Stuffed Acorn Squash

I am such a fan of squash and am always looking for new recipes for it! I eat some kind of squash at least once a week. I stumbled upon this recipe when looking for low calorie meals last night and it sounds super yum! Stuffed acorn squash sounds like it is going to be my new fave dish.

Ingredients

1 medium organic acorn squash, halved  and seeded
1/2 teaspoon plus 1 tablespoon organic extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1/4 teaspoon sea-salt, divided
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground organic pepper, divided
1/4 cup chopped organic onion
1 clove organic garlic, minced
1 tablespoon water
1 1/2 teaspoons organic tomato paste
4 cups chopped organic  chard leaves (about 1/2 large bunch chard)
3/4 cup canned organic white beans, rinsed
2 tablespoons chopped kalamata olives
3 tablespoons coarse dry organic whole-wheat breadcrumbs (see Note)
3 tablespoons grated organic Parmesan cheese

Preparation

1.Cut a small slice off the bottom of each squash half so it rests flat. Brush the insides with 1/2 teaspoon oil; sprinkle with 1/8 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Place in 8×8 inch dish.  Preheat oven at 450 degrees. 

2. Bake squash until fork tender about 20-30 minutes.

3. .Meanwhile, heat 1 1/2 teaspoons oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion; cook, stirring, until starting to brown, 2 to 3 minutes.

4. Add garlic; cook, stirring, for 1 minute.

5. Stir in water, tomato paste and the remaining 1/8 teaspoon each salt and pepper.

6. Stir in chard, cover and cook until tender, 3 to 5 minutes.

7.Stir in white beans and olives; cook until heated through, 1 to 2 minutes more. Remove from the heat.

8.Once squash is done baking position rack in center of oven; preheat broiler.

9.Combine breadcrumbs, Parmesan and the remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons oil in a bowl.

10.Fill each squash half with about 1 cup of the chard mixture. Place in a baking pan or on a baking sheet.

11. Sprinkle with the breadcrumb mixture.

12.Broil in the center of the oven until the breadcrumbs are browned, 1 to 2 minutes.

Bringing your lunch to school or work is an excellent to save the planet & the Earth.  You can reduce, reuse and recycle your very own meals.  I know sometimes the idea of left overs or bringing your lunch doesn’t always sound appealing but when you see the difference it makes in your wallet you will be excited at how much you save!  Also you can show co-workers/ other students how eco-friendly you are.  Here are some east quick tips that will save you some money, time & the environment:

1. Bring you lunch in a reusable bag Envirosax Organic Cotton – Un Chien
2. Bring your own non-disposable water bottle & fill it up with watever you want – eco-Friendly – stainless steel water bottle order here
3. When you pack your own lunch you can make it as healthy as you want Oskri Organics Coconut Bar, Original, Gluten Free, 1.86-Ounce Bars (Pack of 18)
4. You can control your portions Mini Kitchen bags
5. Cook extra food for dinner to bring with you the next day Annie’s Homegrown Organic Family-Size Shells & White Cheddar Mac & Cheese, 10.5-Ounce Boxes
6. Mix it up. You don’t have to have the exact same left overs. See what you can mix and match from your kitchen Wholesome Productions.
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8. Be prepared. Try to think ahead of time how versatile the items you purchase at the grocery store will be for all your meals and snacks  Olive Nation.
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10. Make sure to remember your own utensils so you can bring them home and wash them or purchase Ultra Green Biodegradable Cutlery Pack

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Danny Seo’s brand is a way of living that embraces certain rules–-Be Authentic, Be Resourceful, Be Simple, Be Unexpected, Be Truthful, and Be an Individual. In Simply Green Parties, Danny takes these goals and creates projects that are both thoughtful and sustainable while still being stylish and beautiful. He hopes to inspire you to be a dreamer and a doer.

The book has essentially 50 quick and simple projects that are split up into themes (Dinner Under the Stars, Baby Shower, Saturday Dinner Party, Housewarming, Beach Party, and Birthday Party). The reader does not need to do all the projects under each party, they can mix–and–match or just choose to do one or two of them.

