Spaghetti Squash: Your New Best Friend

Lacey, here! Pasta tends to be my most ravenous craving. If I want it, I need it, which makes it pretty difficult to say no to. A few months ago I discovered spaghetti squash, and havent made "regular" pasta in months (we were making quinoa based pasta, much healthier than most stuff you find at the store, but still...).  The great thing about spaghetti squash is it has that same texture as spaghetti, while giving you nutrients, and still allowing you to make those fun pestos & sauces we all love so much.

Here's how I do it.

1. Get yourself a spaghetti squash.
2. Preheat oven to 375.
3. Cut it in half, length-wise, and scoop out the seeds, just like a pumpkin.

4. Face cut side up, brush the meaty part with olive oil and bake 30-45 minutes, depending on the size of your squash. Check with fork by poking. Should feel on the softer side.

5. When finished, allow to cool a little and use a fork to scrape out the "noodles".

6. Top with your favorite pesto (here's my fav) or make a fun veggie topping like I did the other night.

 

Veggie Topping:
1. In a pan, sautee sliced carrots, onion, and green pepper (or whatever veggies you'd like). Always cook the most dense ones first since they'll need longer time.
2. At the end of cooking, add in fresh chopped tomato and top with olive oil & oregano, parsley, and onion powder. Cover and let sit for 5 minutes on low heat.
3. Put on top of your squash!

Easy peasy!!!
Eat up!

Sun-Dried Tomato Pumpkin Pesto

This is a variation on the Macadamia Nut version of this pesto.  The flavor is slightly different, but still has the same base.

Ingredients:
1 3oz bag of sun-dried tomatoes
1/3 cup pumpkin seeds
2 garlic cloves
1 tsp dried oregano
Large handful of fresh basil
3 T extra virgin olive oil
Pinch of sea salt
Fresh cracked pepper (to taste)

Directions:
Place all ingredients in a food processor and process for about 30 seconds.
Mix in with your favorite gluten free pasta!!

Here's a helpful tip I learned from watching Rachael Ray's show last week.  When stirring in a pesto with pasta, it's best to add in a mug full of startchy water (saved from cooking your pasta) and adding it to the pasta & pesto directly while mixing together. This helps blend it so well! Can't believe I never learned this earlier. I always thought the pesto was just extra thick (which I learned to like) but this gives it a nice creamy texture.

Before adding the starchy water from cooking the pasta.

 

See how much creamier it looks after adding the water?!

Enjoy!

-Lacey