Spinach Artichoke Stuffed Spaghetti Squash with Chicken

This Spinach Artichoke Stuffed Spaghetti Squash with Chicken makes a filling, satisfying, and healthy meal!

Hi there! Do things look a little different around here for you? You might want to clear your cache if they do not, because Happy Healthy Mama got a little makeover! What do you think?

I’m sorry if things look a little wonky for a day or two while I work out the kinks of transferring things over. This was a fairly straight forward change (not a custom website design or anything) but I still feel pretty lost making simple changes, so my tech guy is helping me with the wrinkles. My ultimate goal is to have the most user-friendly site, so hopefully that’s what the end result will be! I’d love your feedback if there’s anything that can make it better for you.

Onto today’s recipe for Spinach Artichoke Stuffed Spaghetti Squash with Chicken. Whew. That’s a mouthful! It’s a delicious mouthful, too.

To me, stuffed spaghetti squash is the ultimate healthy comfort food. I find it so filling and satisfying, yet it’s light and healthy! This version is like your favorite spinach artichoke dip stuffed into a squash boat. Does it get any better?? There’s not an overwhelming amount of cheese, but just enough to make you crave this. The first time I made this I didn’t use cream cheese, the second time I added a tablespoon. I list it as optional because it’s great both ways, but the cream cheese just adds a bit more creaminess that makes it pretty dreamy. But don’t sweat it if you don’t have any on hand. 

Finally, the chicken in this dish makes it more husband-friendly in my house (he thinks everything with chicken is more filling and hearty than almost any vegetarian dish I make) but you could easily leave it out. Your choice!

I think you’re going to LOVE this easy weeknight dinner! I suggest cooking the spaghetti squash ahead of time to make this super speedy. Let me know if you try it?

 

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Spinach Artichoke Stuffed Spaghetti Squash with Chicken

This Spinach Artichoke Stuffed Spaghetti Squash with Chicken makes an easy, healthy, satisfying meal.

• Author: Happy Healthy Mama
• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 60 minutes
• Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
• Yield: 2 servings

Ingredients

• 1 small-medium spaghetti squash
• 2 tablespoons avocado oil
• 1/2 cup diced onion
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 2 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, cut into bite sized pieces
• salt and pepper
• 4 cups fresh baby spinach, chopped
• 1 jar marinated quartered artichoke hearts, drained
• 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
• 1 tablespoon cream cheese (optional)
• 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Cut the spaghetti squash in half, scoop out the seeds, and place it shell side up on a baking sheet. Bake in the oven for 40 minutes. Remove from the oven and reduce the temperature to 350 degrees.
2. Meanwhile, heat your oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and sauté for 5 minutes. Season your chicken with salt and pepper and add it to the skillet.
3. Sauté until the chicken is cooked through, about 5-7 minutes.
4. Add the spinach and artichokes and sauté another 1-2 minutes until the spinach is wilted. Remove from heat.
5. Transfer the chicken mixture to a large bowl. Scrape out the spaghetti squash strands and add them to the bowl with the chicken. Mix well and add the parmesan cheese and cream cheese. Transfer this mixture back to the spaghetti squash shells on the baking sheet.
6. Top each spaghetti squash with 1/4 cup shredded mozzarella.
7. Bake at 350 degrees for 10-15 minutes, until heated through and cheese is melted, using your oven’s broiler for the last two minutes to brown the cheese. Enjoy!

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1/2 of spaghetti squash
• Calories: 397
• Sugar: 3.3 grams
• Fat: 17.9 grams
• Carbohydrates: 37.4 grams
• Protein: 22.3 grams

 

If you make this Spinach Artichoke Stuffed Spaghetti Squash with Chicken recipe, or any Happy Healthy Mama recipe, I would LOVE to see it! Please take a pic and share it on Instagram or the Happy Healthy Mama Facebook page and tag me @happyhealthymama 

Also, if you try it, would you mind rating the recipe? It’s VERY helpful for me and other readers if the recipes have ratings and reviews. I appreciate you!

If you’d like to save this recipe for later, here’s an image to save to your Pinterest recipe board!

The post Spinach Artichoke Stuffed Spaghetti Squash with Chicken appeared first on Happy Healthy Mama.

source https://happyhealthymama.com/spinach-artichoke-stuffed-spaghetti-squash-chicken.html

Instant Pot Broccoli Cheese Soup

This Instant Pot Broccoli Cheese Soup is quick, easy, and will be your new favorite soup recipe!

My in-laws come to visit a lot, and my mother-in-law drinks half and half in her coffee. When they leave, I’m always left with half and half that I don’t know what to do with. I drink my coffee black, so I’m always searching for different ways to use it since I hate wasting food.

