Warm Roasted Spaghetti Squash and Quinoa SaladWarm Roasted Spaghetti Squash and Quinoa Salad

Warm Roasted Spaghetti Squash and Quinoa Salad

Here's an invention of Spouse's that was made to use up some already cooked quinoa in the fridge. She added ginger for warmth and lemon for brightness to the quickly stir-fried peppers and onions and served it over sweet roasted spaghetti squash. This makes a terrific healthy lunch or I'd even serve it as a side dish with lean grilled chicken, pork or fish.

Serves 4
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

• 1 large spaghetti squash
• salt and pepper to season
• 1 tbsp olive oil

Cut the squash in half and remove the seeds and fibers from the center. Season with salt and pepper and brush the inside surfaces with the olive oil. Place on a baking sheet and roast for about 40 minutes or intil fork tender. Use a fork to scrape out the cooked "spaghetti" stings of squash.

• 1/2 cup quinoa
• 2 cups water (or chicken stock)
• 1/2 tsp salt

Slowly simmer the quinoa in the salted water (or chicken stock for about 20 minutes until fully cooked. Quinoa should be cooked in a similar way as rice. I always turn the heat off for the last 5 minutes, cover and let sit, then fluff with a fork at the end.

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 cloves minced garlic
• 1 small red onion, diced
• 1 cup chopped bell peppers
• 1 tbsp finely grated ginger
• 1/2 tsp five spice powder
• salt and pepper to season
• zest and juice of one lemon

Heat the oil over medium heat and add the garlic and red onion until they begin to soften. Quickly add the peppers and stir fry for one minute before adding the ginger, five spice powder, lemon zest, lemon juice and salt and pepper. Stir fry for only a few minutes before serving over the roasted spaghetti squash. Top with green onions and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil if you like.

Warm Roasted Spaghetti Squash and Quinoa Salad

Lemony Spaghetti Squash with Butter and Parmesan Recipe (Vegetarian and Gluten-free)

Every now and then I crave spaghetti squash as an alternative to pasta. It's taken me some attempts to perfect this recipe, but I think I have it now. It really needs butter. I've tried using olive oil and salt in lieu of butter and it's just not the same. The lemon and parmesan really add nice flavor to the squash, too. This is a great gluten-free side dish that goes especially well with hearty sausage (veggie or otherwise).

Lemony Spaghetti Squash with Butter and Parmesan Recipe

1 medium spaghetti squash
2 tbsp butter
1 large lemon
1/3 cup freshly shredded parmesan cheese
Pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Put 1/4 inch of water in the bottom of a rectangular 9x12 pan. Cut the squash in half from the stem to the bottom. Using a spoon, scoop out the seeds and pulp from the middle of the squash halves. Place them in the pan shell side up, and the flat parts on the bottom. Cover the pan with a large piece of aluminum foil and bake in the oven for 45 minutes. In the meantime, cut the lemon in half and squeeze the juice out into a small bowl, being sure to remove any seeds.

After removing the pan from the oven, be very careful taking the aluminum foil off as a bunch of hot steam will be released from the pan. Drain out the water and use a fork to help you turn the squash halves right side up (they will be very hot). Get a medium bowl ready. Use a fork to shred out the squash from the shells and add the squash to the mixing bowl. Discard the shells. Add the butter, the lemon juice, and the parmesan and mix thoroughly. Pepper to taste, and sprinkle some additional parmesan cheese on top before serving. Serves 4+ as a side dish.

Roasted Spaghetti Squash w/ Green Garlic, Brown Butter & Parmesan

Okay, so I have to be honest, Spaghetti Squash is not my favorite.  I know, so many people love it.  It’s not that I don’t like it, I just don’t care for it as much on it’s own.  I prefer to eat it with a sauce that has bold flavor. 

This is one of my favorite ways to eat Spaghetti Squash.  I always roast it, I don’t care for it when it’s been steamed or boiled, I find that it really lacks in flavor, so roasting is always a must.  Then add a bunch of brown butter, green garlic and parmesan, how can you go wrong?  It’s really a wonderful flavor combination, lacking in green though, so make sure to serve it with a salad or some dark leafy greens.    

Roasted Spaghetti Squash w/ Green Garlic, Brown Butter & Parmesan

Green garlic is young garlic and is much more subtle in flavor than mature garlic.  It adds a lovely mild garlic flavor.

Equipment: Cutting Board, Sharp Knife, Microplane Rasp Grater or Standing Grater, Large Baking Pan (I use a stoneware large bar pan), Fork, Large Mixing Bowl, Medium-Size Saucepan 

·      1 medium-size spaghetti squash, halved lengthwise and seeded

·      3 tablespoons pasture butter, plus 1 teaspoon (See Resources)

·      1 tablespoon green garlic, grated

·      ½ - 1 cup raw parmesan cheese, grated

·      ¼ teaspoon Celtic sea salt, plus more for seasoning (See Resources)

Roasting the Squash

Note: Prepare brown butter sauce while squash is roasting. 

1.    Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

2.   Prep spaghetti squash, cut in half and remove seeds and membranes with a metal spoon.

3.   Use about 1 teaspoon of butter or fat of choice to “grease” the cut sides of the squash.  Season with sea salt.  Place squash cut sides down on the baking pan. 

4.   Roast about 40-45 minutes, until squash is tender and edges are golden brown.  Remove from oven, let cool slightly.   

5.    Using a fork, gently scrape squash to remove flesh in long strands.  Place in a large mixing bowl, set aside. 

Green Garlic-Brown Butter Sauce

1.    Prep green garlic, wash, then remove green tops and bottom roots.  Grate white-purple-green part with a Microplane rasp grater or a standing grater.  Set aside.

