Badass Fitness

Cavegirl Eats: This Chicken Fried "Rice" Calls for Shovel, Not Chopstick!

I thought I had found Paleo Mecca when I discovered the versatile joy of spaghetti squash, which has been feeding my Italian genes lately with its delicious capellini-like strands.

But I recently learned how to turn cauliflower into rice - with a cheese grater as my "abracadabra wand." From there, chicken fried rice "hatched" in my kitchen! And at that moment, I swear I heard a cinematic overture for a split second. I had officially bought into the Paleo eating -- hook, line and coconut milk! The Paleo Cave Dwellers rejoiced like angels from on high!

This chicken fried rice contains zero actual rice. But here's my Badass CEO Guarantee: if I served it to you and didn't tell you otherwise, you would gobble up every bite and think you had just had some kick-ass fried (actual) rice. Then I would tell you, "Hey, that was actually made out of cauliflower." And you would be seriously confused, perhaps. Well, let me clear up the confusion! 

Fact: There is no rice in Paleo eating. It is a grain. It causes digestive irritation. It's no good for those with inflammatory issues like arthritis, fibromyalgia, etc. So this can be kind of a bummer if you liked rice but go Paleo.

Fact: Cauliflower is an awesome palate for flavor. On its own, much like rice, it is kind of bland. But it quickly soaks up spices and flavors and is a great "bed" for housing stir-fries, chili, soup, you name it.

Fact: A single head of cauliflower, grated into "rice" granules, yields an awesomely massive amount of "rice." Yet the whole thing is maybe 150 calories and minimal carbs, sugar, fat. For someone like me who loves to eat, this volume eating for less calories is called #winning!

Fact: When you sautee onions and spices in coconut oil and then add the cauliflower "rice," in just 5 minutes it is transformed into an amazing side dish or entree base.

For this chicken fried rice, I simply added eggs, broccoli slaw, peppers and the appropriate spices (I used curry, some chili and red pepper, because I love curry and heat) plus chopped rotisserie chicken from Fresh Market. Then I whipped together a nutty coconut sauce for a Thai twist. So fast, so easy, so healthy. And it made enough to give me a few days of leftovers. Even better!

 

 

Curried Chicken Fried "Rice" with Thai Coconut-Almond Sauce 

Ingredients

• 1 Whole head of cauliflower
• 2 Tbsp. coconut oil
• 1 Tbsp. minced ginger
• 1 Tbsp. curry powder
• 1/2 Tbsp. turmeric powder
• 1 tsp. chili powder
• 1 Tbsp. red pepper flakes
• sea salt and black pepper 
• 1/2 each red and green pepper, diced
• 1/2 small onion, diced
• 2 eggs
• 2 cups broccoli slaw 
• 1 cup diced cooked chicken

Thai Sauce Ingredients

• 1/4 cup almond butter
• 3 Tbsp. lite coconut milk
• 1 tsp. apple cider vinegar
• 1 Tbsp. liquid aminos

Directions

1. "Rice" the cauliflower by grating it with the widest hole in a cheese grater.

2. Make the Thai sauce by whisking all ingredients together in a small bowl; set aside.

3. In a wok or large fry pan, heat coconut oil over high heat. Add the spices, onions and peppers and saute a few minutes until translucent.

4. Add in the eggs and let them fry, breaking them up as you would scrambled eggs.

5. Add the broccoli slaw and stir fry about 3-4 minutes.

6. Add the cauliflower rice and stir fry another 4-5 minutes.

7. Last, add the diced chicken and Thai sauce and stir fry until the whole dish is heated through. 

8. Devour!!!

Coming up: Badass Approved cake and ice cream in under 5 minutes? Oh yes! And one Badass Mama's inspiring post-baby transformation! 

Cavegirl Eats: Pumpkin Chocolate Brownies Packed with Protein!

You know a brownie is pretty healthy if I am serving it up to my students after two challenging Halloween Eve cycling classes - one of them at 6 am!

And you know that brownie also happens to be really delicous when, after a bite or two, a few of them declare: 'I NEED this recipe!"