When they left after Christmas, there was some unused half and half and I happened to buy a huge bag of broccoli florets at Costco. It’s pretty obvious what I needed to make, right? Broccoli Cheese Soup!

Broccoli Cheese Soup is usually made with heavy cream. I wondered if it would still be creamy and delicious with half and half? It definitely was! Nobody would know that this Broccoli Cheese Soup is lightened up considerably. I even cut back on the cheese a little bit, but it was perfectly creamy and cheesy.

I’m not going to lie. When I was eating this soup I was really happy I’m not doing a Whole30 this January like I did last year . I’m forever grateful we did that as it totally changed my husband for the better, but cutting out cheese was tough for me!

Thankfully, I’m good at moderation and can enjoy cheese once in a while and my body seems to tolerate it fine.

I made this in the Instant Pot (<—that’s my affiliate link if you need an Instant Pot. :))because one of my goals for the year is to use it more. These Instant Pot recipes are helping, and I’m working to develop more of my own.

I think you’re going to love this Instant Pot Broccoli Cheese Soup! It’s so quick and easy to make in the Instant Pot, but if you don’t have one, you can still make it. I’ve put the notes to do so in the printable recipe card! Enjoy!

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Instant Pot Broccoli Cheese Soup

This Instant Pot Broccoli Cheese Soup is quick, easy, and absolutely delicious! You’ll never know it’s a lightened up version!

• Author: Maryea
• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 20 minutes
• Total Time: 30 minutes
• Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 cup diced onion
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 3 tablespoons flour
• 2 cups chicken or vegetable broth (I prefer chicken)
• 3 cups broccoli florets, cut into very small pieces
• 1 cup matchstick carrots
• 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon sweet paprika
• 1 1/2 cups freshly grated sharp cheddar cheese*
• 1 cup half and half

Instructions

1. Start the Instant Pot in sauté mode and melt the butter. Add the diced onion and minced garlic and sauté for two minutes.
2. Stir in the flour and allow it to cook for one minute. Stir in the broth until it is a smooth consistency.
3. Add broccoli, carrots, salt, pepper, and paprika. Press cancel and put the lid on the Instant Pot with the vent in the sealing position.
4. Set the Instant Pot on manual mode at high pressure for eight minutes.
5. When the Instant Pot beeps, use the quick release method to release the pressure.
6. Open the lid and set to sauté mode again. Gradually stir in the half and half. Next, gradually stir in the cheese, stirring continuously, until it melts. Press cancel and serve! Enjoy!

Notes

*I highly recommend you grate your own cheese rather than buy the bagged shredded kind. Freshly shredded will melt better and the shredded kind has added ingredients that won’t let it incorporate as easily. Also, sharp cheddar or extra sharp cheddar will lend the most flavor.

** To make this without an Instant Pot, follow the directions, but use a heavy bottomed soup pot on the stove top, when it calls for pressure cooking the vegetables, instead simmer the broccoli and carrots until they are tender, about 20 minutes. Then continue and add the half and half and cheese.

***Links to products are affiliate links.

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1/4 of recipe
• Calories: 388
• Sugar: 5.1 grams
• Fat: 30.4 grams
• Carbohydrates: 16.3 grams
• Protein: 15 grams

If you make this Instant Pot Broccoli Cheese Soup recipe, or any Happy Healthy Mama recipe, I would LOVE to see it! Please take a pic and share it on Instagram or the Happy Healthy Mama Facebook page and tag me @happyhealthymama 

Also, if you try it, would you mind rating the recipe? It’s VERY helpful for me and other readers if the recipes have ratings and reviews. I appreciate you!

If you’d like to save this recipe for later, here’s an image to save to your Pinterest recipe board!

The post Instant Pot Broccoli Cheese Soup appeared first on Happy Healthy Mama.

source https://happyhealthymama.com/instant-pot-broccoli-cheese-soup.html

Roasted Broccoli with Parmesan

You won’t find a more addicting broccoli recipe than this Roasted Broccoli with Parmesan! Get ready to fall in love with broccoli! 

Do you have a food happy place? I have a few, but one of them is definitely with a big bowl of roasted vegetables in front of me.

Is that weird?

I can’t help it. When vegetables taste this good, it makes me happy.

I’ve talked about the magic of roasting vegetables many times on Happy Healthy Mama, and I won’t stop.

It’s the easiest way to get vegetables haters gobbling up their veggies. This Roasted Broccoli with Parmesan is no exception. 

