Spaghetti with Calabrese Broccoli, Green Garlic & Nasturtium Blossoms

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We all know broccoli is good for
us. But one has to admit that the same “commercial” broccoli that
we are relentlessly exposed to can get a little tiring. That is why I always
get a little excited whenever I see less ubiquitous varieties of broccoli at
the market. The particular calabrese in this recipe was small and tender,
making it a great, quickly seared pasta stir fry. In retrospect, I wish I had
taken a photo of it at the market, but the finished dish gives you a good
sense of the anatomy of this broccoli. The green garlic adds a spring
time garlic kick, and the nasturtium adds a slight peppery essence, for an
uncomplicated, light springtime meal. By the way, if you are wondering where
to find nasturtiums, they grow like crazy everywhere, so just tap into your
“inner hunter-gatherer” and you should be okay. You might even have
some growing in your own yard! Read More

Spaghetti Squash with Sage Almond Cream

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Baked spaghetti squash can be
pretty versatile. In this recipe, the squash strands are carefully scraped
out with a fork to make a spaghetti-like dish with a delicious plant-based
creamy sage sauce. It’s kind of like pasta Alfredo, but healthier!

1 cup raw almonds, soaked for at least 2 hours
1 ¼ cups almond milk
1 tbsp. nutritional yeast
¼ tsp. cumin
1 clove garlic
Sea salt and pepper to taste
1 tbsp. lemon juice
6 leaves of sage (or more if  you love sage)
1 spaghetti squash

Be sure to soak your almonds in advance. You can even soak them
overnight if you’d like to.

To roast the squash, preheat oven to 425 F. Using a small paring
knife, gently and firmly poke holes all around the squash, about 10-12 holes
per quarter squash, so that all the squash is covered with little holes.
Place in an oven-proof baking dish and roast in the oven for 45-60 minutes
until it is soft to the touch. Remove and let cool for about 30
minutes.

While the squash is roasting, make your cream sauce. Drain the
almonds and rinse, In a high speed blender  like a Vitamix, combine the
almonds, almond milk, nutritional yeast, cumin, garlic, salt &
pepper, and lemon juice.

Blend until it is smooth and all the grains of almond are gone- it
will resemble alfredo sauce. You may need to stop a couple times to scrape
the sides of the blender and make sure everything is blending
in.

Once it’s smooth, add the sage and pulse the sage in just until
it’s pureed into the mix. Don’t over-blend the sage as it tends to lose it’s
flavor if you blend it too much.

To put everything together, cut the squash in half lengthwise, and
gently remove the seeds with a spoon. Then, using a fork, gently scrape out
the strands of squash. They will come out looking like
spaghetti.

Mix the sauce into the spaghetti squash to the desired sauciness.
You may have some sauce leftover. It makes a great sauce for other stuff like
serving over steamed broccoli, or as a sauce over chicken breast or
turkey.

Garnish with your favorite vegan or traditional parmesan cheese,
and extra leaves of sage.

Spaghetti Squash with Sage Almond Cream

Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 1 minute
Total Time 1 hour 1 minute
Servings 4 servings
Calories 484 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 1 cup raw almonds soaked for at least 2 hours
  • 1 1/4 cups almond milk
  • 1 tbsp nutritional yeast
  • 1/4 tsp. cumin
  • 1 clove garlic
  • 1/2 tsp. sea salt & pepper to taste
  • 1 tbsp. lemon juice
  • 6 leaves sage or more if you love sage
  • 1 medium spaghetti squash

Instructions
 

  • Be sure to soak your almonds in advance. You can even soak them overnight if you’d like to.
  • To roast the squash, preheat oven to 425 F. Using a small paring knife, gently and firmly poke holes all around the squash, about 10-12 holes per quarter squash, so that all the squash is covered with little holes. Place in an oven-proof baking dish and roast in the oven for 45-60 minutes until it is soft to the touch. Remove and let cool for about 30 minutes.
  • While the squash is roasting, make your cream sauce. Drain the almonds and rinse, In a high speed blender like a Vitamix, combine the almonds, almond milk, nutritional yeast, cumin, garlic, salt & pepper, and lemon juice.
  • Blend until it is smooth and all the grains of almond are gone- it will resemble alfredo sauce. You may need to stop a couple times to scrape the sides of the blender and make sure everything is blending in.
  • Once it’s smooth, add the sage and pulse the sage in just until it’s pureed into the mix. Don’t over-blend the sage as it tends to lose it’s flavor if you blend it too much.
  • To put everything together, cut the squash in half lengthwise, and gently remove the seeds with a spoon. Then, using a fork, gently scrape out the strands of squash. They will come out looking like spaghetti.
  • Mix the sauce into the spaghetti squash to the desired sauciness. You may have some sauce leftover. It makes a great sauce for other stuff like serving over steamed broccoli, or as a sauce over chicken breast or turkey.
  • Garnish with your favorite vegan or traditional parmesan cheese, and extra leaves of sage.

