Squash Black bean casserole

Ingredients: 

• 1 tablespoon oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 1 jalapeño, diced (with seeds and ribs removed)
• 3 cups butternut squash, peeled and diced
• 1¼ cup salsa (I use pico de gallo, but any good salsa should work)
• ¼ cup chopped cilantro + plus more for serving
• ½ teaspoon red chili powder
• 1 teaspoon cumin powder
• ½ teaspoon coriander powder
• salt and pepper, to taste
• ¼ cup water
• 1.5 cups black beans, soaked and pressure cooked (or 1 can drained)
• 1½ cups red enchilada sauce
• 1 thinly sliced (length-wise) butternut squash (low-carb version) OR 6 tortillas, cut into 1-inch thick strips (indulgent version)
• 1½ cups monterey Jack or cheddar cheese
• 2-3 scallions, chopped
• Greek yogurt, to serve

Instructions:

1. If you are going for the no-tortilla version, then preheat the oven to 400 degrees, and spray the butternut squash (length-wise strips) with olive oil.  
2. While the butternut squash are baking, heat 1 tablespoon of oil over medium high heat in a large skillet. Add the onions and jalapeños and cook until the onions become translucent, then add the garlic and spices (chili powder, cumin powder, coriander powder). Add the cubed butternut squash, salsa, cilantro, and water, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Cover and let cook over medium-low heat for about 25-30 minutes or until the squash is tender. 
3. After you've made the mixture, your oven should be pre-heated.  Put the butternut squash strips in, let them cook for 5-10 minutes on each side.  Take out, lay aside (but leave the oven on).
4. Add the black beans to the mixture on the stove and stir to combine.
5. Place a ¼ cup of enchilada sauce on the bottom of a large baking dish. Lay the butternut squash strips side by side to cover surface.  If you'd rather an indulgent version, do the same with tortillas instead. Place half of the filling over the tortilla or butternut layer, top with half of the remaining enchilada sauce and then half of the cheese. Repeat a second layer of tortillas or butternut, then the remaining butternut squash mixture, followed by the remaining enchilada sauce and finally layer on the remaining cheese.  
6. Bake the enchilada casserole for 20-25 minutes or until the cheese is bubbly and start to brown on the stop. Top with scallions and additional chopped cilantro. Serve with greek yogurt, if desired.

Cauliflower Crust Pizza

1 small to medium sized head of cauliflower, cut into florets.
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano 
1/4 cup shredded parmesan cheese
1 egg
Desired amount of sauce, cheese and other toppings.

Place a pizza stone into the oven and preheat to 450 degrees.  On a cutting board, place a large piece of parchment paper brushed with a bit of olive oil.

Pulse the florets in a food processor until the cauliflower is finely ground and resembles couscous; you should end up with about 3 cups. Transfer the cauliflower to a bowl and microwave for 4 minutes. Remove and allow the cauliflower to cool a bit before pouring onto a tea towel or cheesecloth and wring out as much moisture as you can.

In a bowl, mix the cauliflower with the parmesan cheese, oregano and basil. Give it a taste and add salt if needed. Now add the egg and mix away. 

Press the cauliflower mixture into a circle on the oiled parchment paper. Using the cutting board, slide the parchment paper onto your hot pizza stone in the oven. Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove from the oven. Give it a minute to cool and flip the crust over.

Reduce oven temperature to 425 degrees. Top the pizza with sauce, cheese and desired toppings. Slide parchment with topped pizza back in the hot oven and cook for another 5 to 7 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and the pizza golden.

Spanakopita with tzatziki sauce

Spanakopita:
1 large onion
2 bunches or bags of fresh spinach
most of a block of feta cheese (leave about 1 square inch)
1/2 container of cream cheese
salt and pepper to taste
1 handful fresh parsley (optional)
1 inch of a block of tofu (optional)
1 egg
1 box of phyllo dough (defrosted)
1 stick of melted unsalted butter

Add the first 4 ingredients to a food processor in the order written. Then add salt and pepper according to taste, and then add the parsley and tofu and taste again.  If it tastes delicious, add the raw egg.  Meanwhile, take a pastry brush and add butter to the top of one phyllo dough sheet, and then add another on top.  Repeat until you have four sheets.  Cut the sheet into four long sections (with kitchen scissors).  Spoon one tablespoon of the spinach mixture onto the bottom of a section, and then  fold the right-hand corner up to the left side of the spoonful. Continue to fold into triangles, adding butter to help the dough stick and do the same until you're out of mixture!  Stick in the oven at 350 degrees, and turn over once the color starts to change.  Depending on your oven, it should take around 15 minutes to complete.  Eat with tzatziki sauce (recipe below).

For tzatziki sauce, mix the following ingredients:
1 sq inch of feta cheese, crumbled
1 cup plain yogurt
1/2 grated cucumber (drain after grating)
3 cloves of garlic (pressed)
small amount of chopped fresh dill
lemon juice (optional)
salt, pepper to taste (optional)