It’s ah-dict-ing. I’m telling you–broccoli can be addicting.

It couldn’t be easier to make this side dish and it goes with so many different dinners. It can go with pretty much anything.

The parmesan cheese takes this roasted broccoli over the top.

See those crispy parmesan bits on the baking sheet? SCRAPE those up and serve them with the broccoli. You get little cheese crisp pieces with your broccoli and it’s basically heaven. Yep. Broccoli heaven.

If you try and serve this to a broccoli hater, will you please let me know how it goes? I wanna hear about it! Let’s convert the haters! Enjoy, friends.

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Roasted Broccoli with Parmesan

This Roasted Broccoli with Parmesan is crispy and addicting!

• Author: Happy Healthy Mama
• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 20 minutes
• Total Time: 30 minutes
• Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients

• 1 pound broccoli florets (about 6-8 cups)
• 2 tablespoons avocado oil
• 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
2. If any of your broccoli florets are large, cut them in half. Small ones can be kept whole.
3. Spread the florets on a rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle with oil, salt, and pepper and toss to evenly coat.
4. Roast in the preheated oven for 15 minutes. Take the baking sheet out of the oven and sprinkle the parmesan cheese on top. Roast for another 5 minutes. Scrape all of the crispy cheese from the baking sheet and serve with the roasted broccoli. Enjoy!

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1/4 of recipe
• Calories: 129
• Sugar: 2 grams
• Fat: 9.3 grams
• Carbohydrates: 7.9 grmas
• Protein: 5.8 grams

 

 

If you make this Roasted Broccoli with Parmesan recipe, or any Happy Healthy Mama recipe, I would LOVE to see it! Please take a pic and share it on Instagram or the Happy Healthy Mama Facebook page and tag me @happyhealthymama 

Also, if you try it, would you mind rating the recipe? It’s VERY helpful for me and other readers if the recipes have ratings and reviews. I appreciate you!

If you’d like to save this recipe for later, here’s an image to save to your Pinterest recipe board!

The post Roasted Broccoli with Parmesan appeared first on Happy Healthy Mama.

source https://happyhealthymama.com/roasted-broccoli-parmesan.html

Healthier Than Rice Krispie Treats

These peanut butter cereal bars are healthier than Rice Krispie Treats–they are naturally sweetened and made without marshmallows!

Heads up! This post was originally published way back in 2011. I’ve updated some of the photos and left some of the old ones for you. The text with the post is the same, so you’ll notice my now 9 year old daughter is just a toddler here and my son Luke wasn’t born yet! Since I first made these, I have started to make them into bars instead of balls because it’s a lot faster! You can do it either way and they are equally delicious. ENJOY!

Ah, Rice Krispie Treats.  A childhood favorite.  Why is it that some of my yummiest childhood memories are filled with the worst ingredients?  The typical Rice Krispie treat is made with Rice Krispie cereal (white rice cereal), a lot of butter, sometimes peanut butter, and marshmallows.

Those fluffy little marshmallows are so unassuming, but they are packed with sugar, artificial flavors, and even food dyes.  (Blue 1-Not sure why since they are white?!)

Luckily it isn’t that difficult to make a Rice Krispie-like treat that is much healthier than the original version.  A quick ingredient swap and you are in business.

Instead of regular Rice Krispie cereal, look for a brown rice version.  Brown rice is always a better bet than white rice.  I found this box of Nature’s Path in the regular cereal aisle, in the small section dedicated to “natural cereals.” There are other varieties depending on where you live; I recommend the kind with just one ingredient: puffed rice.

Next, get some natural peanut butter, preferably made with only peanuts and maybe some sea salt.  Instead of marshmallows, we are going to sweeten our treats with honey.  It’s a bonus if you use raw honey as then you are getting the extra anti-viral and anti-bacterial benefits.  For extra flavor, you’ll also need some pure vanilla extract and cinnamon, which is also an anti-inflammatory and helps regulate our blood sugar.

I actually got this recipe from Nicole over at Zen Tree Wellness when I was looking for some healthy treats to make for Meghan’s 2nd birthday party.  These are not the type of treats I make all the time, but rather are our special treats.

I made them yesterday because we were hosting a play date today and I thought it would be a fun treat for the kids.  I made a huge batch since Tim eats these up so quickly I wanted to make sure there’d be enough left for our play date!

 I suggest you make these for a crowd because you don’t want to be alone with an entire tray of these guys.  Trust me!

Edited to add: Now that I’ve made these Healthier Than Rice Krispie Treats for years, I’ve learned that it’s quicker to cut them into bars instead of roll them into balls.