Well, I'm not one to deny the masses their healthy brownies, so here it is! They are gluten free, mostly paleo (primal, really), high in protein and fiber with a low glycemic index -- and fully tasty. Thanks to GNC Live Well for the awesome  protein powder I used in these!!!

I actually combined and then added my own twist to two separate recipes I found for pumpkin protein brownies, one of them dubbed a "breakfast brownie."

Here's how my recipe ended up:

Pumpkin Chocolate Protein Brownie

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup almond butter
• 4 Tbsp. Chocolate PB2 Powder
• 1/2 cup protein powder - I highly recommend GNC Total Lean, Lean Shake chocolate or pumpkin spice
• 1 small can organic pumpkin
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup agave nectar
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 2 tbsp. coconut oil 
• 4 Tbsp. cocoa powder
• 1 Tbsp. cinnamon
• 1 Tbsp. pumpkin pie spice
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 10 drops chocolate flavored liquid stevia
• 1/2 cup raw cacao nibs (or dark chocolate chips)

For frosting:

• 2 scoops protein powder (again, love the GNC Lean! Try the pumpkin spice for the frosting in one batch, chocolate in another!)
• 1/4 - 1/3 cup unsweetened chocolate almond milk
• 1/4 cup raw cacao nibs or dark chocolate chips

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease with Pam or coconut oil an 8x8 inch pan.

2. Combine (I mixed by hand) all brownie ingredients except cacao/chocolate in a large bowl, mixing just until all ingredients are blended into a nice uniform batter. There might be a few clumps - all good. Just don't overmix. Fold in the cacao/chocolate. 

3. Pour batter into the pan and bake 30-35 minutes or until batter comes away from sides of the pan and a knife inserted comes out clean. Cool.

4. For frosting, mix the protein powder and milk together, adding more or less milk to get to desired consistency. Spread over the brownies. Let it set, then cut and enjoy! 

Coming next week: A PowerCore circuit, healthy chicken "fried rice," and a new mom's inspiring post-baby transformation!

Chili by Cavegirl Eats: A little sweet, a lot spicy, 100% delicious!

In hindsight, I shouldn't have made chili this past weekend when the temps dropped here in north Florida, the first real cold front of the 2012 fall season.

See, my guy makes chili so good it should be patented, sold and enjoyed by the masses. But work has him very far away. Making chili on my own just made me miss him more, realizing I won't get any of his chili this fall or winter. #sigh.

The upside, though, is that it forced me to experiment a little with a chili recipe all my own. And the results were pretty damn good! Not as good as his, but that's kind of a given. Mine mixed spicy with sweet - ya' know, kinda like this girl's personality! Wink!

 

But seriously...Cocoa powder, cinnamon and butternut squash blended with spicy Italian sausage, grass-fed beef, red wine, chili powder, cumin, red pepper and cayenne pepper in my slow cooker for seven hours - resulting in a Paleo chili rich with complex, hearty flavor. I served it over spaghetti squash for a Paleo, gluten-free, and low-carb take on chili the way firemen like it. Sooooo good! Not to mention low in fat and high in protein!

And of course the best part is, I get to enjoy leftovers all week that get better with each bowl, as the flavors meld even more. Here's the recipe. I guarantee it will become a cold-weather favorite!

Cavegirl Eats' Badass Chili

Ingredients

• 1 lb. grass-fed beef
• 2 large links spicy Italian sausage, removed from casing
• 1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
• 1 8-ounce can tomato sauce
• 3/4 cup red wine
• 1 cup diced butternut squash (I had half-baked it ahead of time)
• 16 ounces mushrooms, sliced
• 1 each red and yellow bell pepper, diced
• 1 Tbsp coconut oil
• 2 Tbsp. pumpkin seed butter
• 1 shallot, diced
• 5 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 Tbsp. cumin
• 2 Tbsp. chili powder
• 1 Tbsp. cayenne pepper
• 1 Tbsp. red pepper flakes
• 2 Tbsp. cocoa powder
• 1 Tbsp. cinnamon
• Sea salt, black pepper to taste

Directions

1. Saute the shallots, peppers, beef and sausage in the coconut oil over medium-high heat until tender and meat loses some of its pink. Drain off the fat.

