Lesser Carb Cheddar-Squash Casserole

One quarter of this ENTIRE recipe is under 500 calories for a great dinner in and of itself!  You can also eat a half serving (one eighth of the batch is about 240 cals) for a satisfying, cheesy side dish that is still packed with veggies.

INGREDIENTS:

*2 cans of cream of chicken soup

*1 4-oz can of green chiles

*20-oz bag of frozen squash

*Big bag of broccoli/cauli mix (can't remember the ounces, but I think my bag was about 4 cups of frozen veg.)

*2 cups of shredded cheddar cheese

*1/4 box of Dreamfields Spaghetti (I think that's about 3 ounces of dry pasta)

*whatever herbs and spices you like! (I used garlic and dill in mine.)

Preheat your oven to 350 and get your pasta water boiling.  Pour your chicken soup into the bowl.

Next, season that sucker!

I also added a little "hamburger seasoning salt" but next time I will figure somethjngn else out. Between the cheese and the chicken soup, you're looking at over 1K sodium for the dinner serving.

Mix things thoroughly and start adding squash.

Now, just when you think it cannot possibly look more like vomit, add your broccoli mix and half the cheese.

Add your pasta (which should be cooked according to directions -- you can shave off a minute or so, since this is going into the oven).  Add the remaining cheese.

Now it's ready to pop into the oven!  I baked mine uncovered for about 30 minutes, since I defrosted my veg first, and the only real thing was to let the cheese melt.  If you begin with frozen veggies, try cooking it covered for 30-45 minutes, then uncovered for another 15.

Eat and enjoy!  Relax... A big serving is 50 carbs (which isn't bad at all for a pasta meal), and a small serving is just 25 carbs!  If you use Dreamfields like I do, your net carbs will be even less.

The Halloween After October

So, this year, I only carved ONE measly pumpkin!!! Boooooo!!! :(

The problem with pumpkins around here is that the big-ass mamas aren't sold after Halloween. Instead, for November, people have to make do with sugar pumpkins which are nice for making a little pie, but not so nice for making a BIG pie! Or carving BIG designs! Or roasting BIG amounts of seeds!! 

My mother got me a special pumpkin last month, and when I visited for her birthday, she presented me with "tumor pumpkin" or as I like to call him, Bumpkin. We got another at Aldi's and it's sitting here chillin'. So there are 2 more pumpkins to carve.

Update: My friend fluffy came over to hang out and eat lunch. He brought me more pumpkins! Yay! So now I have 4 big ones and a several small sugar pumpkins. Gonna roast some seeds tonight!