Recipe time! Finally have some time for the next two weeks to focus on creating new recipes and also working on building my business! I hope to have an official website very soon, so stay tuned!
Squash, up until a few days ago, was sort of like a foreign territory for me. I think I have had butternut squash maybe three times in my entire life, since I'm not really a huge fan of the taste. Spaghetti squash I had never even heard of it until recently, and I immediately went out and bought one. The name comes from the fact that when cooked and scraped out, looks exactly like angel hair pasta. It's absolutely perfect for someone limiting their carb intake, trying to lose weight or for someone wanting to incorporate more veggies into their diet. It's extremely satisfying, versatile, and you can eat an entire plateful without feeling the least bit guilty. My next mission will be to make an asian style "lo mein," and also a pesto style dish, but this time around I stuck to basic italian flavors with some baked chicken and it turned out so well that we didn't miss the pasta one bit. Really a no fuss dish and everything can be prepared ahead of time.
Springtime Spaghetti Squash Pasta
Some lovely spaghetti squash I picked up from the grocery store
Chopped up some green bell peppers and zucchini, both of which I received in my first organic delivery from organicdelivery.com! Tossed them in a little bit of olive oil, added halved tomatoes, and placed them in the pan when the squash was about halfway cooked. Bake for another 20 minutes or so or until cooked.
Once the squash is tender when poked with a knife, let it cool slightly and scrape out the insides with a fork and spaghetti like strands will form as shown
My foolproof seasonings
Garlic, onions, lemon, sundried tomatoes and fresh basil
Fresh herbs make all the difference and make your kitchen smell amazing
A quick, healthy and refreshing spring/summertime dish that is unbelievably flavorful and healthful!
Springtime Spaghetti Squash Pasta
Ingredients
- 1 Spaghetti squash
- 2 Small zucchini
- 2 Small bell peppers, or one large
- 2 tomatoes
- 1 Medium onion
- 3 Garlic cloves
- 2 Tbsp red pepper flakes
- 2 Tbsp fresh basil (Any other fresh or dried italian herb would do)
- Juice of one lemon
- Salt & pepper to taste
- Olive oil as needed
- Pasta sauce (optional)
- 2 Chicken breast-see recipe below
Method
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F
- Cut squash in half lengthwise and scoop out seeds and stringy membrane
- Place on baking sheet and bake for about 1 hour, or until tender when poked with a fork
- Roast tomatoes, zucchini and bell pepper in oven
- While vegetables are roasting, add onions, garlic and some oil to pan and saute until transluscent
- Saute onion and garlic until translucent in a little bit of oil, and add in roasted tomatoes, sundried tomatoes, italian seasoning, basil, crushed red pepper, salt and pepper and simmer for a few minutes until the tomatoes break down
- Add in spaghetti squash, roasted vegetables, lemon. Stir for a minute or so until everything is incorporated. At this point you can add some pasta sauce or pesto and more seasoning as needed
- Slice up chicken and place on top
- Note: The size of the squashes vary, so try to pick a slightly bigger one if it is for two people, since my medium/small one gave us just enough for two.
Baked Chicken
Ingredients:
- 2 chicken breasts
- Juice of half a lemon
- 2-3 cloves of garlic cut in half
- Italian seasoning
- Crushed red pepper
- Sea salt
- Black pepper
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- Note: seasoning amounts are up to you, I just add enough of each seasoning to cover each side of the chicken
Method
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees
- Place chicken breast in baking dish and coat with olive oil and lemon juice
- Season each side of chicken liberally with seasonings
- Toss in garlic cloves
- Bake for about an hour, depending on size, until chicken is no longer pink and is still juicy
Health Benefits of Spaghetti Squash
- Great source of fiber
- High in Vitamin A and C: antioxidant & anti inflammatory!
- Good source of managnese, potassium and copper
- Contains heart healthy omega 3 fatty acids
Enjoy!
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