Spaghetti Squash Pomodoro! GF, V, SCD & Paleo!

Hey everyone!

Well the weekend is wrapping up. And boy, was today a jam packed day!

Did you guys watch any NFL football?! I did, although, my teams: (The Bengals & The Packers), were out of the playoff last weekend. Sooo, I don't really have a big stake in the games anymore. Oh well! I was really just watching the game to hang with friends! We watched at a little bar in the East Village.

This brings up a great point....when you're on the Specific Carb Diet, or simply Gluten Free, what do you guys like to drink? Beer is clearly a "no no" because of the gluten in it. And to be honest, gluten free beer leaves a lot to be desired. (Besides, it's not SCD-friendly.) I like to get either white wine (dry), vodka-soda with a twist of lemon and lime, or an Unsweetened Vodka Mojito! Those are the drinks that agree with me! What about you?

So tonight, I'm going to share with you a delicious delicious dish. Sometimes, you just feel like pasta! Don't you!

And with New Year's resolutions still in full swing (hopefully :)) sometimes, we actually CRAVE pasta!

Well, this recipe allows you to have that pasta without the carbs and calories! How?! SPAGHETTI SQUASH!

I *LOVE* spaghetti squash. It really does feel decadent, like I'm eating pasta! You can twirl it on your fork and slurp it up! Now in full disclosure, it doesn't taste exaaaactly like gluten-full semolina pasta, but for a gluten and grain free alternative, it is pretty darn good!!

But the real star of the show, is this sauce!!! Holy cow, you guys. If you've never had homemade pomodoro sauce before, you really owe it to yourself to give it a go! I like to keep a bunch of this stuff in the fridge/freezer and have it with cooked veggies, spaghetti squash, "zoodles," even eggs!

And my Spaghetti Squash Pomodoro is Gluten Free, Vegan, Specific Carb Diet Friendly, and Paleo!

Here's what you need: (Serves 2)

1 spaghetti squash

1 zucchini, sliced into 1/4 inch rounds
10 button mushrooms, sliced
10 stalks of asparagus (I know they're not in season, but they were in the fridge)

Sauce:
2 tomatoes
1/2 red pepper
4 baby carrots
1/2 onion
3 garlic cloves
1/2 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp salt
1 bunch fresh basil

garnish: fresh basil

Prick your spaghetti squash ALL OVER with a fork or *carefully* with a sharp knife. Prick it more than you think you need! Place it on a paper towel in the microwave, and nuke it for 4 minutes. Flip it (with an oven mitt), and microwave for another 5 minutes, until the outside "gives" a little. Carefully remove from the microwave with an oven mitt and allow to cool for at least 7 minutes.

Meanwhile, sauté your onions and carrots in about 2 tsp EVOO, salt and pepper for about 5 minutes. Then, add your red pepper, dried basil and oregano, and sauté for about 3 minutes. Next, add your garlic, and let it cook for about 2 minutes. Finally, add your tomatoes, and let them cook for about 5 minutes. Carefully transfer this mixture to the food processor. Add your fresh basil and process until smooth.

In a separate pan, brown your zucchini and mushrooms and asparagus (optional) in 2 tsp EVOO, salt and pepper. Once they brown, remove from heat and set aside.

When your spaghetti squash is cool enough to handle, carefully slice in in half, lengthwise. Remove the seeds. Then, with a fork, scrape the flesh towards the center, forming spaghetti-like strands. Place 1/2 squash-amount of "spaghetti" onto a plate, and top it with half of the sauce, and half of the zucchini and mushrooms. Garnish with fresh, chopped basil.

Wow, oh wow. This sauce is SO GOOD! It's wonderfully tomato-y, but not too acidic, and with just the right amount of sweetness. You see, the sweetness in this recipe comes naturally -- from CARROTS! So, you don't have to add brown sugar to the sauce like many sassy Italians :)

And the fresh basil in the sauce makes it just so fresh and aromatic. Italian comfort food at its best.

Finally, all the browned and caramelized veggies are the perfect compliment to the slurpy and chewy spaghetti squash.

It's hard to believe that this meal is healthy AND figure friendly! Sounds like a "resolution" approved meal to me!

Let's make it a great week!!


Want more GFHT?  You can now get my e-cookbook, The Best of GlutenFreeHappyTummy for only $2.99 on Amazon!