Spaghetti Squash with Pesto

As we’re soon approaching my favorite season of the year, Autumn, I am getting excited to cook and enjoy some of my favorite seasonal foods like Brussels sprouts, pumpkins and the spaghetti squash!

If you’re one of those who hasn’t yet experienced the taste of a spaghetti squash, you’re missing out. And if you’ve stayed away for this long due to fear of the unknown and the cooking and preparing of it, don’t worry. With this recipe, you’ll soon realize that mastering the art of the spaghetti squash is not as difficult as it may seem.

If you’re also like me and love pesto but are also trying to be aware of your pasta and/or gluten intake, give this recipe a try. You’ll be sure to enjoy this dairy-free, gluten-free, vegan and sugar-free meal.

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Here are some of the health benefits:

Spaghetti squash is low in calories and high in fiber– a great alternative to pasta due to its resemblance and texture!  Great source of vitamin a (beta carotene), vitamin c, potassium, and manganese.

Basil – some flavonoids it contains can protect cells against oxidative damage.  It also contains euganol, an oil which possesses anti-inflammatory properties.

Walnuts – an excellent source of omega-3 essential fatty acids – great for balancing blood sugar and anti-inflammatory.

Olive Oil – the phenols present in olive oil have been shown to have anti-inflammatory properties among many other attributes.

Nutritional yeast – great source of B vitamins and chromium – great for supporting healthy blood sugar levels.

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RECIPE – Spaghetti Squash with Pesto

Ingredients: (serves 6-8)

• 1 medium sized spaghetti squash
• ½ bunch of fresh basil
• ¾ cup soaked walnuts
• ¾ cup olive oil
• 2-3 cloves garlic
• 5-6 tbsp nutritional yeast
• ¾ cup cherry or grape tomatoes – sliced in halves
• 2-3 shallots – finely cut
• sea salt (to taste)
• pepper (to taste)

Instructions:

• Cut squash in half and remove seeds (can save seeds for roasting).
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees and place the halves cut side down in a dish with half an inch of water.
• Bake for about 45 minutes to 1 hour or until inside is tender.
• Allow to cool for 10-15 minutes.
• Take a fork and scrape the stringy squash out into a bowl. The longer you can keep the strands, the more it will resemble pasta (spaghetti). If you find it difficult to get squash to yield edible “pasta” strands, it may not have cooked long enough. On the other hand, if strands are mushy, it’s been cooked too long.
• Make pesto: Add basil, garlic, walnuts, and garlic to food processor.  Process until finely chopped.  Slowly add olive oil in a constant stream while processor is running.  Add nutritional yeast, salt, and pepper to desired taste.
• Cut tomatoes in half and finely chop shallots.
• Mix squash with pesto, tomatoes, and shallots in a large bowl, so that pesto covers all the squash.

Substitutions/Variations:

• Use pine nuts or pumpkin seeds instead of walnuts in pesto
• Mix in your favorite vegetables (artichoke, peppers, olives, spinach)
• Can omit nutritional yeast altogether or substitute parmesan or pecorino romano if you can tolerate cheese

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If you enjoyed this post and recipe, please share with a friend!

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References:
Murray, M.  The Encyclopedia of Healing Foods. New York: Atria Books, 2005.
www.whfoods.com

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Photo Credit:

squash faux spaghetti in a green mixing bowl next to bell peppers on a wood table via photopin (license)