2. Place meat, shallots and peppers in slow cooker. Add in all of the remaining ingredients. Blend together.

3. Cook on low for 6-7 hours, stirring occasionally. 

4. Serve alone, over real spaghetti, or as I did over spaghetti squash.  

Coming up: A Halloween "no fear" WOD and playlist, plus a core cross-training workout to make you stronger everywhere!

Sweet Potato Babies! Badass Fitness, Ginger Mantra Hit the Farm!

A redhead and a blonde walk up to a local farm where an unshaven organic farmer plays guitar.

Insert punchlines as you see fit, but my recent foodie field trip to a local organic farm with fellow blogger and SweatPink Ambassador Tammy Means (GingerMantra founder) was no joke!

Unbeknownst to us until our visit, this 10-acre gem of a place called Orchard Pond Organics sits just a short drive from where we eat, live, work, and workout daily. They raise grass-fed beef that is supplied to several local restaurants regularly.

They grow an amazing variety of organic vegetables, from red okra to lime basil and spinach. They produce honey.

Who knew?! Until recently, we didn't!

Finally, this past weekend, Tammy and I discovered Orchard Pond - and explored. (Read her post here.) 

I bought their organic honey. I cradled their massive sweet potatoes like a newborn baby. We walked the rows of crops, enjoying the pungent smell of lime basil and marveling at bright purple eggplants and red okra. We ate jambalaya cooked over an open fire in a big cauldron, like they used to way back when. We even picked okra -- which I promptly took home and stir-fried in coconut oil, pepper and sea salt for a dinner companion to my leftover Paleo chicken "fried rice." (recipe coming next week!)

And we walked away with information about joining the veggie co-op, where -- for starting at just $25 a week -- we can get all of these organic, locally grown veggies (and fruits and organic locally roasted coffee if we choose) for daily cooking and eating.

I share this because whether you are here in sunny Florida or thousands of miles from here, odds are you can find a similar organic or locally made offering in your community. I love Whole Foods and Trader Joe's and Earth Fare just as much as the next foodie. But I also loved eating that okra and knowing exactly where it grew, how it itched my fingers when I picked it, and how the soil felt under my shoes as I picked it.

I think it is important to get away from our busy rush-rush-rush lives once in awhile to remember - and discover - where our food comes from. I think we need to be more educated about how our food is grown, who grows it, and what they put on it. When one of the farm tour participants asked an Orchard Pond farmer what she does about pesky bugs on leafy greens, she replied, "We get in there and look for them and crush them with our fingers. And dish soap works, too."  That's it. No pesticides. No Franken-sprays. 

So here's my challenge to you: find something locally grown and raised where you live. Visit. Taste. Shop. Whole Foods and the like aren't going anywhere, which is a good thing! But it's also a good thing to visit the kind of farms that supply Whole Foods and other such stores. 

Friday TREAT alert: I am happy to be a #PoweredbyBits Energy Bits Ambassador, starting this week! For you all, it means you can enter "badassfit" when you buy any bag of algae power "bits" and get 15% off. (Read about them here.) Enjoy!!!

 

Coming up: Chicken Fried "Rice," and Yoga Stretches to keep you sane, and limber, on those upcoming Holiday road trips!

Cavegirl Eats: Chocolate Cravings, SQUASHed!!!

Going Paleo has made this Cavegirl adventurous.

Admittedly, not "go chase after wild boar" adventurous. More like "try foods and food combos you never would have before" adventurous.

Cauliflower curry "chicken fried rice"? Check! (blog/recipe on that to come!)Delicious pumpkin bread with not an ounce of wheat flour or dairy? Check! Spaghetti squash with a pumpkin-tomato sauce? Get in this tummy!

And while I haven't abandoned pumpkin as my fave fall gourd - that would just be wrong and foolish - I am discovering a second love in my Paleo eating adventures this season: the butternut squash.

