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Healthy Creamy Butternut Squash Spaghetti

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This healthy creamy butternut squash spaghetti is amazing. The sauce is do delicious and the texture is like velvet. And… it’s good for your digestive system and your brain!
vegan creamy butternut squash spaghetti

Sometimes when I have a dinner party I figure out what to cook based on color. If I already have planned several dishes, I’ll look at them and decide what other dish would look best alongside them. I am embarrassed to say that this way of dinner planning may have been brought on by the Instagram-like-grid in my head.

I was never a big social media fan, and I started using Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and Twitter out of necessity. I wanted my business to grow so I had to grow with it.

Fast forward several years… and I am on my phone waayyyyyyy too much. Instagram is my current favorite. BUT, OMG, get the grid out of my head… please!

I mean, come on, I’m a chef. I’m a healer. Shouldn’t I choose my food based on taste? Ummmm….. nah. Especially when I use these dinner events to recipe test things I have never made before, so I really don’t know if they’ll even be edible.

This beautiful sunshine-yellow Healthy Creamy Butternut Squash Spaghetti filled a need for a bright color on my table. And I knew I wanted to try out a new pasta sauce. Two birds, one stone.

Before I finish patting myself on the back, I should tell you that this wasn’t really a risk because one of my favorite sites — The Feed Feed published a recipe for butternut squash spaghetti so I had a great starting place.

I’m a butternut squash lover so I usually have some on hand at this time of year. But a lot of times I’ll make it as an easy side dish: Simple Roasted Butternut Squash. I keep staring at the squash and I can’t decide what to make, so I tend to go back to what I know. But this pasta was calling my name, and I’m so glad I listened.

And, butternut squash is really good for you.  It’s a good fever reducer, it can lessen stomach pain and it can be a comfort during pregnancy when the baby feels like she’s doing acrobatics. It’s also rich in carotenoids and Vitamin B6. This means it’s good for your heart and can help lower bad cholesterol. And, because butternut squash can help reduce inflammation in the body, it benefits almost everyone.

Have I convinced you yet?

vegan creamy butternut squash spaghetti

This Healthy Creamy Butternut Squash Pasta is a no-brainer. It’s easy. It’s delicious. It’s pretty. And it’s great for your digestion: the butternut squash, the sage, the oats (I used oat milk in mine) — each of these ingredients will soothe your digestion. For more help with digestive issues, you can download my free ebook all about healing your digestive system.

Free healthy digestion ebook

Click here to download this free ebook now. 

vegan creamy butternut squash spaghetti

Here are some of the awesome healing ingredients in this recipe for Healthy Creamy Butternut Squash Spaghetti:

Butternut squash is more than just a delicious vegetable; it’s really good for you. It’s a good fever reducer, it can lessen stomach pain and it can be a comfort during pregnancy when the baby feels like she’s doing acrobatics. It’s also rich in carotenoids and Vitamin B6. This means it’s good for your heart and can help lower bad cholesterol. And, because butternut squash can help reduce inflammation in the body, it benefits almost everyone.

Onions are great for your immune system; they are a natural antihistamine. Recently, I recommended that a patient with bronchitis put sliced raw onions in her socks when she went to sleep… she woke up so much better. (I know I’ve told you this before, but it really is awesome!) Onion is a superhero in the food world!

It really is true that an apple a day is a good thing. Apples help to strengthen your heart. They are also good for your digestion and they can help eliminate mucus when you have a cold. So, the combination of apples and cinnamon together are great for this time of year when everyone seems to be getting sick. Apples have a high antioxidant content, especially Granny Smiths and Red Delicious. This, combined with the fact that they have a lot of healthy fiber, is why apples are good at fighting Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and some cancers. They have also been shown to help ward off diabetes, high cholesterol and gallstones.

Oats are great for the digestive system — they make you feel better if you are feeling bloated or have indigestion. This ancient grain can also help reduce some types of swelling in the body and, a little known tidbit: they can be eaten to help stop lactation. I used oat milk in this recipe — feel free to substitute whatever milk makes you happy.

Sage is great for your digestion, especially if you have loose stools. It’s also good for memory loss and for Alzheimer’s.