Danny Seo is America’s leading environmental lifestyle expert and host and creator of Simply Green with Danny Seo, a new show on LIME TV with a companion weekly show on Sirius Satellite Radio. The author of four books, he is also the columnist and the Environmental Lifestyle editor with Country Home magazine.

160 pages, approx. 8″ x 6″ x 1″

Host:
Urban Harvest
Type:
Meetings – Club/Group Meeting
Network:
Global
Date:
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
Time:
6:30pm – 8:30pm
Location:
University Of Houston
Description
Food For Thought From Urban Harvest

WHAT
Urban Harvest continues its Food For Thought series, a new, thought provoking cycle of panel discussions on today’s hot topics that support growing and eating locally. The panels will be lead by local and regional experts, and are scheduled for the third Wednesday of each month. Urban Harvest inspires and empowers people of diverse backgrounds to grow healthy foods, in the process enriching the city we call home. With three hard-working programs at its core – Community Gardens, Education and Urban Harvest Farmers Market – Urban Harvest supports a network of gardens, farms and orchards in the greater Houston area. Food For Thought is the perfect complement to further Urban Harvest’s core mission.

NEXT UP
• Tools Of The Trade.
Come enjoy a wonderful evening of exploration. We will be exploring, discussing and showing off a sampling of the best Tools Of The Trade. These Tools will include clever gardening gadgets, the most innovative gardening tools, the most helpful soil amendments and the best resources out there for gardeners looking for the best Tools Of The Trade. This panel discussion will be interactive in nature, so please bring your questions and your thinking caps. And once again, Grizzaffi Coffee will be on hand as one of our sponsors serving up their wicked array of beverages on a complimentary basis for attendees. So come join the fun.

WHEN
Wednesday February 17 from 6:30-8:30pm
(6:30-7pm- Social/Mixer; 7:00-800 pm- Panel Session ; 8:00-8:30pm- Q&A

WHERE
The Multipurpose Room of the Oberholtzer Residence Hall, 108 Oberholtzer Hall, University of Houston, Central Campus. For directions visit the link on the front page of our website at www.urbanharvest.org.

COST
Free – Open to the Public

SPONSORS
University of Houston, TX AgriLife Extension Service , Grizzaffi Coffee, Fischer Schalles Associates, Katy Bomar Creative, Patterson Murphy Public Relations

Stony Brook University Medical Center presents “Food, Inc.” Dietician Suzette Smookler returns with more great FREE nutritional information. She will show the documentary “Food, Inc.” and open the floor for questions and discussion.

This is a great way for parents to get FREE Nutrition Knowledge!!!

We hope you can join us on Feb 9th at 7:00pm at City on a Hill Community Church (Connected to Middle Island Caring for Kids). Please RSVP to church office at 631-924-8617 if you plan on attending.

Thank you!
See More
Food, INC.
Time:7:00PM Tuesday, February 9th
Location:615 Middle Country Rd, Middle Island, NY 11953

INGREDIENTS

1 can ready made pizza whole wheat dough (or homemade organic whole wheat dough)
1. Wilton 9 Inch Heart Pan
1 jar (8 oz) organic pizza sauce or homemade sauce
Turkey/veggie pepperoni or any topping of your choice
1 cup shredded fresh mozzarella cheese
1/2 teaspoon organic basil
1/2 teaspoon organic oregano
1/2 teaspoon organic parsley
1/2 teaspoon organic red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon olive oil

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 425°F. Lightly grease heart shaped baking pan or pans with olive oil. If using thin crust: Heat oven to 400 F. Spray or grease 15×10-inch or larger dark or nonstick cookie sheet.
2. Unroll dough on work surface. Place dough in heart shaped pan and smooth into heart shape. Make sure to keep the edges thicker for the crust.
3. Put pizza sauce evenly onto the heart, spreading to within 1/2 inch of edges. Sprinkle oregano, parsley, red pepper flakes and basil on top of sauce. Then top pizza with turkey pepperoni or desired toppings and cheese.
4. Bake crust between 10 to 15 minutes or until crust edges are golden brown and cheese is melted.
5. Take out of oven let cool for a few minutes then serve! Your family will love it!!

