Barley Soup with Turkey & Butternut Squash

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Ingredients:
1/2 cup barley, dry (+2 cups of water for cooking)
2 Turkey legs, cooked, cut into bite-size pieces
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 large onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 small butternut squash, fresh, cut into pieces
1 tablespoon tomato paste
Salt and ground pepper
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1 cans (14.5 ounces) reduced-sodium beef broth
2-3 cups of water
2-3 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley for garnish

Preparation
1. In a small pot, put dry barley and water and cook it for 30 minutes. Drain the water, rinse barley.
2. Meanwhile, clean the turkey meat of bone, cut it into pieces. Clean and cut butternut squash. Chop onion and mince garlic.
3. In a pot, heat olive oil. Add onion and garlic and cook for 1-2 minutes. Add butternut squash and cook for 5 minutes stirring often. Add turkey, oregano, salt, pepper and tomato paste. Mix everything and cook for half a minute or so.
Add cooked barley, chicken broth and 2-3 cups water; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, partially covered, for 15 minutes. Add more water to thin soup, as needed. Season with more salt and pepper, if necessary.
4. Ladle into bowls; sprinkle with parsley or any fresh herbs.
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Nutritional info per 1.5 cup: makes 6 servings
    * Calories: 167
    * Fat: 5g Carbs: 17g (fiber: 3.6g) Protein: 13g

Acorn Squash Stuffed with Croissant, Goat Cheese & Chestnuts

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Ingredients
Croissant, 1 large (2.5 oz), cut into 1/4" pieces, lightly baked and cooled
Acorn Squash, small or medium (1.5 lbs), cut in half and seeded
Maple Syrup, 2 tsp, divided between squash halves
Unsalted Butter, 1/2 Tbsp, divided between squash halves
Egg, fresh, 1 extra large
Milk Goat Low Fat, 1/4 cup
Black Pepper, freshly ground
Cranberries, fresh or frozen, 1/4 cup, whole
Goat Cheese, 1 oz, crumbled
Chestnuts, 5 pieces (1.5oz = 40 grams), coarsely cut
Apple, fresh, 1/4 medium, cut into small cubes
Sage, fresh, 1 tsp, finely chopped  
Thyme, fresh, 1 tsp, finely chopped

Preparation

1. Heat the oven 350F. Cut croissant into 1/4" cubes, spread over baking sheet and toast slightly till dry, for 10 minutes. Cool completely.

2. Heat up the oven to 400F.

3. Cut acorn squash into half, take seeds out. Brush all the flesh with maple syrup. Put butter inside.

4. In a large bowl beat up egg, milk and pepper together.

5. Crumble goat cheese, cut apples and chestnuts, chop fresh herbs. Add them, toasted croissant pieces and cranberries to the egg mixture. Mix very well.

6. Divide the stuffing into two. Stuff each squash half, pressing the mixture tight, if necessary.

7. Arrange the stuffed halves in baking dish, cover loosely with aluminum foil sprayed with non-stick spray. Bake for 50 minutes at 400F. Then take the foil off squash, turn the oven off and leave the dish in hot oven for 10-15 more minutes or till ready to serve.

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Nutritional info per a stuffed half: makes 2 servings

    * Calories: 448

    * Fat: 15g Carbs: 68g (fiber: 13g) Protein: 13g