vegan creamy butternut squash spaghetti

Healthy Creamy Butternut Squash Spaghetti
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Recipe type: simple, vegetarian, grain-free option, gluten-free option, nut free
Cuisine: pasta, sauce
Author:
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 8
This Healthy Creamy Butternut Squash Spaghetti is simple to make, delicious to eat, and just look how pretty it is! It's the prettiest comfort food ever!
Ingredients
  • 6 Tbs ghee (or can substitute butter)
  • sea salt, to taste
  • 1 lge red onion, chopped
  • 1 red apple, peeled and chopped
  • 2-3/4 lb butternut squash cubes
  • 3 sage leaves, chopped
  • 2 cups unsweetened oat milk (can substitute whatever milk you like)
  • 1 cup vegetable broth
  • 15 oz dairy-free cheddar cheese, grated or sliced (I used Violife Mature Cheddar Cheese)
  • 1-1/2 lb. spaghetti of choice
Instructions
  1. Cook pasta al dente. NOTE: I have made this recipe with Banza Chickpea Pasta, and also with whole grain sprouted pastas -- both are awesome.
  2. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a large sauce pan over medium-low heat. Add the onion. Season with salt. Sauce, stirring, 5 mins.
  3. Add the apple, squash, sage, milk, and broth. Cover and simmer 20 mins, or until squash is softened.
  4. Transfer the mixture (in batches) to your blender and whiz it up until very creamy. NOTE: when blending hot liquids it's a good idea to place a clean dish towel over the top of the blender, hold it tightly to the blender canister, and blend like this so the steam can escape and you won't burn yourself.
  5. Transfer the blended mixture back to the pot. Simmer over med-low heat and add the cheese. Stir until melted.
  6. Toss the pasta with the sauce and enjoy!

healthy creamy butternut squash spaghetti

Baked Lemon Cod

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I used to cook fish all of the time. I knew the fish monger by name, and we had an understanding — he let me smell the fish before I bought it, he always told me which variety was the freshest, and I in turn would tell him great ways to cook the different types of seafood. Then I moved. Ugh. Now I don’t make my beloved fish recipes as much anymore because I haven’t developed a relationship like that yet. When I do buy fish, I make it as simple as possible (because sometimes the more complex recipes make my apartment smell like fish a tad too much…) and I’m finding that sometimes I end up loving these new simple recipe creations as much as I used to love my old recipes. This recipe for Baked Lemon Cod is really simple and it’s a winner!

You would think since I now live in the heart of New York City, that I’d be able to find awesome fish… well, not so much… The prices are ridiculously high and the quality is ridiculously low. But, I finally found a place that will let me smell the fish. If you’ve never taken this approach before, I urge you to try it. And no, you don’t look like a crazy person in the store; you look like a chef. If the fish smells fishy, it’s not fresh. If you are looking at a whole fish, look at the eyes — if they are cloudy, it’s not fresh.

There’s nothing worse that getting home from the market, getting all of your ingredients ready, cooking your fish, and then, when you take that first bite… it’s… well, fishy… or slimy… or just old tasting. Funny, I never had this problem when I lived in the suburbs, but life’s full of new experiences and this is a new one for me. So, I will continue to smell and inspect the fish!

Anyway, let me get back on track. This Baked Lemon Cod is delicious. And, it’s simple. There’s no sautéing involved. There’s no flipping of delicate fish. There’s no complicated sauce. But it is truly delicious. I plan on going back to some of my old more involved fish recipes now that I feel like I can, but I will definitely be keeping this simple baked lemon cod in the rotation.

This would be a good recipe to cook for a crowd because all you need is a big sheet pan. Awesome!

So, if you are looking for a simple fish recipe, try this one. If you love it as much as I do you can add it to your weekly menu too.

And, if you want another simple fish recipe, try my Lemon Pesto Fish Fillets.

baked lemon cod

baked lemon cod

Here are some of the healing ingredients in this Baked Lemon Cod recipe:

Fish is great to eat if you feel like you need more energy. It’s also helps with diarrhea and hemorrhoids. I used cod for this recipe, but any firm fleshed sturdy white fish would work great. Cod, like many fish varieties, is good for the cardiovascular system; it helps protect against heart attacks and strokes and helps regulate blood pressure.

Lemon peels contain calcium, potassium and vitamin C. Lemons are good for your stomach, they help detoxify your body, they balance your pH and they act as an antibacterial. If you have a sore throat or a cough, go for lemons to make things better. Lemons are great for quenching your thirst, and, in China, many years ago, hypertension was treated by drinking tea made from lemon peels. This recipe uses zested lemon peel and lemon juice.

Oregano is a powerful antioxidant and it is great at fighting bacteria. It’s also known as an herb that brings joy and happiness to people. I even use oregano essential oil and I put a drop in our smoothies or water when anyone has a cold… it works great (but be really careful and read all instructions with your oregano oil — if used improperly, it can burn you!)

