Friday's with Francesca- Spunky Spaghetti

So this year is the first time I have lived in my own place, a cute little apartment that does the trick for my last year of school (can I get an amen?) :) And one of the things I love the most about living off campus is being able to choose my own food! I love reading books and searching for creative ways to eat the foods I love without all the calories. On a recent trip to the library I found a recipe book called Hungry Girl to the Max!- The Ultimate Guilt Free Cookbook and let me tell you it is pretty much my new favorite thing.

The author of the book takes all of the food you love and makes them into low-calorie treats. And we all know those low-calorie recipes where the serving sizes are literally fit for a baby but these are filling and delicious! I have tried 4 recipes at this point and have plans to try many, many more (or as many as I can before I can't renew the book anymore hehe)

So without further ado here is the recipe, along with the things I learned along the way!

Pepperoni Spaghetti Squash

1 spaghetti squash (about 4 1/2 pounds)
2 cups of sliced mushrooms
1 cup chopped onion
1 teaspoon chopped garlic
One 14.5-ounce can creamy tomato soup with 4 grams fat or less per serving
1/2 cup fat-free sour cream
30 slices turkey pepperoni, chopped
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil

Optional: salt, black pepper, red pepper flakes

First, preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Second, microwave the spaghetti squash until it is soft enough to cut through-This the first time I have ever cooked or eaten spaghetti squash and found it pretty easy to cut through the middle after about 4 minutes on high. After cutting them in half, scoop out and discard all the seeds. Fill large baking pan with 1/2 inch of water and place squash halves in the pan with cut side down. Bake until tender, about 40 minutes!-I watched them and mine ended up being soft enough around 30 minutes so just keep an eye on them when you're nearing the end.

Use a fork and scrape out the squash in strands. Place them in a strainer to drain the excess water and set aside in a large bowl with a lid to keep them warm.

Bring a large skillet sprayed with nonstick cooking spray to medium-high heat. Add mushrooms, onion, and garlic, and cook and stir until softened, about 8 minutes- make sure they are softened because I found out the hard way what its like when they're not ;) Then, stir in the soup, sour cream, pepperoni, and basil. Cook and stir until well mixed, about 2 minutes. 

Add the mixture to the squash and there you go- A delicious, filling meal for half the calories! 1 3/4 cups is only 212 calories, yes- 212 calories!! Eat and enjoy! 

What recipe books have you all found to be healthy but delicious? I would love suggestions-I'm always up for trying new things and finding different takes on foods!

Friday's with Francesca

Welcome to a new segment on the blog Gray & Jak! I'm super excited that Francesca has decided to be a regular contributor. She'll be sharing her thoughts every Friday, everything from fashion to food will be covered. She's super cute and creative so don't worry, you won't be disappointed! So without further ado, take it away Francesca . . .

     Well hello all! I have to say I am pretty excited to offer you "Fridays with Francesca." Jaklyn and I have been attempting to join together on this blogging thing for a while and it looks like we might have finally found a way to make it work. First, just let me say I had an incredible weekend in South Carolina with Jak and Gray. Greenville is so diverting. 
     Second,  it is always a blast being able to brainstorm and dream up new creative ideas. I love Pinterest for that reason. I have been collecting ideas for a few outfits I was hoping to put together over the break and of course to do this a trip to the thrift store was in order. And let me tell you, this thrift store in Greenville was THE best, yes, THE best! I ended up with too many things to choose from (and we all know this rarely happens when shopping!). In the pictures below (c/o Jaklyn) are a few of my favorite finds. The skirt was $4 and the purse was $3 (say what!). These are my first pair of patterned tights and although I was nervous about them, I have to say they ended up being my favorite part of the outfit! So scroll through the pictures and enjoy! I hope they encourage you to go out on a limb and add something new to your wardrobe because I mean everyone could use a little pizzazz in life!

top: c/o kohls

tights: c/o forever 21

skirt: thrifted

leather purse: thrifted

necklace: c/o premier jewelry

bracelet: c/o premier jewelry

earrings: c/o premier jewelry 

infinity scarf: handmade crochet

nail polish: c/o essie