Yeah, I know...Butter-who?!? But trust the Cavegirl on this one. Butternut squash is da bomb. And it is even more awesome when paired with chocolate. Go ahead, read back over that again. It is not a typo. Butternut squash + chocolate = a little taste of awesome on the tastebuds.

I recently tried this pairing two ways: hot and cold, liquid and pancake fluffiness. The butternut-chocolate smoothie was so good, and very similar to my fall pumpkin smoothie except it was heavier on the chocolate and the butternut squash lends a slightly different flavor than pumpkin. Ditto the chocolate squash pancakes, which I adapted from a basic Paleo pancake recipe by adding in squash just as I would pureed pumpkin.

Butternut squash is a lot like pumpkin in its culinary adaptability and high nutrition profile. In fact, you can substitute butternut squash for pumpkin in most recipes.

I am also embracing pumpkin's fall "cousin" for a few reasons:

• One cup of butternut squash has just 80 calories that are basically fat free and very high in fiber.
• One cup delivers almost half of daily vitamin C needs and more than 100% of daily recommended vitamin A (beta carotene). High beta-carotene levels help protect against age-related macular degeneration and some studies point to it for preventing breast cancer.
• It is so versatile in the kitchen. It can be baked (at 350 degrees for about an hour) and then used as I did in pancakes and smoothies, or pureed into soups and chilis. You can also mash it or cube and roast it with seasonings that are sweet (cinnamon, honey, etc.) or savory (garlic, rosemary, sea salt, pepper, etc.)
• For a quick dessert, I top a cup of baked butternut squash with cinnamon, a teaspoon of honey and almond butter or PB2 Powder and heat it in the microwave. Holy amaze-balls. Try it!

And the next time a chocolate craving hits, try one of these bad boy recipes below. They can be breakfast, lunch, workout fuel, or "breakfast for dinner"! (If you aren't sure where to get any of these ingredients, most health food stores have them or go online to Swansons. They have it all!)

Chocolate-Butternut Power Smoothie

Ingredients

• 1 cup chocolate unsweetened almond milk
• 1 scoop chocolate egg white protein powder (I used Jay Robb)
• 1/2 cup baked mashed butternut squash
• 1 Tbsp. cocoa powder
• 1 Tbsp. cinnamon
• 1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
• 10-12 drops liquid stevia
• 1 Tbsp. chia seeds
• 1/8 tsp. each xanthan and guar gum (all-natural thickeners)
• 1/2 cup or so of Ice cubes

Directions: Mix all ingredients into a blender, Vitamix, etc. for about 2 minutes until it is thick and frothy like a milkshake! SO good:)

Nutritional info: 200 calories, 7 grams fat (all good fats!), 18 grams carbs, 7 grams fiber, 1 gram sugar, 18 grams protein

Squash the Chocolate Monster Pancakes

Ingredients

• 4 Tbsp. coconut flour
• 1/2 cup baked mashed butternut squash
• 1/4 to 1/3 cup unsweetened chocolate almond milk
• 2 eggs, 1 egg white
• 1 Tbsp. agave nectar or honey
• 1/2 tsp. apple cider vinegar
• 1 Tbsp. cocoa powder 
• 1 Tbsp. cinnamon
• 1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
• 1/4 tsp. baking soda
• 1 Tbsp. coconut oil
• Toppings: sugar-free maple syrup, fresh fruit or your fave nut butter

Directions

1. Mix all ingredients together, stirring just until combined. Batter will be slightly thicker than regular pancakes.

2. Heat coconut oil over medium-low heat in a pancake griddle/pan. These pancakes will not cook properly at medium high or high, so be patient.

3. When the pan is heated, spoon the pancake batter into small circles. Let them set and flip once the bottoms start to brown, after about 2 minutes (these won't bubble up like regular pancakes).

4. Serve with sugar-free maple syrup, fresh fruit or your favorite nut butter. (Note: this makes 8 small pancakes, so I enjoyed half for breakfast and half for a mid-afternoon snack!)

Nutritional info (for all 8 pancakes):  400 calories, 18 grams of fat  33 grams of carbs, 14 grams of fiber, 4 grams of sugar, 29 grams of protein

Tell me what you think after you try these! And what other odd but awesome food pairings are you loving right now? Dish so that we can all dish!