Tapioca is a starch that comes from the cassava plant. It’s not really a flour in the traditional sense; it’s grain and gluten free. It’s good for your circulation and your digestion. Oftentimes I will make recipes (like this one) with tapioca flour — it works as a great substitute in a lot of recipes that would otherwise include flour or another thickener.

baked lemon cod

Baked Lemon Cod
3.0 from 1 reviews
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Recipe type: fish, cod, baked, simple
Cuisine: American, seafood, paleo, Whole30
Author:
Serves: 4
Here's an easy fish recipe for you! This is healthy, delicious, and is easy to make for a crowd.
Ingredients
  • 1-1/3 lb cod fillet, cut into 4 pieces
  • sea salt and black pepper, to season fish
  • 2 Tbs organic, grass-fed butter, melted, plus more as needed
  • Juice of 3 lemons, plus more as needed
  • 5 Tbs extra-virgin olive oil, plus more as needed
  • 1 minced garlic clove
  • ⅓ cup tapioca flour
  • ½ tsp sea salt
  • ½ tsp paprika
  • 20 grinds black pepper
  • ¼ tsp crushed hot red pepper flakes, or to taste
  • 1 tsp fresh oregano, minced, or ¼ tsp dried
  • zest of 1 lemon
Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to 425°F.
  2. Season the fish with salt and pepper.
  3. Combine the butter, oil, garlic, and lemon juice in a shallow dish.
  4. Combine the tapioca flour, ½ tsp salt, and rest of spices/herbs in another shallow dish.
  5. Dredge the fish in the flour mixture, coating evenly on all sides, then the lemon juice mixture, and then the flour mixture again.
  6. Lay the fish out on a baking tray lined with parchment paper, making sure the fillets are not touching each other.
  7. Place the tray in the oven and bake for about 15 minutes, or until the fish is cooked through.
  8. Heat the remaining lemon juice mixture in a small pot over low heat and let it simmer for a few minutes, until hot. NOTE: if you find you need more liquid for sauce, squeeze more lemon juice into the pan and add a little more butter and/or olive oil.
  9. Remove the fish from the oven, drizzle a little lemon sauce on top and sprinkle with lemon zest.
  10. Enjoy!

baked lemon cod

Crispy Spicy Roasted Potatoes

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If you’ve been looking for the perfect potato recipe, this is it — crispy spicy roasted potatoes for the win!

crispy spicy roasted potatoes

It seems like such a simple thing. Crispy roasted potatoes should be a really easy thing to make. And, they are… but I didn’t get it really right until this time. And I’ve been playing with this recipe for a long, long time. But once you get the right ratio of spices and the right amount of fat and the correct baking times and temperature, you can use this formula time after time with whatever spices and herbs you like and it will never disappoint.

Oh boy, I just read that paragraph I just typed. I sound so serious and I’m talking about potatoes! OK, so it’s really not a serious topic, but these potatoes are so awesome. And so easy. I guess I just feel a little humbled by these simple potatoes because it took me until now to get them so perfectly crispy and buttery and delicious.

You have to try this recipe.

I mean, who doesn’t need a great easy people-pleasing recipe in their arsenal that can be pulled out at any time? And this recipe is so versatile. I’ve made these crispy spicy roasted potatoes for breakfast. I’ve made them for dinner. And, mostly, I’ve eaten the leftovers at really weird times during the day.

If you are a spicy-potato-recipe fan, you should also try my Buffalo Chicken With Potatoes And Bacon recipe!

crispy spicy roasted potatoes

Aside from the amazing texture and taste, these potatoes are awesome for you:

Potatoes are good at soothing ulcers and neutralizing acid in the stomach and they help relieve constipation. These tubers also can help relieve arthritic inflammation. So, even though sweet potatoes are thought of as the white potato’s more nutrition sister, regular old potatoes can be just what the doctor ordered.

Garlic is amazing in its antiviral and antibacterial capabilities. Garlic is actually a Chinese herb (Da Suan). It’s used to kill toxins and parasites and also to reduce swelling in the body. It’s what I call a great “A” herb: anesthetic, antibacterial, anti fungal, antioxidant, antiviral, etc…. I almost always use fresh garlic in my recipes, but for this recipe, garlic powder works wonderfully.

Black Pepper is a Chinese herb called Hu Jiao. It’s used to alleviate diarrhea, vomiting and some stomach pains.

Oregano is a powerful antioxidant and it is great at fighting bacteria. It’s also known as an herb that brings joy and happiness to people.

crispy spicy roasted potatoes

Crispy Spicy Roasted Potatoes
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Recipe type: side dish, potatoes
Cuisine: American
Author:
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 4
So simple and so perfect. This is the only recipe you will need for crispy potatoes.
Ingredients
  • 4 medium yellow potatoes, unpeeled and cut into bite-size pieces
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • ½ tsp dried thyme
  • ½ tsp black pepper (or to taste)
  • sea salt to taste
  • 1-1/2 Tbs butter or ghee, melted (here's a good organic ghee)
Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to 400°F.
  2. Boil the potatoes for 6-minutes.
  3. Drain well.
  4. Toss the drained potatoes in a large bowl with the rest of the ingredients.
  5. Spread the potatoes in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Try to spread out the potatoes so that they are not touching each other.
  6. Roast for about 45 minutes, or until the potatoes are golden and crispy.
  7. Enjoy!
  8. Note: I've seen lots of versions of this recipe and oftentimes the baking time is much less than 45 minutes, so check your potatoes frequently. Mine were perfect at 45 minutes.

 

crispy spicy roasted potatoes