Notes

 
Nutrition Facts
Spaghetti Squash with Sage Almond Cream
Amount per Serving
Calories
484
% Daily Value*
Fat
 
38
g
58
%
Saturated Fat
 
4
g
25
%
Polyunsaturated Fat
 
10
g
Monounsaturated Fat
 
23
g
Sodium
 
766
mg
33
%
Potassium
 
681
mg
19
%
Carbohydrates
 
31
g
10
%
Fiber
 
11
g
46
%
Sugar
 
9
g
10
%
Protein
 
16
g
32
%
Vitamin A
 
600
IU
12
%
Vitamin C
 
14
mg
17
%
Calcium
 
250
mg
25
%
Iron
 
4
mg
22
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Nutrition

Calories: 484kcalCarbohydrates: 31gProtein: 16gFat: 38gSaturated Fat: 4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 10gMonounsaturated Fat: 23gSodium: 766mgPotassium: 681mgFiber: 11gSugar: 9gVitamin A: 600IUVitamin C: 14mgCalcium: 250mgIron: 4mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Oil Free Red Lentil Pasta Salad T.B.G.A.

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I am enjoying the new red lentil
pasta varieties that have been popping up at the store. If you are going to
have pasta, these are a good way to go, with just lentils, quinoa and water
as ingredients, and packed with protein and other nutrients.

This recipe is a cold salad twist on linguine with tomato,
basil & garlic. And it takes the nutrition density even a step
further by eliminating the refined oil and instead getting it from whole
foods like avocado. You can add other veggies to the asparagus or eliminate
the asparagus for a more traditional version of a tomato, basil, garlic
“TBG” pasta salad.

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Butternut Squash Noodles with Hempseed Pesto

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Try these butternut squash
noodles with hempseed pesto for a fantastically simple, vegan, nutrient dense
meal. Butternut squash noodles are probably better purchased already made,
only because of the odd shape and hard shell of the squash. It could turn
into a burdensome project if you try to do it by hand. However, you could
absolutely make your own sweet potato, carrot, or zucchini noodles and still
have a delicious meal with the pesto. This dish can be done completely raw or
cooked as instructed in this recipe. Add some other veggies and-or avocado
for more nutrition and variety.

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Pasta with Dandelion Greens, Sweet Potato Leaves, Garlic & Pistachio

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Dandelion greens are one of my
favorite edible weeds, and they love being wilted into garlic butter with
pasta. I decided to add some sweet potato leaves, mostly because they pop up
and  kind of go crazy in my garden every year, but also because they add
a bit of sweet, more delicate green flavor to offset the dandelion. If you
eat dairy, feel free to use grass fed butter of ghee for your cooking fat,
and substitute real parmesan for the pistachio parmesan. Having said that,
the pistachio parmesan is a lot more nutritious, delivering healthy fats,
complete protein, and fiber; and it adds a comforting earthiness to the dish.
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Radish Greens & Rice Noodles with Fresh Mango

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You have probably heard the
expression “diamond in the rough.” Well, what about “vitamins
in your rubbish pile?” That is exactly what you have when you throw away
your radish tops. I know, I know, it is probably an automatic reflex to just
break those greens off and toss them away. It’s cool, if you are okay with
tossing a significant source of calcium, iron, magnesium, folate, vitamin A,
C, K and other nutrients into the trash. Not only are radish greens edible,
they are the most nutritious part of the plant! It is worth the effort to
find a good source of fresh radishes with live, abundant greens. Here is just
one example of an easy way to utilize fresh radish greens. The slightly
bitter bite of the radish and the fresh, sweet mango are like two peas
in the pod…sorry I couldn’t resist the cliche!
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Basil-Hemp Pesto Spaghetti with Veggies

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I am kind of on a hemp kick
right now. Hemp seeds have almost earned “BFF” status in my kitchen
life. Unlike their chia and flax counterparts, hemp seeds have a buttery
nut-like texture making them an ideal go-to for those times you need to fill
that “dairy” component in a recipe or a dish. And, three
tablespoons of hemp seeds have ten grams of plant based protein! If you
can live with their fat content then I say keep them around and discover all
their hidden talents. I put them to a pesto test and I was delighted and a
bit surprised that it came out better than the traditional pesto with
parmesan. By the time it got to the plate it had become the star of a
refreshing spring pasta dish. Read More