Will Run For Tomato, Basil, Avocado Spaghetti Squash

I'm all about meals that require minimal amounts of effort and time.  This is one of those meals (if you don't count the time it took to plant, grow, and harvest the glorious garlic that is part of this recipe).  

Last fall Farmer weaselled me into helping her plant over 300 cloves of garlic.  I recall her saying something about it only taking an hour or two.  Lies.  Hours later I had scraped most of the skin off my knuckles (breaking apart the bulbs of garlic), had come close to losing a digit or two because it was so cold (not really but my fingers were bloody cold), and had narrowly escaped chaffing from my rubber boots thanks to my fuzzy knee socks.  She would claim that I'm being dramatic but it really was pretty awful!

Even though it was awful fresh local garlic is most definately worth it!

skin your knuckles

freeze your fingers

avoid chaffing with the proper attire

wait almost an entire year

garlic extravaganza!!!

add basil

Tomato, Basil, Avocado Spaghetti Squash

(serves 2)

Ingredients

1-2 T olive oil

1 small spaghetti squash

1 C fresh basil

3/4 C quartered cherry tomatoes

1 avocado 

2 -4 T nutritional yeast (or parmesan cheese)

1/4 tsp salt

3 large pressed cloves of local garlic

Prepare spaghetti squash (I cooked mine in the microwave over a bowl of water for approximately 10 minutes).  In a large frying pan heat 1-2 T of olive oil.  Add pressed garlic and allow to cook for approximately 1 minute.  Add basil, cherry tomatoes and avocado allowing to cook for 4-5 minutes.  Add spaghetti squash to basil mixture.  Top with nutritional yeast (or parmesan) and salt.  Return mixture to empty squash.  Enjoy!

* You can also top with pine nuts (if someone doesn't confess as you are making dinner that they ate them all weeks ago).

Will Run For Spaghetti Squash with Tomato Basil Sauce

It's the week of the squash around here.  Enjoy!

 Roasted Spaghetti Squash

ingredients

1 medium spaghetti squash

Preheat oven to 350 F.  Cut squash in half lengthwise .  Scrape out seeds (there will likely only be a few).  Fill a large ceramic baking dish with water until the bottom is just covered.  Place squash halves over baking dish with the rind facing the outside.  Bake for  approximately 45 minutes or until squash is tender and can be scraped into long strands.

Tomato Basil Sauce

ingredients

1 T Earth Balance or Butter

2 medium cooking onions (2 C) diced

2 cloves local garlic finely chopped

2 C mixed mushrooms sliced

2 large cans diced tomatoes with spices

1 can water

3/4 dried red lentils (do not substitute with green)

1/2 C fresh basil roughly chopped

1 tsp dried oregano

Over medium heat melt Earth Balance or Butter.  Add onions stirring occasionally until onions are soft (5 min).  Add garlic and saute for approximately 2 minutes.  Add sliced mushrooms and cook until mushrooms are soft (5-10 min).  Add tomatoes and water.  Add dried red lentils.  

Allow to simmer for 30 minutes.  

Using a handheld blender puree until desired consistency is reached.  Add fresh basil and dried oregano  and allow to simmer for an additional 10 minutes.

To serve scrape squash into long strands and top with tomato basil sauce.  Spice things up with some nutritional yeast, parmesan or grated cheddar.

If butternut squash isn't your thing this sauce is also delicious over roasted chickpeas or pasta.