 

Coming up: Holiday travel coming up? I've got some yoga stretches that can be done in your car!

Cavegirl Eats...Frosting-topped cake bread for breakfast!?! YES. Yes, I do. #notsorry

When I was a little girl, I loved mornings with my Grandma. Always, they started with an Entenmann's loaf pound cake or a cinnamon crumble-topped coffee cake. My favorite was the cinnamon coffee cake. I saved the crumble top for last and savored every one. Somehow, it felt like we were doing something really special. Something I got to do only because I was with Grandma.

We were eating CAKE... for breakfast! 

It made every bite just seem more delicious.

I recently perfected a pumpkin bread recipe that reminds me of those mornings with my Grandma. It is moist, delicious, topped with frosting and coconut sprinkles...and also happens to be Paleo. That, I declare, is a foodie win!

This is super easy and quick to make, a total crowd pleaser. Just ask my bootcamp students and co-workers, who got a taste of the leftovers! This sweet bread is just as tasty in the morning as it is for a mid-afternoon pick-me-up or dessert. And if anyone asks, "are you SURE you want a slice of that sweet bread" with the tone that says, I am judging you for eating sweets, here is what you can say:

"Yes, actually, I am sure I want this slice. Because this pumpkin bread is Badass. It is packed with protein, fiber, and healthy fats. So I'm going to stuff this into my mouth, and you can watch if you want. But I am not sharing!" #BOOM

Because, seriously, look at this decadence. You know you want some!  The recipe is below, so give it a try!

Shannon's Cavegirl Pumpkin Bread

Dry Ingredients

• 1 cup almond meal
• 1/4 tsp. sea salt
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 2 Tbsp. cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp. cloves
• 2 tsp. nutmeg
• 1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice

Wet Ingredients

• 3 Tbsp. pumpkin seed butter **
• 1/2 cup canned or fresh-roasted pumpkin
• 2 Tbsp. honey or agave nectar
• 1 tsp. vanilla liquid stevia
• 3 eggs

Add-in

• 1 cup dried cranberries
• You can also add chopped nuts, chopped apples, banana, etc.

Frosting ingredients

• 1 scoop Jay Robb vanilla egg white protein powder
• 1 Tbsp. Cinnamon
• 1/4 cup almond milk, unsweetened, give or take until you get desired consistency
• 3 Tbsp. unsweetened flaked coconut

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a small, mini-loaf pan (I used coconut oil).

2. In large bowl, combine the dry ingredients. 

3. In smaller bowl, combine the wet ingredients.

4. Mix the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients for about 2 minutes. 

5. Fold in the cranberries or whatever add-ins you are using. 

6. Pour batter into pan and bake 35-45 minutes, or until golden brown and knife inserted comes out clean. Let it cool.

7. To make the frosting, mix with a spoon all ingredients except the coconut. Add milk until it is a frosting glaze consistency.

8. Frost the bread, then sprinkle the coconut over the top. Voila!

Coming up: Field notes from my trip with GingerMantra to a local organic farm, an Abracada-Badass sculpter WOD, and two recipes to SQUASH your chocolate cravings!

 

Cavegirl Bakes: Pumpkin-Apple Pie Cookies, for breakfast or dessert!

Odds are, cavemen - and their lady cave dwellers - didn't have ovens with preheat and self-cleaning functions.

But in this new Paleo eating sphere where I dwell as of late, cooking - and baking - are very much allowed, encouraged and embraced. Always a mass consumer of recipes and cookbooks, I have been hunting like a fiercely hungry cavegirl for recipes, paleo dinner ideas, etc.

I have also been making up some of my own, from smoothies and spaghetti squash "pasta" dishes to various Paleo pancakes. The result of one such "cave kitchen experiment" is today's recipe - a cookie so healthy, you can absolutely eat it as a breakfast cookie and not even think twice about it!

I love pumpkin, and I love apples and cinnamon. I also love my cookies packed with texture and "stuff," from raisins and nuts to coconut. Oh, and frosting is a major weakness of mine. Yes, if it is there I will dip my finger in it and stick that finger right in my mouth! These cookies fit the bill for all of those Shannon Cookie Preferences.

