We’re giving roasted veggies a makeover with our deliciously creamy Roasted Squash and Veggies with Whipped Farmer Cheese and Kefir Sauce. This simple recipe offers a unique approach to traditional roasted veggies and boosts them with complete protein from Lifeway Farmer Cheese and Lifeway Kefir.
To start, you’ll roast any winter squash of choice and mixed veggies on baking pans with a classic seasoning combination of olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. After they’re done roasting and have your kitchen smelling amazing once they exit the oven, you’ll mix the roasted mixed vegetables with Lifeway Farmer Cheese and Lifeway Kefir to create an incredibly flavorful, high-protein sauce to top the roasted squash with.
For our recipe, we used spaghetti squash since the noodles provide a satiating texture, similar to spaghetti pasta, but you could use other winter squash varieties including kabocha, acorn, butternut, or delicata squash. The texture of the creamy, high-protein sauce made with the roasted veggies, farmer cheese, and kefir provides a wonderful mouthfeel and filling combination of fiber and protein. Plus, since our kefir and farmer cheese are fermented, they digest easily and are lactose-intolerance friendly.
Speckled with red pepper flakes on top, this recipe is one you can use any weeknight to squash your protein and fiber goals at the same time. Grab a fork and dig in!
The Benefits of Cultured Dairy for Better Health:
Research continues to show the importance of eating healthy foods, including cultured dairy such as kefir, for optimal digestion and gut health, a strong immune system, and to support the microbiome. Fermented foods like kefir hold important value in this line of research due to the link between the gut-brain axis and overall health. Specifically, kefir has been shown to help diversify the microbiome, improve digestion, reduce inflammation, support healthier blood sugar levels, and improve satiety since the bioavailable protein it contains triggers the release of GLP-1.
Lifeway Kefir is packed with a variety of vital nutrients important for overall health, including bone and muscle health; these include vitamin D3, K, calcium, and vitamin B12. Along with our probiotic-rich kefir, Lifeway also offers artisan-made Farmer Cheese, a creamy, high-protein cheese made with live and active cultures to support healthy muscles and a healthy microbiome. Lifeway Farmer Cheese is easy to spread, free of gums and thickeners, and contains no added salt or sugar for optimal health benefits.
Prep Time: Prep Time: 15 minutes | Roast Time: 35–40 minutes Servings: 2-3Ingredients
- 1 medium spaghetti squash or other winter squash of choice
- 1 cup mixed vegetables (broccoli florets, bell pepper, zucchini)
- 3/4 cup Farmer Cheese
- 3/4 cup Lowfat Plain Kefir
- 2 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
- salt and black pepper, to taste
- fresh lemon juice from 1 lemon
- red pepper flakes, to taste
Directions
- Cover two small baking sheets with parchment paper, and set aside.
- Preheat oven to 400°F.
- Slice spaghetti squash in half lengthwise and remove seeds. Place on one of the small baking sheets with the cut sides up.
- Drizzle the tops of the squash with 1 tbsp. olive oil, lemon juice from 1/2 a lemon, and season with salt and pepper.
- Roast the prepared squash for 35–40 minutes until tender.
- Toss vegetables in a small bowl with other 1 tbsp. olive oil, lemon juice from 1/2 a lemon, salt, and pepper, and add them to the other small baking sheet covered with parchment paper.
- Roast the veggies 20 minutes at 400°F. Tip: To cut down on cook-time, roast them with the last 20 minutes of the squash cooking (after 20 minutes of the squash cooking).
- Once everything is done cooking, remove from the oven and let cool 10 minutes on the pans.
- After 10 minutes, remove the mixed veggies (broccoli, red pepper, and zucchini) from the pan, and add to a food processor with Lifeway Farmer Cheese and Lowfat Plain Lifeway Kefir. Mix until combined and the texture is smooth. Set aside.
- Fluff the squash strands with a fork and finish with whipped farmer cheese and kefir veggie mixture from step 9. Sprinkle with red pepper flakes, and enjoy!
