A FB friend of mine gave me and idea for this when we were talking about weird combinations of foods.

I heard of the tradition in Cincinnati, but never tried it. At first, it sounded like it would be gross, but then I thought about making this my own way. Then, the challenge was on.

I’m always trying to make food that is fun, healthy, and new. It’s been established on this blog, that the crew LOVES my pumpkin turkey chili. Leftovers are not an issue when making this dish. Knowing this, I decided to make this chili for that part, and add some new ingredients to make it chunky.

That left the pasta. As I’m getting back into working out, I’m really trying to cut the carbs down. Not out, just down.

Key point from the doctor: Don’t cut out foods, cut back. You needs different foods for different things.

Then this pasta caught my eye. Spinach and Zucchini Pasta. It’s green, obviously, but more veggies than flour. Sold. I bought two boxes, and made my way home to get the job done.

Pumpkin Turkey Chili Spaghetti

2.5 oz Ground Turkey
1 can 100% pumpkin puree or 1/2 pumpkin, baked and pureed
1 bag butternut squash, cubed
1 can vegetarian baked beans
1 cup vegetable stock
1 cup green peppers, chopped
1 cup yellow peppers, chopped
1 cup chopped white onions
1 can fired roasted corn mix
1 can diced tomatoes
2 tablespoons butter
1 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons flour
white pepper
chili powder
garlic salt
cinnamon
2 boxes spinach/zucchini spaghetti
Sour Cream
Shredded Cheese

in a pot, combine butter and peppers. Sautee until soft, then add meat and spices. Cook until meat is brown.

Meanwhile, in a blender, combine pumpkin, stock, brown sugar, and flour. Blend until smooth and thick. Pour the mix in the pot, and let simmer for 25-30 minutes, until sauce is thicken. During this time, stir occasionally so it doesn’t burn. Also taste to adjust seasonings if needed.

I added my butternut squash toward the end. I wanted it to cook, but not turn into mush.

Make pasta as directed. I broke mine in half to make more. Garnish with cheese and sour cream when serving.

These kids loved it! I got my kids to eat two different squashes, peppers, onions, corn, spinach, and zucchini, without any compliants. This was going on the permenant rotation. No leftovers. Took 30 minutes to throw together, and this dish can be made the night before in a crockpot, if you are pressed for time.

Leave a review, and let me know what you think!

~CSM~