These are sticky (just like traditional Rice Krispie Treats are!) and are best when you keep them in the refrigerator and don’t keep them at room temperature for too long before eating them.

The nutritional information below is for if you roll them into 40 balls. I usually get 20 when I cut them into bars, so just double the information if you do that.

 

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Healthier Than Rice Krispie Treats

This is a healthy twist on the kid-favorite classic, Rice Krispy treats!

• Author: Happy Healthy Mama
• Prep Time: 15 mins
• Total Time: 15 mins
• Yield: 40 balls
• Category: dessert

Ingredients

• 1 cup natural peanut butter
• 1 cup honey
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 4 cups brown crispy rice cereal

Instructions

1. In a large bowl, mix together the peanut butter, honey, vanilla, and ground cinnamon.
2. Stir in the cereal and mix until it is evenly incorporated.
3. With slightly wet hands, form the mixture into small balls. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 ball
• Calories: 76
• Sugar: 7.9 grams
• Fat: 3.4 grams
• Carbohydrates: 11 grams
• Protein: 1.7 grams

Awww–I couldn’t get rid of these pictures!

If you make these Healthier than Rice Krispie Treats or any Happy Healthy Mama recipe, share it with the community! Snap a picture and share it on my Facebook page, or share it on your Instagram and tag me @happyhealthymama

Want to save this recipe for later? Here’s an image to save to your Pinterest recipe board!

The post Healthier Than Rice Krispie Treats appeared first on Happy Healthy Mama.

source https://happyhealthymama.com/healthier-than-rice-krispie-treats.html

Detox Smoothie Recipe

Are you feeling lousy and need a reset? This Detox Smoothie Recipe will help naturally flush toxins out of your body!

Hey, hey! Before I get to today’s post, I want to make sure you know about the Ultimate Healthy Meal Planning Bundle that is on sale this week only! This resource has everything you need to conquer meal planning and help your family eat healthier this year, including ready-made plans, recipes, and grocery lists. Learn more here! After Friday, you’ll have to purchase everything in the bundle individually–so don’t wait or you’ll miss out!

Raise your hand if you had too much sugar over the holidays. Oh, you, too?

I do a lot of preaching on moderation and balance and I think it’s totally okay to indulge a little more than normal over a period of time when you’re celebrating with friends and family. Life is too short to always say no to the cookie.

I also think it’s totally okay to recognize that after said indulgences, we feel like crap and are reaffirmed that we don’t want to eat that way all the time. And maybe we need a little extra something to help our bodies get back on track.

Our bodies are designed to detox naturally. When we are really feeling like we overdid it and want a fresh start, though, it doesn’t hurt to eat foods that help that natural process even more. That’s where this Detox Smoothie Recipe comes in. 

Let’s take a look at what’s in this Detox Smoothie Recipe and how these foods are going to help your body with the detoxification process.

Powerful Detox Smoothie Recipe Ingredients

• Beets: source of powerful phytonutrients called betalains, which provide antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and detoxification support. 
• Lemon: source of vitamin C to support your immune system and compounds that stimulate your liver.
• Avocado: excellent source of antioxidant and anti-inflammatory nutrients. In addition, the fat helps with the absorption of other nutrients.
• Spinach: alkalizing and contains chlorella, which helps to cleanse and increase the oxygen in your blood, improving your cellular health. 
• Cinnamon: great source of antioxidants with anti-inflammatory properties and is known to help stabilize blood sugar levels.
• Water: this is crucial to efficient detoxification.

Let’s get back on track with this Detox Smoothie Recipe! Who’s in?

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Detox Smoothie Recipe

Help your body’s natural detoxification process with this Detox Smoothie Recipe!

• Author: Happy Healthy Mama
• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Total Time: 10 minutes
• Yield: 1 smoothie

Ingredients

• 1/4 of a large avocado
• 1/2 of a large beet, peeled and cut into small pieces*
• juice and zest from 1/2 of a large lemon
• 1 red delicious apple, cut into chunks (not peeled but washed well)
• 2 dates
• 1 packet pure stevia
• 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 cup water
• 1 cup ice

Instructions

1. Put all ingredients into a powerful blender and blend until smooth.
2. Enjoy!

Notes

*The beet can be put in raw or cooked. If you’d like a milder flavor, steam it lightly for 10-15 minutes.

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 smoothie

If you make this Detox Smoothie Recipe, or any Happy Healthy Mama recipe, I would LOVE to see it! Please take a pic and share it on Instagram or the Happy Healthy Mama Facebook page and tag me @happyhealthymama 

Also, if you try it, would you mind rating the recipe? It’s VERY helpful for me and other readers if the recipes have ratings and reviews. I appreciate you!

