Spiralize Your Way to the Most Amazing Meals!

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I am embarking on a new journey. It is a journey of Spiralizing and on this journey my goal is to become a “Spiralizing Scholar!” OK, so that’s just the title that I invented for myself after discovering that I could spiralize my way to the most amazing meals. I recently discovered this nifty little kitchen tool and I think I’ve fallen in love – again!

One of the reasons it delights me so much is that it is made solely for the purpose of creating, scrumptious meals with fruits and vegetables that are truly healthy. At first I thought it was limited to making zucchini noodles and not much more, but I was mistaken. There are numerous ways to use a spiralizer with an array of different ingredients and the recipes you can create are endless!

Over the next few months, I will be showcasing many recipes using my fun new tool and will be offering special promotions, cooking classes and tips about spiralizing! So stay tuned and maybe you will get a chance to fall in love again too!

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Today my creation was Winter Kale, Sausage and Butternut Squash Lasagna from Inspiralized. It was assembled with ingredients like a regular lasagna without any pasta! My husband couldn’t believe it when I told him it was made without any lasagna noodles, even after tasting it. It was hearty, flavor-packed and filling without that heavy feeling you normally get after indulging in a plate of lasagna. 

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The process was easy. When using a butternut squash, you only spiralize the narrow end without the seeds. You will make a cut to divide the squash into two pieces and save the bulbous end. To spiralize the squash, you cut the top end off and stand the squash up, peeling it with a knife with straight cuts from top to bottom on a cutting board. Make a cut halfway through the length of the squash piece. Then load the “A” disc on your spiralizer (for the widest noodles), secure the squash on and crank away! You will end up with circle slices with a hole in the middle and one cut to the center. (I cleaned the seeds and stringy parts from the bulbous end, then peeled it and cut into chunks. I then froze the chunks in a single layer on a parchment lined baking sheet for several hours. After they were frozen, I removed the pieces and stored them in a freezer bag-with name and date, in my freezer for use at another time)

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WINTER KALE, SAUSAGE AND BUTTERNUT SQUASH LASAGNA

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Serves 6

Ingredients

  • 1 medium butternut squash
  • 1/2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil 
  • 6 fresh sage leaves and 1 tsp chopped fresh sage
  • 2 large or 3 med. (fresh) mild Italian sausage links, decased
  • 5 cups chopped kale 
  • 3 cloves of garlic, minced
  • ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • 1 large shallot, minced
  • salt and pepper, to taste
  • 1 1/2 cups ricotta cheese
  • 1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese (grated not shredded!)
  • 1 large egg, beaten
  • 1 cup shredded gruyere cheese 

Directions

  1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
  2. Cut the bulbous bottom off the butternut squash (the seeded part.) Set aside for another use. Slice the top off to ensure that it’s perfectly flat. Peel the butternut squash. If the butternut squash is longer than 6 inches, slice it into two manageable pieces. Slice halfway through the butternut squash, just to the center (careful not to go further.) Spiralize the squash, using Blade A.
  3. Place a large skillet over medium heat and add in the olive oil. Once oil heats, add in the sage leaves and cook until crispy, careful not to burn. Transfer the sage leaves to a small paper towel lined plate and set aside. 
  4. Immediately crumble in the sausage to the skillet and cook until browned, 5-7 minutes. Then, add in the kale, garlic, red pepper flakes, shallots and season with salt and pepper. Cook the mixture for 2-3 minutes or until kale is wilted. 
  5. While the sausage is cooking, add the ricotta, parmesan, 1 tsp. chopped sage and egg to a bowl. Whisk together and set aside.
  6. Once the sausage is done, gather all of your prepared ingredients. Take out a casserole dish and add a layer of the butternut squash to the bottom. Then, add a layer of the kale and sausage mixture. Then, add in a layer of ricotta mixture. Top with a layer of butternut squash. Then, add a layer of the kale and sausage mixture. Then, add in a layer of ricotta mixture. Top with a layer of the butternut squash and then, top with all of the gruyere cheese. 
  7. Cover the casserole dish with tinfoil and bake in the oven for 40-45 minutes. After 40 minutes, poke the top layer and if you can easily pierce through the butternut squash, it’s done. If you can’t, bake another 5 minutes.
  8. After the 40 minutes of baking, take the dish out of the oven, remove the tinfoil top and turn the oven to broil. Return to oven for up to 5 minutes or until top is lightly toasted. Crumble sage leaves into large pieces and sprinkle on top of lasagna. Then, let rest for 5 minutes. After resting, carefully cut the lasagna into 6 equal portions.

(Printable recipe can be found in my recipe index under Main Entrees)

 

Miso Roasted Tomatoes and Summer Squash Noodles
Miso Roasted Tomatoes and Summer Squash Noodles

Here is another Spiralizer recipe available in my recipe index under Side Dishes

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