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Butternut Squash Lasagna

This meal is a definite must for Fall dinner. Its relatively easy to make, plus it comes with instructions to freeze for future meals! Let us know in the comments below your favorite Fall dinner dish.

Photo Courtesy of Cooking Light

Ingredients

  • Cooking spray
  • 3 cups chopped onion
  • 10 cup fresh spinach
  • 3/4 cup (3 ounces) shredded sharp provolone cheese
  • 1/2 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 (15-ounce) carton part-skim ricotta cheese
  • 1 (15-ounce) carton fat-free ricotta cheese
  • 3 cups diced peeled butternut squash
  • 6 cups marinara sauce
  • 12 oven-ready lasagna noodles
  • 1 cup (4 ounces) grated fresh Parmesan cheese

 

Preparation

  1. Preheat oven to 375°.
  2. Heat a large Dutch oven coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat. Add onion; sauté 4 minutes or until tender. Add spinach; sauté 1 1/2 minutes or until spinach wilts. Combine provolone, parsley, salt, pepper, eggs, and ricotta cheeses in a large bowl.
  3. Place squash in a microwave-safe bowl. Cover and cook on high 5 minutes or until tender.
  4. Coat the bottom and sides of 2 (8-inch-square) baking dishes with cooking spray. Spread 1/2 cup Smoky Marinara in the bottom of one prepared dish. Arrange 2 noodles over sauce; spread 1 cup cheese mixture over noodles. Arrange 1 1/2 cups squash over cheese mixture; spread 3/4 cup sauce over squash.
  5. Arrange 2 noodles over sauce; spread 1 cup cheese mixture over the noodles. Arrange 1 1/2 cups onion mixture over cheese mixture; spread 3/4 cup sauce over spinach mixture.
  6. Arrange 2 noodles over sauce; spread 1 cup Smoky Marinara evenly over noodles. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup Parmesan. Repeat procedure with remaining ingredients in remaining pan. Cover each pan with foil.
  7. Bake at 375° for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake an additional 30 minutes.

 

To Freeze:

  1. To freeze unbaked lasagna: Prepare through Step 6. Cover with plastic wrap, pressing to remove as much air as possible. Wrap with heavy-duty foil. Store in freezer for up to 2 months.
  2. To prepare frozen unbaked lasagna: Thaw completely in refrigerator (about 24 hours). Preheat oven to 375º. Remove foil; reserve foil. Remove plastic wrap; discard wrap. Cover lasagna with reserved foil; bake at 375º for 1 hour. Uncover and bake an additional 30 minutes or until bubbly.

 

The recipe and photo featured in this post were provided by Cooking Light. To read the original recipe please click here.

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Veggie Chili with Butternut Squash

With the cold weather quickly approaching, we’ve been getting our traditional fall recipes out and ready for action. And I’ll admit that I could not wait to share this delicious and simple vegetarian chili dish with an extra nutritional punch with you!

photo courtesy of DulaNotes.com

Butternut Squash Vegetarian Chili

Ingredients:

1 medium red onion, diced
1 can canellinni beans
1 can black beans
1/2 medium butternut squash, chopped
16 oz crushed tomatoes
2 tbsp chili powder
2 tbsp garlic powder
1 bay leaf
1-2 tbsp olive oil
Optional: diced carrots, frozen corn, or peas.

Directions:

  1. Heat large stockpot with olive oil. Once pot is warm enough, add onion, squash, bay leaf, chili and garlic powder. Stir occasionally.
  2. Once the onion is fragrant, add the beans. Stir occasionally.
  3. After 5 minutes, add the crushed tomatoes and optional vegetables.
  4. Cover with lid and cook for an additional 20-30 minutes. Making sure to stir every few minutes to prevent sticking.
  5. Serve in bowl and enjoy!

Note: please remove bay leaf before serving. 

Do you have a favorite chili dish? Any fun ingredients you like to add to it? We’d love to see!

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Festively Fall Butternut Squash Pizza

Festively Fall Butternut Squash Pizza

The other night, my family and I enjoyed a butternut squash pizza from Whole Foods. We loved it so much that I thought it would be a great activity to get my kids involved in replicating the recipe. This is a fun and festive twist on a classic pizza dish!

4-6 servings

 Ingredients:

  • 1 package of whole wheat pizza dough (we get ours from the local Whole Foods bakery)
  • 1 cup tomato sauce (we used Cucina Antica’s la Pizza sauce)
  • 1 cup steamed butternut squash, cut into bite-sized cubes
  • Manchego cheese, freshly grated
  • 1 tbsp fresh oregano or 1 tsp dried (optional)

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350˚F (or the recommended temperature of your store-bought pizza dough).
  2. Roll out dough onto a pizza stone or parchment paper-lined baking sheet.
  3. Spread the sauce, add the squash, and grate the cheese until the pizza is covered. Add oregano or spices of choice.
  4. Bake for 10-15 minutes, until edges appear golden brown (or as long as your specific pizza dough calls for).
  5. Remove from oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes. Serve with a side salad or mixed vegetables.

Nutrition Facts, 1 slice: 179 calories, 11.6g fat, 7.2g saturated fat, 10.7g carbohydrates, 2.1g fiber, 2.5g sugar, 8.8g protein