If you’d like to save this recipe for later, here’s an image to save to your Pinterest recipe board!

The post Detox Smoothie Recipe appeared first on Happy Healthy Mama.

source https://happyhealthymama.com/detox-smoothie-recipe.html

15 Plant-Based Dinners to Try This Year

Here are 15 healthy, easy to prepare, and delicious plant-based dinners for you to try this year!

Hey, hey! Before I get to today’s post, I want to make sure you don’t miss the Ultimate Meal Planning Bundle. It’s available THIS WEEK ONLY and will help you make healthy meal planning a reality for 2018. Click here to learn more.

Happy 2018!!

If you’ve followed Happy Healthy Mama for any amount of time, you’ve probably figured out by now we don’t subscribe to one particular diet. I strive to serve my family a wide variety of whole foods that are nourishing, taste delicious (<—important!), and aren’t too complicated to make.

That said, I think there’s one goal every family should have, whether you eat plant-based, keto, Paleo, or anything in between. What’s that goal?

EAT MORE VEGETABLES!

Everyone has to agree on that one, right?

Vegetables are full of the widest variety of nutrients that our bodies need to stay healthy, fight disease and infections, be our best, most energetic selves. All of those nutrients will also help our kids develop to their highest potential, physically and mentally.

So if eating more vegetables is the goal, let me help you by giving you some plant-based dinner ideas to incorporate into your meal plans this year.

You don’t have to be a vegan to eat plant-based meals. What happens when you start to incorporate more healthy, plant-based dinners into your life? You automatically eat more vegetables. The goal. So let’s do this!

Easy, Healthy, and Delicious Plant-Based Dinners 

Root Vegetable and Red Bean Stew

Vibrant orange root vegetables are full of vitamin C and beta-carotene. Red beans add protein, calcium, iron, and magnesium.

Vegetable Pumpkin Curry

Cabbage, cauliflower, and broccoli are powerful anticancer foods! Pumpkin adds more fiber and the ginger gives this even more anti-inflammatory properties.

Roasted Portobello Fajitas

Portobello mushrooms also have anticancer properties. You won’t miss the meat in this dish!

Pantry Pumpkin Bisque

When you need a quick, clean out the pantry dinner, this is what you should make! Add some crusty bread and a big salad and you’ve got a lovely plant-based dinner.

Crockpot Mexican Stuffed Peppers

Quinoa and black beans give this plant-based stuffed pepper recipe an extra protein punch. Use whatever color bell peppers you prefer.

Roasted Vegetable Buddha Bowl 

Brussels sprouts, rainbow carrots, and broccoli come together with brown rice and a lemon tahini sauce to make a nutrient-dense bowl that ups your vegetable intake immediately!

Sweet Potato Noodles with a 5-Minute Peanut Sauce

If you haven’t tried sweet potato noodles, you need to ASAP!! This is the quickest, tastiest dinner that you must try!

Sweet Potato Black Bean Burger

This one has been pinned almost 200,000 times and has many, many rave reviews. This one is vegan and gluten-free and full of amazing flavor!

Grilled Vegetables and Pasta

My very favorite way to incorporate a ton of vegetables into a hearty meal is this pasta dish! It’s so flavorful and easy to prepare.

Vegan Coconut Curry Lentil Soup with Chickpeas

This is such a comforting soup–and you can make it in your Crockpot! If you like curry, you’ll love this one.

Sweet Potato Black Bean Chili

This will become a new favorite. It’s ready in about 30-40 minutes and so tasty.

Beet Burgers

These hearty burgers will fill you up more than a burger with meat!! One of my all-time favorites, beets are full of antioxidants and have detoxing power.

Zucchini Noodles with Bean Balls

Just as satisfying as a big plate of pasta, but with extra veggies since the noodles are zucchini! These bean balls are super easy to prepare, as well.

One Pot Coconut Curry Lentil Bowl with Chickpeas and Kale

You’ve got to love a one-pot wonder dinner that’s healthy and plant-based! This makes a comforting dinner, as well.

Quinoa Patties with Black Beans and Corn

Loaded with protein, serve your favorite salsa on top of these for a satisfying main dish!

I hope this inspires you to try more plant based dinners this year! Do you have a favorite plant-based dinner recipe your family loves? Share a link in the comments or on the Happy Healthy Mama Facebook Page!

 

The post 15 Plant-Based Dinners to Try This Year appeared first on Happy Healthy Mama.

source https://happyhealthymama.com/plant-based-dinners.html