Older Bolder Life

Stronger | Leaner | Sharper | Longer - From Older Bolder Fitness

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the Older Bolder Life Friday Feast: Back to Basics – Roasting Spaghetti Squash

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Now and again I’m reminded how we in the Primal/paleo/more healthy eating worlds take for granted a few foundational recipes that we reach for often, and yet might not be in the typical rotation for folks eating a standard North American diet.

Of late it seems a surprising number of folks have asked about roasting spaghetti squash, something we do a fair amount of around our camp during the late fall and through the winter season, if you can call what we experience here in North Texas a real winter season. After spending years and years in Montana, much of that time living and working daily on a family operated horse farm and show/training facility, we really began to understand what the winter season brought to the table.

Spaghetti squash are a nifty addition to the menu, and seem to be available just about everywhere we shop for them these days, at least in our greater neighborhood here. My favorite grocer typically only carries organic spaghetti squash of late, and I can bring home a big one (more than two of us can finish in one meal) for under 5 bucks.

Roasting spaghetti squash is so ridiculously easy this really doesn’t even rate a formal recipe presentation here on the blog.

To get started, all you need to do is slice the squash body in half “the long way” and scrape out the seed mass in the center of the squash. Chef friend Libby showed me the trick a few years back of using a grooved ice cream spoon to get this task done quickly.

And by the way, preheat the oven to 400 and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or foil.

We typically brush (onto the cut side of course) a tablespoon or so of a good olive or avocado oil, dust with kosher or our favorite salt of the day on hand, and dust with pepper. You simply then place cut side down on the prep baking sheet and bake for 40-45 minuets until a knife slides in easily. Some recommend piercing the tough outer skin with a fork, though when I forget to do so it never appears to matter one bit.

When done, remove from the oven, turn the halves cut side up, and let cool for 5-10 minutes. Then simply “flake” or scrape the strands of cooked spaghetti squash from the halves with a long-tined fork and serve.

In the lead picture above, we’ve topped the spaghetti squash with this amazing Lemon Bomb Piccata Sauce (and Parmesan Chicken), though my wife probably most prefers it steaming hot, topped with butter and parmesan, and perhaps a bit of chopped parsley or basil.

It really is delicious topped with a regular or meat-enhanced pasta sauce as well, and Libby often serves it with a handful of crisp-sautéed vegetables thrown in too…

Enjoy.

the Older Bolder Life Vegetable Wednesday: Butter Sautéed Cherry Tomatoes and Ginger

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This past week I was chatting with a Chef Libby in Austin about different ways to prepare and enjoy the bounty of summer and fall tomatoes coming in these days.

She’d recently catered a dinner where she prepared a big batch of these Butter Sautéed Cherry Tomatoes and Ginger which she spooned over big, juicy rib eyes sizzling hot from the grill. She went on to say how her favorite way to enjoy these was simply as a side, almost like a warm salad, though she admitted she’ll polish the leftovers off cold right from the fridge too, even with the butter set up amongst the tomatoes and juice.

The recipe extends really easily, and works wonders with any fresh tomato you might have on hand, just cut the whole tomatoes up into roughly 1-inch pieces and go to it.

1 cup cherry tomatoes, some sliced in half length-wise
3 green onions, whites and pale green parts finely chopped, dark green thinly sliced
1-inch piece of ginger, peeled, finely chopped
2 tbsp grass-fed butter
2 tbsp tamari or coconut aminos
Good salt to taste

Prep your ingredients; melt the butter in a medium skillet over medium heat.

Now sauté the ginger and the white parts of the green onions until the ginger is fragrant (it won’t take but a minute or so), then add the tomatoes and sauté, basting with the butter until the tomatoes are warmed through.

Remove from the heat, stir in the tamari / coconut aminos, toss to combine, then season to taste with salt and top with the green onion green slices.

Enjoy.

the Older Bolder Life Tuesday Veg 5 March: Ginger Pecan Cauliflower Rice Pilaf

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Our friend Chef Libby down in Austin has been playing around with cauliflower rice pilaf recipes over the past few weeks, working on something with a bit of Texas flair for some events on her spring calendar coming up.

In Texas, that means of course incorporating pecans instead of the classic pilaf sliced almonds, and to her palate ginger seems to play very well with the butter (or ghee) toasted pecans.

Her team has been using the organic pre-riced cauliflower in 5-cup bags from Costco for some of their experiments in her kitchen, and I’ve sized the following recipe down to fit that or a medium-sized cauliflower head you rice yourself.

Libby notes the fresh ginger really makes this recipe pop, though I made a recipe yesterday with powdered ginger (no fresh ginger in the house!) and it was delicious. You’ll want to try this one; it’s tasty, spot on in terms of macros, and presents very well for impressing the family or guests at the table.

1 medium head cauliflower, trimmed and riced, see notes above
5-6 green onions, green and white parts separated
3-4 tbsp butter or ghee
1/2 cup coarsely chopped pecans, walnuts, or almonds
1-2 tbsp finely chopped ginger (or 1/2 to 1 tsp ground ginger)
1/2-1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
Good salt to taste

Optional
Alternative spices: Garlic, cinnamon, your call
3-4 tbsp chopped golden raisins OR
1-2 chopped medjool dates

Rice your cauliflower if using fresh. Prep the green onions: trim and clean, chop the white parts, then thinly slice the green stems on a steep angle and set aside.

Melt 2 tbsp of the butter/ghee over medium heat, and sauté (toast) the pecans until fragrant and golden brown. Remove from the heat, stir in the ginger and red pepper flakes, sprinkle with salt, then scrape into a large bowl.

Into the same skillet goes the remainder of the butter/ghee over medium-high heat, then the white parts of the onions; sauté for several minutes until just beginning to caramelize around the edges. Add the cauliflower, and raisins or dates if using, drop the heat down a notch, and cook for 4-5 minutes (longer if using frozen) until the cauliflower is just beginning to get tender.

Now scrape the cauliflower onion mixture into the bowl with the nuts, stir to mix, and adjust the salt to taste. Top artfully with the sliced onion greens and go to it.

Enjoy.