Spaghetti Squash with Pesto
I have been obsessed with this meal ever since I first had it while on a trip to the mountains. First of all, it's ridiculously healthy and full of good fats. Second, it's damn delicious. Third, it means you get to have homemade pesto on hand for like, weeks and possibly months if you freeze the extra!
Now, why is this recipe so perfect for pregnant people? This squash contains a ton of fiber and Vitamin A. I don't need to remind the pregnant people the importance of fiber, nor am I going to for the rest of the population. Pooping is cool, let's move on. Vitamin A helps your unborn develop their kidneys, lungs, eyes, bones, and heart.
So, maybe I'm just telling myself it's extra delicious because I know how healthy it is... but anyway... super yummyyy!
Try it out this week!
You'll need:
For the squash:
1 large squash
Couple splashes of olive oil
Salt/pepper
For the pesto:
3 cups basil
3/4 cups walnuts
salt/pepper to taste
3 cloves garlic (chopped)
3/4 cup parm cheese
1/2 cup avocado oil
Start with the squash:
Heat oven to 400, put the squash in while you preheat so it's soft enough to cut.
When the oven is fully hot, remove the squash with tongs and an oven mitt. Cut the squash in half and scoop out the inside with a sharp spoon. Make sure you leave the fleshy part.
Brush with olive oil and salt/ pepper. Roast for 30 minutes (roughly, depending on the size of the squash) or until you can poke a fork through it easily.
Use tongs to hold the squash in place and use a fork to flake the spaghetti part out. Place in a large bowl.
Or, if you want to be super fancy, save the shell and serve the pesto in it.
(Tada! So fancy!)
While you're roasting the squash, fix your pesto!
Blend the basil, nuts, garlic, and salt/pepper until finely chopped in a food processor.
Add in oil, parm cheese and blend until smooth.
(You will have plenty extra.... use what you need for dinner/ mealprep and store the extra in a freezer-friendly container)
Now- when your spaghetti squash is ready, scoop out the desired amount of pesto and toss with your squash. You can add in a couple cherry tomatoes and some red pepper flakes. I threw in some veggie-friendly "meatballs" for some extra protein, but I've also had this meal with shrimp and it's also delicious.
Enjoy!