Are they decadent and excessively sugary-sweet like a chocolate chunk cookie from the local bakery? No. But are they really tasty, and satisfying? Yes.

Go ahead, try for yourself and bake these up!

Pumpkin-Apple Pie Cookies 

Cookie Ingredients

• 1 cup almond meal
• 1/2 cup chopped honey roasted cashews
• 1 scoop vanilla protein powder (I used Jay Robb's egg white, Paleo friendly)
• 1 Tbsp. Pumpkin Pie Spice
• 1 Tbsp. Cinnamon
• 1 Tbsp. Cocoa Powder
• 1/2 tsp. Baking Powder
• 1 egg
• 1 cup canned pumpkin
• 1/4 cup unsweetened almond/coconut milk
• 3 Tbsp. Honey
• 1 Tbsp. vanilla
• 1 apple, peeled, cored and diced
• 1/2 cup sunflower seeds (any add-ins will do, from coconut to raisins)

Frosting Ingredients

• 2 scoops vanilla protein powder
• 1/4 cup unsweetened almond coconut milk
• 10 drops vanilla liquid Stevia

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees and grease a cookie sheet

2. Mix all dry ingredients together.

3. In separate bowl, combine all wet ingredients except for apple, sunflower seeds or other add-ins.

4. Mix the wet ingredients into the dry, stirring just until combined.

5. Fold in the apples, seeds and add-ins of choice. 

6. Drop by tablespoons onto greased cookie sheet. Bake 12-15 minutes or until cookies set and edges turn golden.

7. When cookies are cool, combine the frosting ingredients together in a small bowl and drizzle over the top. Devour!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Coming up: The #BadassBurpees Fall Challenge, and ...BOO! A FREAKY Friday TRX Routine to scare up some endorphins!

Cavegirl Eats: Pumpkin, 5 Ways...Including "Pie"!

I may or may not be obsessed with pumpkin. OK, OK, I am. There, I admitted it. Now let me help you see why! 

See, when I find something I like, I want to make to make the most of it. I put it to work for me. Kind of like a great circuit training session or bootcamp, I want superfoods that will "work" at 110 percent when it comes to fortifying my daily eating. Iceberg lettuce, processed chips and the like need not show up.

Pumpkin is that "all-in, 110 %" superfood for me this time of year. It can be eaten all day long, in multiple forms, and my diet is healthier for it. It falls under my Paleo eating plan. It is packed with fiber and good carbs plus beta-carotene and Vitamin A. It is also inexpensive and easy to find canned or whole in the fall. That's what I call #winning.

So here are my five favorite uses for pumpkin lately:

1. In my daily Power Smoothie: The pumpkin adds flavor, creaminess and a punch of fiber and other nutritional goodness.

2. In pasta sauce: The pumpkin gives any marinara or bruschetta a smoky, rich, fall flavor and also boosts the nutritional profile of the sauce, which is already rich in lycopene. If you are a Paleo eater, use it over spaghetti squash. If not, use whole wheat pasta. So good, and so easy! Add chicken for extra protein and call it dinner!

3. In pancakes:  This past weekend I took a coconut flour pancake recipe and added 1/2 cup of canned pumpkin, pumpkin pie spice, nutmeg, and voila! Fall pancake goodness! 

4. In soups and curries: Last week I had this blogger geek moment when Sarah Fragoso, author of Everyday Paleo, started following me on Twitter and we had some chatter back and forth. Gah! Awesome! Well, her recipes are delicious whether you adhere to Paleo or not. And this time of year, pumpkin soups or curries with pumpkin added are so, so comforting - and healthy when done right. Check out Fragoso's Creamy Pumpkin Curry recipe. Wow. #EAT!

