Unless you've been living under a rock for the past few months, chances are you'll have heard of vegetti (vegetable spaghetti, funnily enough) and the latest must-have kitchen gadget that produces it, the Spiralizer.
It has especially taken off in Paleo circles thanks to its wonderful ability to turn almost any vegetable into spaghetti or noodles of various widths, thus being able to recreate traditional pasta meals.
Courgette noodles are the most popular thanks to their easily spiralize-able shape and their versatility but my favourite is butternut squash spaghetti. One large butternut squash makes enough spaghetti for up to four meals - ideal for meal prep Sundays! Just bag it up and have it ready to go, along with your favourite sauce. I like to pair mine with pesto - something you can also prepare in advance and keep in the fridge, ready to heat after work. Who says cooking healthy food has to be time consuming?
Making your own pesto is so easy and it's a great way to use up those slightly limp last leaves of kale or other greens you have left in the fridge. Traditional pesto also has parmesan in it which I have omitted purely for the sake of being strict Paleo - but feel free to add it in if you choose to eat dairy.
A common misconception about Paleo is that it's a meat heavy diet.
While consumption of meat from property raised animals is encouraged, eating a large variety of vegetables and fruit is the main focus.
Having one or two meat free meals a week is not only beneficial to your wallet, it ensures you're getting enough plant based nutrients.
As an ex-vegetarian I have no problem creating delicious meat free meals but if you're struggling with this one, some cooked chicken would be an excellent partner to the pesto and spaghetti. Just like mama used to make! (If mama was Paleo.)
Butternut squash spaghetti with roasted garlic & kale pesto
Serves 2
Ingredients:
1 butternut squash, peeled and spiralized into spaghetti
For the pesto:
2 large leafs of kale
1 bulb of garlic, roasted (to roast: tent with tinfoil, drizzle with olive oil roast for 45 mins at 200c)
1 handful of basil
1 tbsp. pine nuts
1 tbsp. blanched almonds
1 tsp. lemon juice
2-3 tbsp. olive oil
Pinch of chilli flakes
Salt & pepper to taste
Method
1. Preheat oven to 200c. Place butternut squash spaghetti in a large baking dish, drizzle with olive oil and season. Bake for 15-20 mins, checking frequently and tossing so it doesn't burn.
2. Place all pesto ingredients except olive oil in a food processor and blend until well combined. Stream in olive oil until the desired consistency is achieved. I like mine fairly chunky!
3. Transfer butternut squash spaghetti to a large pan over a medium heat and toss with pesto to warm through. Serve immediately.
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