Butternut Squash Fries

Tonight, these butternut squash fries were a part of my dinner.  I found the recipe here : http://www.canyoustayfordinner.com/2011/02/22/baked-butternut-squash-fries/

I bought the squash awhile ago and finally decided to make it.  It was an extremely simple recipe, only three ingredients (butternut squash, canola oil, salt)

The two keys to it tasting good are : salt and ketchup!  I may even go as far as saying ketchup is the only key.  I tried them without ketchup and I was quite scared they weren't going to be good.  But as soon as I used ketchup, they tasted just like fries!!!

They weren't very crispy, so next time I will use less canola oil.  I don't think my squash was as big, so I think I used too much.

My only complaint is that they take 40 minutes in the oven, plus close to 20 minutes to prepare.  I don't think they are something that I would have time to make during the week.

These are a GREAT alternative to french fries; I would definitely recommend them!

My Shopping List

As promised, I am posting my grocery shopping list.  I was running low on vegetables so, I decided to hit the grocery store last night.  From experience, I know that if I am running low on healthy options, I am more likely to choose unhealthy options.

I think it is very important to make a shopping list before heading to the store.  Not only does it make your trip faster, it adds structure to your trip.  You're less likely to be tempted by food while you're at home as opposed to in the cookie aisle.  You may also want to skip going down that aisle at all, if possible!

Since I'm new to the whole healthy cooking thing, I wanted to research some easy dinner recipes before I left.  One thing I struggle with is many recipes include 10-15 ingredients...which can get expensive very fast.  One of my new favorite websites is Kraft Recipes.  In addition to having a healthy living section, they also have recipes with minimal ingredients.  I would also suggest either investing in a spice rack for about $30 or buying a few spices during each trip.  This will make it seem less overwhelming.

5 Must-have Herbs and Spices:

5. Oregano

4. Rosemary

3. Basil

2. Garlic

1. Black Pepper

Ok, without further ado, here is my shopping list from last night:

• Pre-Cooked and Peeled Hard-boiled eggs (great time saver!!!...available next to the regular eggs)
• Asparagus (Recipe)
• Cucumbers
• Organic Baby Carrots
• Veggie Slices (Healthy alternative to cheese singles)
• Califlower (Recipe)
• Spaghetti Squash
• Tazo Green Tea
• Brown Rice
• Whole Wheat Spaghetti
• Tomato Bisque Soup -- one of my guilty pleasures that I cannot give up...I add skim milk/water and brown rice to keep this option healthy.
• Black Olives
• Ground Pepper
• Kosher Salt
• Apple Cider Vinegar (more to come on this later...)
• Parsley
• Chili Powder
• Cumin
• Diet Snapple Raspberry Tea
• Gluten Free Teriyaki Sauce
• Green Beans

What I bought last time but didn't need to replace yet:

• Greek Yogurt with honey
• Granola
• Skim Milk
• Special K w/ Chocolate
• Turkey
• Whole Wheat bread
• Lettuce
• Broccoli
• Celery
• Strawberries
• Quinoa
• Cinnamon Almonds
• Rice Cakes
• low-fat cottage cheese
• natural peanut butter
• 100 calorie packs
• pears
• dark chocolate

Side note: the store I went to did not have good chicken or fish, so I will still be purchasing that!

What are some of your favorite foods?