How to Make an Easy, Inexpensive Ham, Butternut Squash, and Feta Skillet Meal (Diabetic Friendly)

This simple skillet meal is nutritious, comes together in minutes, and tastes amazingly good. It's great if you're pursuing a diabetic diet or just want to "eat healthy," as it's full of protein and fiber as well as beneficial nutrients. I like the meal because it tastes good, and it's a great way to use up leftover ham. You need two cups of butternut squash for the dish, and you can prepare your own squash in advance, which is less expensive, or buy the prepared (pre-cut and peeled) squash at the grocery store in the fresh produce section. I've also used frozen squash, which sometimes is less expensive and will work, but the squash tends to be a bit more mushy (which I'm good with when I'm in a hurry and don't want to peel/cube squash!). The dish is gently seasoned, not spicy, and gets a flavor boost from a little orange juice and dried cranberries. Crumbled feta adds creaminess and a bit more salty tang. You won't need to serve much alongside the skillet meal. A salad would be plenty. Enjoy!

Ham, Butternut Squash, and Feta Skillet Meal -- Serves 4+

2-3 teaspoon of canola or olive oil

1/2 cup of chopped onion (red, white, or a combination)

1 1/2 cups of chopped lean ham

1/4 teaspoon of pepper

1/4 teaspoon of dried thyme

2 cups of butternut squash cut into 1-inch cubes and partially cooked (zap the squash

in the microwave for about 5 minutes or until you can just pierce it with a knife or the

tines of a fork)

1/4 cup of orange juice

2 tablespoons of dried cranberries

3 cups of arugula (spinach will work, too)

2 - 3 tablespoons of crumbled feta cheese, plus a little extra to top the dish, if you'd like

Heat the oil over medium heat in a non-stick skillet. Add the onion to the skillet and saute it for 5-8 minutes or until it softens. Add the ham, pepper, thyme, and squash to the skillet and saute them with the onion for another 5-10 minutes or until the ham has browned a little and the squash has cooked through. Stir in the orange juice and dried cranberries. Stir in the arugula a handful at a time, letting the arugula soften into the mixture a bit before you add the next handful. Stir in the feta. Just before serving, you can top the dish with a little more feta, if you'd like.