natural sweetness, they are a great treat. I think that a lot of young children could like these.

We loved them simply roasted, but they would also be delicious with a little Mexican flare with cumin and garlic, or you could highlight it’s natural sweetness with a bit of maple syrup or honey too. I think that squash carries many flavors well (I think that a curry version could be good too!).

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Homemade Creamy Tropical Popsicles

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tropicalpopsicle
We just made our first popsicles of the season. I know it’s not summer yet, and we truthfully haven’t been having the best of weather, but it was time. And boy, were they enjoyed! Elena and her cousins (and myself) loved these creamy, mild popsicles sweetened entirely with fruit and blended with coconut milk. Yum!

Making your own popsicles is the best. It’s generally very inexpensive and easy to do too. Some of those “all fruit” popsicles are just plain expensive. If you have some leftover smoothie, it makes the perfect popsicle too. So a lot of our popsicles during the summer are simply leftover smoothie!

This time, I used one of our favorite smoothie combo’s, mango, banana and coconut milk. That’s all, if you don’t count the water. Just three ingredients. That’s what I call simple.

And I loved using my new stainless steel popsicle mold I received!

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