Spaghetti Squash "Pad Thai"

 

OK.  So it's not quite Pad Thai.  Those aren't rice noodles.  And there aren't any peanuts.  Or soy sauce.  Because those are all explicitly no-no's on the Whole30.  But it worked.  And along with the Thai Salad and Pineapple Coconut Chicken fulfilled my Thai cravings that week.  Plus I got to bash open a coconut which is (shocked?) right up my alley...

Makes: ~6 servings

Per serving: 109 calories,

11g protein,

4g fat,

7g carbs

Ingredients:

1 spaghetti squash

2 cups bok choy, coarsely chopped

8 oz sliced mushrooms

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 cup carrots, thinly sliced

40g almonds, ground (~1/4 cup)

1 T vinegar

1/2 cup chicken broth

1 tsp Chili powder

juice from 1/2 lime

1/2 lb grilled chicken breast cut into 1" pieces

Directions:

Prepare the spaghetti squash however you'd like. I roast mine whole (because cutting that sucker in half raw almost always ends up with my knife stuck halfway through and me pretty sure I'm going to lose a finger) in the oven at 375 on a foil like baking sheet until it is easily pierced with a fork.  Depending on size, usually about 45 minutes.

* Saute bok choy, carrots, mushrooms and garlic. Saute over medium heat until tender.

 

* Add chicken broth, ground almonds, lime juice, vinegar and chili powder.  Simmer for 10 minutes.

 

* Stick it on top of your squash or toss to mix & dig in!

Butternut squash crust quiche

 

Quiche with a butternut squash crust. This was perfect for mornings avoiding grains.  I never put much thought into it before but we really tend to carb load for breakfast... 

Makes: 1 9" pan, 8 servings

Per serving: 90 calories,

7g protein,

2g fat,

14g carbs

 

Ingredients:

1butternut squash

2 large eggs

1 1/8 cup liquid egg whites

5 oz mushrooms, sliced

1 small onion, chopped

about 1/4 pound asparagus

Directions:

1. Roast butternut squash in over at 375F for approximately 1 hour.  Depending on the size it may take longer or shorter.  It is done with easily pierced with a fork. 

 

 

While the squash is cooking you can prepare the remaining ingredients.  Saute the onion and mushrooms over medium heat until the onions are translucent.

Grill  (or saute) the asparagus.  I cut these in half and only used the tip half in the quiche.  Both halves would be fine and you can feel free to use smaller or larger pieces. 

Prepare the egg mixture by mixing eggs and egg white together in bowl.  You could add milk here if you're eating dairy, I did not seeing as it's whole30 time right now. 

Remove squash from the oven.  Remove the peel (I should basically just fall right off if it's done).  Mash the squash and press in an even layer on the bottom and sides of a pie pan. Place the pan in the over for approximately 5-10 minutes and bake at 375.

 

 

 Remove the pan from the oven and increase temp to 400F.  Place mushroom and onion mixture on top of crust.  Pour egg mixture over mushrooms and onions. 

 

 Arrange asparagus over top of the egg mixture and return to the over at 400F. Cook for 40 minutes or until firm and lightly browning.

 

Fall Farmer's Market Bake

Random experiment gone beautifully right. An assortment of fall vegetables (and a few staples thrown in for good measure) roasted, baked and surprisingly delicious. Picked up an assortment of vegetables at the Westside Market on Monday and come the end of the week needed to find a way to get many of them cooked.

The peppers got sliced and baked into spring rolls which it turns out are a delicious place to put some of my (much beloved) salsa.  The persimmon was also a wonderful new discovery and I expect there will be many more in my future.

The vegetable bake would be great with meat if one was so included to cook and add it but is sufficient on its own.  Could easily be made vegan by leaving the cheese off the top.  Could easily be switched up by changing the vegetables you're including.  Zucchini or squash would fit right in with the rest.  Sweet potatoes or any potato would be nice sliced, roasted and layered in here as well. 

Servings: 12
Calories: 120
Nutrition: Carbs 21g; Protein 6g; Fat 3g

Ingredients
1 eggplant (450g)
1 acorn squash (1250g)
1 cup pumpkin puree (200g)
6 large roma tomatoes (775g)
2 small white onion (150g)
1 bunch asparagus (250g)
14 oz mushrooms
1 T oregano
1 tsp rosemary
1 tsp crushed garlic
nutmeg
1 cup mozzarella, shredded
1/4 cup pecan halves, chopped
olive oil or olive oil spray


Directions:

*  Preheat oven to 400F
* Divide acorn squash longitudinally.  Scoop out seeds.  Spray or brush lightly with olive oil and sprinkle with nutmeg.

* Place squash in oven directly on rack with open face up.
* Line baking sheets with foil.  Thickly slice two small onions.  Spray lightly or brush with olive oil and sprinkle with oregano.
* After squash has cooked for 15 minutes increase temperature to 450F and add baking sheet with onions to the oven.

 * Cut tomatoes in half lengthwise.  Again, coat lightly with olive oil and oregano.  After onions have been in oven for 10 minutes add tomatoes to oven.

* Remove the woody base of the stems from the asparagus.  Coat lightly with olive oil and sprinkle with oregano.

* Slice eggplant in half and then slice into 1/2-inch strips.  Again coating with olive oil and oregano.

* Add eggplant and asparagus to oven on baking sheets after tomatoes have been cooking for 10 minutes. 

* Prepare baking pan by spraying or coating with oil.
* Slice mushrooms and saute in pan on stove until tender.
* Remove vegetables 20 minutes after adding asparagus and eggplant (1 hour after starting to cook squash) and reduce temperature to 350F

* Begin layering roasted vegetables in 9X13 pan by placing eggplant on bottom of dish with some overlapping.  

 * Top eggplant with tomatoes and then asparagus.  Sprinkle with remaining oregano, garlic and rosemary.

* Continue layering vegetables with onions and mushrooms.

 * Skin cooked squash and cut into approximately 1-inch thick slices.  Place slices to top of dish.  Mash squash lightly with large spoon and spread to coat other vegetables.

* Top with pumpkin puree and spread evenly.   Spread shredded over top.

* Place pan in oven.  After 15 minutes sprinkle chopped pecans over top of dish.

* Bake for addition 10 minutes or until cheese starts to turn golden brown around the edges.

* Remove from the over, cut and serve.