Tag Archives: meatless

Baked Spaghetti Squash with Garlic and Butter

I tend to under-bake the spaghetti squash just a bit, so it still retains just a slight crunch. Baking time really depends on how big your squash is – try to get the smallest one, especially if you’re only feeding 4 people. It’s ready if you can pierce the squash with a paring knife with little resistance. If you’re a garlic love, don’t be shy – use more!

Alternatively, microwave the whole squash for 2-4 minutes (to soften enough to cut lengthwise). Place squash cut-side down on baking sheet and roast for 30 minutes until tender.

Baked Spaghetti Squash with Garlic and Butter
SteamkyKitchen.com
Weight Watchers Old Points: 0

Ingredients:

1 small spaghetti squash (about 3-4 pounds)
2 tablespoons butter
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
1/4 cup finely minced parsley (or basil)
1/2 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
1/4 cup shredded parmesan cheese

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375F. Pierce squash a few times with sharp paring knife (to let steam escape). Bake spaghetti squash for 60 minutes, or until a paring knife pierces easily through skin with little resistance. Let squash cool for 10 minutes.

Cut squash in half, lengthwise. Use a fork to remove and discard the seeds. Continue using fork to scrape the squash to get long, lovely strands. If the squash seem difficult to scrape, return the squash to bake for an additional 10 minutes.

Heat a large saute pan with the butter and the garlic over medium-low heat. When garlic becomes fragrant, add parsley, salt and spaghetti squash strands. Toss well, sprinkle in the parmesan cheese and taste to see if you need additional salt. The spaghetti squash should have a slight crunch (i.e. not mushy) – but if you like it softer, cover the pan and cook 2 more minutes.

Butternut Squash Risotto

A rich and creamy Italian rice dish made with butternut squash puree, white wine, Parmigiano-Reggiano and topped with a little fresh arugula.

Making risotto is a labor of love, because you have to be patient, stirring the rice and adding more broth a little at a time, but in the end you get a delicious restaurant quality dish that you can proudly say you made yourself, without all the added butter you would get if you ate this dish out. It’s also really filling, one serving will fill you up. If you wish serve it with a salad on the side and call it a meal.

This also makes a great side dish to fish or chicken, I would make the serving size 1/2 cup as a side dish.

I started with some homemade squash puree which I simply made by boiling the butternut squash in broth or water, then pureeing in the blender. You can use the rest for some Spaghetti with Creamy Butternut Leek Pasta later in the week.

I like to keep a good cheese such as Pecorino Romano or Parmigiano-Reggiano on hand and grate it myself when I need it. A good cheese has an intense flavor you just can’t get from the grated parmesan cheese sold on the shelves of the supermarket.

Butternut Squash Risotto
Skinnytaste.com
Servings: 4 • Size: just under 1 cup • Old Pts: 5 pts • Weight Watchers Pts+: 7 pts
Calories: 249 • Fat: 3 g • Protein: 7.5 g • Carb: 45 g • Fiber: 1 g • Sugar: 1 g
Sodium: 461 mg

Ingredients:

3 cups fat free low-sodium chicken broth (use vegetable broth for vegetarian)
1 cup butternut squash puree
1 tsp butter or olive oil
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1/4 cup shallots, chopped
1 cup arborio rice
2 oz dry white wine
1 tbsp fresh sage, minced
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
salt and fresh cracked pepper, to taste
2 cups fresh baby arugula, for garnish

Directions:

In a large saucepan, heat broth and butternut squash puree over medium-high heat. When it boils, reduce heat to a simmer and maintain over low heat, taste for salt and adjust as needed.

In a large heavy saucepan over medium heat, heat oil or butter until melted. Add shallots, garlic and rice; saute until the rice is well coated with oil or butter, about 3 minutes. Add the wine and sage and stir until it is absorbed.

Add a ladleful of the simmering stock; wait until it is absorbed before adding another ladleful stirring gently and almost constantly. Stirring loosens the starch molecules from the outside of the rice grains into the surrounding liquid, creating a smooth creamy-textured liquid.

Continue this process until the rice is creamy, tender to the bite, but slightly firm in the center and all the stock is used, about 25-30 minutes from the time you started. When all the liquid is absorbed, stir in the grated cheese and remove from heat.

Serve immediately and top with baby arugula and extra grated cheese if desired. Makes 3 2/3 cups.