5. In Sweet Potato "Pie" Mash: My recent switch to Paleo eating has forced me to be very attentive to the carbs I take in. Specifically, I have to be sure to get enough, from the right sources, particularly on days when I teach two or more cycling and/or bootcamp classes. So sweet potatoes are my Paleo friend, but sometimes I want something a little more fun. And sadly, pumpkin pie isn't the best choice. But this is: Bake a sweet potato, turn it into a mash and add pumpkin, 1/2 a scoop of vanilla egg protein (I use Jay Robb brand), cinnamon and a little agave nectar or honey for sweet, high-octane "pie" fuel! Delicious!!!

So what am I missing? Are you finding other awesome ways to use pumpkin? PS: Next week I am sharing my Pumpkin-Apple "Pie" Paleo Cookie recipe, but in the meantime if someone sends me an amazing paleo-or-not pumpkin cookie recipe, I might just get happy enough to send a giveaway surprise! 

 

Cavegirl Eats: Three Ingredients, One Amazing Fall 'Pasta' Bowl!

My blonde hair and blue-green eyes notwithstanding, I am half Italian by DNA and full Italian by culture and hot-blooded, passionate personality. I was raised by my grandparents (my 100% Italian grandfather, and my born-Irish-but-Italian-by-decades-of-marriage grandmother). This means I was born and raised on pasta.

I'm talking big bowls of it, topped with my Grandma Colavecchio's Sunday 'gravy' (meatballs, sausage, pork in tomato sauce) that had simmered all afternoon in a big pot on her stove. In middle school, my afterschool snack was always leftovers of some Italian dish - stuffed eggplants, chicken cutlets, etc. - always served over penne, ditalini, linguini or cappellini. Grandma was happy to serve, and always urged me to "have a little more!" since that is what Italian cooks do.

So the following post will truly horrify her pasta-eating sensibilities. Though she will likely appreciate the ample serving size!

See, I'm going all in on this new Paleo eating I started several weeks ago. But I still love tomato sauce and a big bowl of pasta. Oh, and the weather is finally cooling off slightly so I crave all things pumpkin. So this weekend, with just three ingredients I picked up at Fresh Market (I go there so much, I should have a designated parking spot!), I created an awesome "pasta" bowl using spaghetti squash, bruschetta and pumpkin. I topped it with a sprinkle of nutritional yeast seasoning, which tastes like cheese but is packed with nutrients. (Try it before you wrinkle your nose at the name!)

It was so incredibly easy, I hesitate to even call it a 'recipe.' But it sure tasted amazing, and thanks to the lycopene-rich tomato bruschetta sauce and the vitamin-and-fiber-rich pumpkin, it is really nutritious.

The spaghetti squash also keeps the calorie count very low, yet it was so filling! One cup of spaghetti squash (about half of a baked squash) has a mere 40 calories, 10 grams of carbs, 2 grams of fiber and 4 grams of sugar plus a little protein. Compare that to a cup of cooked pasta, which has about 200 calories and 37 grams of carbs. So even if you aren't into Paleo eating, this dish is a great way to keep your caloric intake down while still enjoying a "pasta bowl."

Sunday night, I added some shredded rotisserie chicken breast from Fresh Market for extra protein after teaching Power Core and bootcamp back to back. My muscles were happy!

Here's the "recipe." As Grandma would say, Mangia!

Shannon's Fall Pasta Paleo Bowl

Ingredients

• 1/2 of a spaghetti squash, baked
• 1/2 small jar of tomato bruschetta sauce (Fresh Market has tons; I used Bella Famiglia's)
• 1/2 cup canned pumpkin
• 1 Tbsp. nutritional yeast (or grated romano cheese if you aren't going Paleo)
• Optional: shredded cooked chicken breast

Directions

1. Pierce the squash with a fork several times. Bake in a 375-degree oven for an hour to 90 minutes, or until tender when tested with a fork.

2. Cut the squash in half. Remove the seeds. Using a fork, pull at the squash, like you would pulled pork, to create the strands of "spaghetti." Place into a bowl.

3. Separately, blend together with a spoon the heated bruschetta and pumpkin. Spoon it over the top of the pasta.

4. Sprinkle with the yeast or cheese and enjoy!

Coming this week: A Shoulder Shockers WOD, and 5 Must-Have Kitchen Appliances for Badass-Approved Healthy Eating