2.   In medium-size saucepan, melt butter over medium-low heat.  Once butter has melted, continue to heat the butter.  DO NOT WALK AWAY from this step.  Butter can burn very quickly and you do not want burnt butter flavor.  From time to time, grab the handle of the pan and slowly swirl the butter.  The butter will start to turn a light golden brown color at the bottom of the pan and will have a different aroma, a “toasted” smell.  At this point, watch it very carefully; you do not want to overcook it.  Continue to swirl the butter in the pan, it will gradually start to turn dark golden brown … it is DONE at this point (this can take about 5-7 minutes total, depending on saucepan type and stovetop heat).  Immediately remove from heat.

3.   Add grated green garlic to brown butter and swirl pan.  Let sit for about 1-2 minutes.  Pour over cooked spaghetti squash in large bowl. 

4.   Grate parmesan cheese.  Add grated parmesan and sea salt to the cooked spaghetti squash.  Toss and check for seasonings. 

5.    Serve immediately, top with extra grated parmesan.  I use the cooked squash shells as bowls and serve the spaghetti squash in them.

Yield: 2-4 servings.

Note: If you cannot find green garlic (green garlic is seasonal, check out local farmers markets to find green garlic) you can substitute with fresh garlic cloves (1-2 garlic cloves grated or finely minced).

Have Leftovers? This stores well in the refrigerator, reheat in the oven on a low temperature.   


This post is part of Monday Mania @ The Healthy Home Economist, Homestead Barn Hop @ The Prairie Homestead, Weekend Gourmet Blog Carnival @ Hartke Is Online, Fat Tuesday @ Real Food Forager, Slightly Indulgent Tuesday @ Simply Sugar and Gluten-Free, Traditional Tuesday @ Cooking Traditional Foods, Hearth and Soul Hop @ Premeditated Leftovers, Real Food Wednesday @ Kelly the Kitchen Kop, Gluten-Free Wednesdays @ The Gluten-Free Homemaker, Healthy 2day Wednesdays @ day2day joys, These Chicks Cooked Weekly Recipe Swap @ This Chick Cooks, Pennywise Platter Thursday @ The Nourishing Gourmet, Full Plate Thursday @ Miz Helen's Country Cottage, Simple Lives Thursday @ A Little Bit of Spain in Iowa, Bake with Bizzy @ Bizzy Bakes, Freaky Friday @ Real Food Freaks, Fight Back Friday @ Food Renegade, Fresh Bites Friday @ Real Food Whole Health, Sunday School Blog Carnival @ Butter Believer, and Melt in Your Mouth Monday Blog Hop @ Make Ahead Meals for Busy Moms. 

Acorn Squash Boats with Brown Sugar (Vegan)

This is my version of the acorn squash boats my Mom used to make when I was growing up. She used margarine or butter with the brown sugar, and I always made sure I got the one with the most sugar. This was my favorite vegetable side dish as a kid. Since we don't use butter or margarine at my house, my version of the squash boats have olive oil and salt instead. We love this side dish, especially Sam. As Sam gets older, she's eating more of the squash with the brown sugar, which is nice.

Acorn Squash Boats with Brown Sugar Recipe

Acorn squash - however many you want to make
1 tbsp olive oil per squash half
Salt
1 heaping tbsp brown sugar per squash half

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Put 1/4 inch of water in the bottom of a rectangular 9x12 pan. Cut the squash in half from the stem to the bottom. Using a spoon, scoop out the seeds and pulp from the middle of the squash halves. Place them in the pan shell side up, and the flat parts on the bottom. Cover the pan with a large piece of aluminum foil and bake in the oven for 45 minutes.

After removing the pan from the oven, be very careful taking the aluminum foil off as a bunch of hot steam will be released from the pan. Drain out the water and use a fork to help you turn the squash halves right side up (they will be very hot). Put 1 tbsp olive oil and a dash of salt in each half. Follow the olive oil and salt with 1 heaping tbsp of brown sugar in each half. Place the uncovered pan back in the oven for 5 more minutes. When done, use a spoon to gently mix the brown sugar and olive oil together in the squash half, and serve the squash with a spoon to eat it with. Serve one squash half per person. When you eat it, be sure to spread the sugar around to have some with each bite of squash.

Maple Baked Squash and Apples Recipe (Vegan)

I grew up eating my Mom's baked acorn squash "boats" with brown sugar and butter, and it was one of my favorite side dishes. My brother and I used to scope out the squash boat with the most brown sugar and claim it before the other one did. In my family, I still make the squash boats occasionally, but with olive oil and salt (instead of the butter) and brown sugar. The problem is that Sam will usually only eat the brown sugar with a minimal amount of squash. So I created this dish using either acorn squash or butternut squash and an apple, with olive oil, salt, and maple syrup because it's easier to eat and it's guaranteed with this dish that Sam will eat more squash and apple than sugar. The apples add an "apple pie filling" flavor to the dish that I especially love.

Maple Baked Squash and Apples Recipe

1 acorn squash or small butternut squash
1 medium-sized crisp apple like a Fuji or Honeycrisp
Olive oil
Salt and pepper
Pure maple syrup

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray a 9x12 pan with non-stick cooking spray. Cut the squash into sections, scoop out the seeds and pulp with a spoon, and remove the shell, leaving just the squash meat. Cut the squash pieces into 1 inch squares and add them to the pan. Peel and core the apple and cut the apple pieces into 1 inch squares like the squash, and add them to the pan distributing them among the squash. Drizzle olive oil over the squash and apples, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Next drizzle pure maple syrup over everything, like you did the olive oil. Cover the pan with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the aluminum foil and bake for 10 more minutes. Serves 4 as a side dish.