April 26, 2024

Indian-spiced Chicken and Spaghetti Squash

Have you noticed ALL the squash at the grocery store (even more abundant, probably, at your local farmer’s market)?  Oh, h-a-p-p-y me!  This week there were quite a few small-ish spaghetti squash…so I snatched up 3 of ’em!  They are the perfect size for a meal for two (and some leftovers).  Spaghetti squash, as most of you know I am sure, is a really good substitute for traditional spaghetti…minus most of the carbs.  Here is some nutrition info for spaghetti squash.  This fits in so well with our ‘healthy but oh-so-yummy‘ POV.

My husband Robert’s favorite rendition of “spaghetti squash and…” is with Italian spaghetti sauce and meatballs.  But me…I am not a huge fan of so much liquid being dolloped over top the prepared spaghetti squash.  So this is what spaghetti squash #1 became….  The ‘warmth’ of the garam masala, the cumin, and turmeric spices added so much to fairly flavor-less ground chicken and spaghetti squash.  Enjoy!

Indian-spiced Spaghetti Squash

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ingredients

small (2#) spaghetti squash
1 pound ground chicken (or turkey)
1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon coconut oil (or extra-virgin olive oil)
1 small sweet onion, diced
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 tablespoon garam masala
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons minced garlic
10-12 ounce package frozen chopped spinach, defrosted and squeezed dry
handful (or two) of cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
1 cup frozen peas
1/2 cup chicken broth (or water)

directions

  • cook the spaghetti squash (wash the skin off first). I usually just microwave it…in 5 minute increments ‘til the outside is softened and a sharp knife easily pierces the skin. (there are a number of other methods, click this link for some suggestions.) when done, set aside ’til cool enough for you to scoop it out
  • in a large saute pan, add 1 T of the oil and heat over medium heat
    add the ground chicken and cook, stirring occasionally, for 8-10 minutes; remove from pan and set aside…season w/s&p
  • add the diced onion to the pan (and additional 1 tsp of oil, if necessary); 2015-09-14 20.15.50saute for 5 minutes or so
  • reduce heat and then add the seasonings and the garlic; continue to cook, stirring constantly, for another 3-4 minutes to allow flavors to blend together
  • then add the spinach, halved tomatoes, and peas; stir to combine.  pour broth evenly over top; cover the pan and simmer ‘til broth has been absorbed (just a few minutes).
  • meanwhile, using a fork, scrape out strands of spaghetti squash; season well with some additional s&p.  pile up in serving bowl to make a nest of the ‘noodles’; top with meat mixture (NOTE: if spaghetti squash has gotten cold, place in a small saute pan along with a pat of butter and gently heat)

♥  ♥  ♥  ♥  ♥

God loves you!  ♥  (Don’t ever forget that!)

♥  coleen

Spaghetti Squash with Garlicky Shrimp and Tomatoes

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Healthy but oh-so-yummy…that’s this dish! I think that, even if you were ‘piggish’ and loaded your plate up with a bigger than usual portion of this dish, you would still be around 300 calories!  Enjoy!

Here’s how I figure that…
– spaghetti squash has 31 calories and less than half a gram of fat per cup
– 4 ounce serving of shrimp is going to set you back 100 calories with less than 1 gram of fat
– the tomatoes contain approximately 25 calories in one cup
– red onion and garlic add maybe 50 or so calories
– of course, the 1 tablespoon of olive oil adds 120 calories; the butter 100 calories; and the grated asiago (like most cheeses) brings 100 more calories
– and there is a good amount of protein in this dish, too!
NOTE: each pound of spaghetti squash will yield approximately 2 cups cooked squash

ingredients:
1 (1+1/2 – 2 pound) spaghetti squash
1 tablespoon olive oil or salted butter
1 medium red onion, finely diced
8 ounces grape tomatoes, halved
2 tablespoons chopped garlic (I use jarred)
1 cup dry white wine (or chicken broth)
1/2# raw shrimp, tails pulled off
sea salt & freshly ground pepper (I use a lemon pepper blend grinder)
1 tablespoon salted butter
3 tablespoons fresh parsley (or 1 tablespoon dried)
1-2 ounces of finely grated asiago (or other strong flavored hard cheese)
lemon slices for finish & garnish

directions:

spaghetti squash (there are a number of other methods, see link for some suggestions):

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    I simply cut one in half; pull out the seeds (only the seeds); rub the cut edges with a tiny bit of olive oil; season with sea salt and freshly ground pepper; place flat sides down on a piece of parchment paper or foil laid on a baking sheet.
  2. bake in a preheated 425 oven for 30 minutes; remove from oven, carefully flip over and allow to cool while you prepare the rest of the dish.
  3. when ready, take a serving spoon and run it along the edge between the skin of the squash and the cooked ‘meat’ of the squash. remove from skin and, using a fork, separate into strands.

shrimp and tomatoes:

  • heat olive oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat
  • add the minced onion and cook ‘til it begins to soften and slightly brown around the edges, 2-3 minutes
  • add the diced tomatoes (flat side down) and a pinch of salt and a few grinds of pepper. lower heat to medium and allow to cook undisturbed for 6-7 minutes
  • the tomatoes will ‘give up’ some liquid and begin to create a sauce
    scatter the chopped garlic over the tomatoes, and stir constantly for an additional minute ‘til you begin to smell the garlic
  • pour in the wine (or broth), increase heat to medium and simmer ‘til the liquid has reduced by about half as much, maybe 5-6 minutes
  • add in the shrimp, and reduce heat to low; cook ‘til shrimp turn pink on the bottom side; flip over and cook ‘til shrimp are just pink all the way through; do not overcook
  • then when the shrimp have nearly cooked through, add the butter.  stir the butter so that it gets all around the contents of the pan and begins to slightly thicken the sauce
  • when the butter has fully incorporated, add the parsley and the spaghetti squash
  • gently fold everything together, allowing the spaghetti squash to reheat in the sauce for a minute or two so everything becomes the same temperature
  • sprinkle the shredded cheese across top
  • serve immediately with lemon to squeeze over the top; season to taste

♥  ♥  ♥  ♥  ♥

God loves you!  ♥  (Don’t ever forget that!)

♥  coleen