On Top Of Old Smokey

Spaghetti Squash might be one of my top 5 fav veggies. It's genius! This gift from nature has a mild flavor and when the flesh is scraped with a fork it becomes hearty and noodle like. It's easy to cook, it's versatile and low in calories yet still providing calcium and vitamin A. When you eat a cup of regular white pasta you're looking at about 200 cals, 2g fat and 43ish carbs for 1 cup, what's that? a palm full? This is about 45 cals, no fat and 10g carbs; these are carbs your temple can break down and turn into fuel. I'm sorry? Temple? Yea, your body is your temple. Treat it well. I digress, when I was little my mom used to just put a little butter and S&P; it's an option. As an adult I've come to utilize the entirety of the squash and consider it a "pasta." My mom is so good at just going through the fridge and pantry and putting together the most delicious meals. The base of those meals was usually pasta with some awesome sauteed something or a yummy sauce. I do the same just using Spaghetti squash and broccoli slaw. Broccoli slaw is a whole other story. I think one of my fav parts of the squash is the fact that you roast it upside down, fork the flesh (Bevis laugh), and top how you may right in the skin of the squash, it's like a boat of goodness. This is what I made last night:

You'll need:
Spaghetti Squash- Depending on how many you need to feed; a large one will feed three hungry people
1 bag Frozen spinach
2 cans Trader Joe's canned artichoke hearts in water
1can Organic canned corn
1lg can Ortega Chiles, diced- I had a can of whole chiles and chopped them so try 2 small cans of pre-diced
Veganaise or mayo or ricotta
Daiya Mozzarella shredded cheese
head of garlic
1/4c nutritional yeast or grated parm
1/2 tbsp red chile flakes
S&P
EVOO

Pre-heat oven to 350. Microwave frozen spinach until completely thawed. Microwave spag squash for a few mins; this tenderizes the squash so you can halve it. It is way too hard to cut without this step, think pumpkin carving. After you halve the squash, spoon out the seeds and such, rub with EVOO and S&P. When your oven comes to temp, in a foiled lasagna pan, cake pan, jelly roll pan; whatever you have, place squash upside down, flesh side down and put in oven. Also, chop the top of the head of garlic so you see the cloves, rub with EVOO and wrap in foil, place in oven as well. Time 20-30 min, when ready take squash and garlic out of oven, flip one of the halves and make scrape a bit to make sure its tender enough. While squash is in the oven and your spinach is cooling drain the corn and dump into lg mixing bowl. Open and drain the cans of artichoke hearts, empty onto a paper towel or clean kitchen towel and press to get as much of the water out as possible; chop to the size you prefer. I leave mine pretty chunky, toss in the bowl. Drain and empty cans of ortega chiles into bowl. In a clean kitchen towel or paper towels, squeeze the water from the spinach, crumble into bowl. I used veganaise as a binder but you can definitely sub ricotta or mayo, think Spinach Artichoke dip. I used a less than a cup of veganaise but make it to your preferred consistency. Add the chile flakes, nutritional yeast* or parm and S&P to taste. Unwrap garlic from foil and squeeze head of garlic into a small bowl. The cloves should be caramel in color, add a pinch of S&P and smash with the back of a spoon making a paste; add to spinach mix and mix in well. Spoon the mixture on top of the already scraped squash halves, sprinkle with vegan mozzarella or regular mozz and place in broiler on high just to melt the cheese quickly.
Enjoy.



*Nutritional yeast... so clutch. You can get it in the bulk bins at your local whole foods type store. For 2tbsp, heaping, about 50cals, <1g fat, over 8g protein <5g carbs; high in folic acid, magnesium, B12, Thiamin, Niacin and Riboflavin-all of the B vitamins, and it taste like effing cheese! I use it as a Parmesan replacement or on eggs or a tofu scramble. Just get a little bit and try, I always have at least 2 cups in my pantry.

Eat up.
be well
xoL