4 ripe organic avocados
1 tbs organic fat free sour cream (n/a if vegan)
1 medium organic yellow or white onion, finely chopped
8 to 10 organic cherry tomatoes
1 large organic lime
1 large organic lemon
2 small organic jalapeno peppers, finely chopped (seeds removed)
2 cloves organic garlic, finely minced
organic sea salt to taste
organic ground black pepper to taste
1 large bunch fresh organic cilantro, finely chopped (stems removed)
1tsp organic cumin
1tsp organic chili powder
1tsp organic red pepper flakes

Organic Corn Tortilla Chips for dipping

Cut all 4 avocados into halves. Remove pits. With a sharp knife, score each half length- and crosswise to form cubes. Scrape out each avocado half into large mixing bowl. Roll lime & lemon on counter top to allow juice to surface. Cut lime & lemon in half and
squeeze juice of only 1 half of each over avocados — careful not to drop any seeds into your bowl or use too much juice you can add more later. Add onion, tomatoes, jalapeno, garlic, and cilantro into bowl. Mix vigorously with wooden spoon. Add cumin, red pepper flakes, chili powder, salt and pepper to taste. If you prefer a more whipped guacamole, try using a hand mixer to whip some of the avocados before adding all of the otheringredients. Scoop with chips and enjoy!

Ingredients

* 8 organic potatoes (your preferred size & color)
* 2 tablespoons Brummel & Brown or organic butter
* 1/2 cup organic sour cream
* 1/2 cup organic milk
* 2 teaspoons sea salt
* 1 1/2 teaspoons freshly grown organic black pepper
* 1 1/2 cup shredded monetary jack or cheddar cheese
* 1/2 steamed organic broccoli
* 1 teaspoon organic garlic powder
* 1 tespoon organic onion powder
* 1 large organic lemon

Directions

Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F.

Scrub the potatoes well and rinse under cool running water. Pat dry with towel and prick the potatoes in several places with a fork. Place the potatoes in the oven and bake for 1 hour, or until tender. Remove from the oven and set aside on a wire rack until cool enough to handle.

When the potatoes have cooled, cut the potatoes and broccoli into small pieces and begin to mash them in a large bowl. After mashing add 2 tablespoons of Brummel & Brown, organic sour cream, organic milk, sea salt, garlic powder, onion powder and pepper. Then mash until desired smoothness. Add 1 cup of shredded cheese and mix again. After the mashing is finished place in a baking pan and smooth top. Use the 1/2 cup shredded cheese to top off the bake!

Butter a 9 by 13-inch casserole dish with the remaining tablespoon of butter and reduce the oven temperature to 375 degrees F.

Place the seasoned potato mixture in the prepared casserole dish and top with the remaining grated cheddar. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until bubbly around the edges and heated through and the cheese on top is melted and lightly golden. Serve hot

Ingredients:

1 box organic macaroni and cheese
1 tablespoon Brummel & Brown
1 pinch organic fresh ground black pepper
1 tsp sea salt
1 cup shredded organic cheddar cheese
1 tsp organic dill
1/2 tsp organic basil
1/2 tsp organic parsley
1/2 tsp organic oregano
1/4 cup diced organic onion
1/2 cup organic fat free milk
1 can lite tuna in water (dolphin friendly), drained
1 cup organic pea, corn and carrot medley

Directions:
Preheat oven at 375 degrees. Follow directions in cooking macaroni and drain. Add milk, Brummel & Brown, onion, peas, carrots, corn pepper, salt, dill, parsley, oregano, basil, and most of the cheese. Add tuna and stir. Place mixture in cooking pan/dish and sprinkle top with the remaining cheese. Place in oven for 30mins or until top browns. Take out of oven and let cool.