Spaghetti Squash with Kale and Chickpeas (vegan, gluten free)

It’s January! This means many of us are trying to get in shape and eat healthier. Part of this may include eating more vegetables and cutting back on carbohydrates. I love pasta but try not to have it on a regular basis unless I am keeping up with my cardio routine. For me, carbs go straight to my waistline. That’s why I love this dish. It’s healthy and easy to make and also satisfies my craving for pasta. Spaghetti squash is an amazing, versatile vegetable. It’s low in calorie and has a neutral flavor that can be seasoned in countless ways. I usually pop mine in the microwave for about a 1 minute to soften it. This makes cutting it a lot easier. I’m always careful while cutting spaghetti squash as it can roll around – using a large, sharp knife definitely makes it easier. Once you cut it lengthwise, scoop out the seeds and fibers in the center with a spoon and discard them. Placing each half face down on a baking sheet helps the squash to steam on the inside. Once it’s cooked, you’ll want to let it cool for at least 20 minutes. I usualy handle it with oven mitts to avoid burning my hands. The “noodles” are easy to remove with a fork (shown below). This dish tastes really fresh and has a spicy kick to it from the cayenne pepper. It’s also surprisingly filling. Spaghetti squash is one of my weeknight dinner staples this time of year. Let me know how it turns out by taking a picture and tagging @thefriendlyepicurean on Instagram!

How to remove spaghetti squash “noodles”.

Spaghetti Squash with Kale and Chickpeas (vegan, gluten free)

Servings: 4
Time: 1hr
Difficulty: easy
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Ingredients

1 medium sized spaghetti squash, halved lengthwise with seeds removed
1, 15oz can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed
2 cups baby kale
2 ripe tomatoes, diced
1/2 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbs olive oil
olive oil spray
2 tbs freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/4 tsp lemon zest
2 tbs nutritional yeast
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp salt (plus more to taste)
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/4 tsp ginger powder
1/4 tsp turmeric

Directions

Preheat oven to 420F. Cut spaghetti squash lengthwise (to soften squash to make cutting easier, place in microwave for 1 minute). Scoop out seeds and discard. Spray cut halves of squash with olive oil spray. Grease a baking sheet with olive oil spray and place each squash half facing down on baking sheet. Bake for about 25-28 minutes. Remove from oven to cool. While squash is cooling, sauté onions in 1 tbs olive oil for about 5-6 minutes in a medium saucepan. Add garlic and sauté for about 2-3 more minutes. Add cayenne, ginger, and turmeric and sauté for 2 more minutes. Add tomatoes and chickpeas and cook for about 5-6 more minutes. Using a fork, scrape to loosen the “spaghetti” from each squash half (see photo above). Add spaghetti squash to saucepan, stirring well to combine ingredients. Next, stir in nutritional yeast and kale and cook for 1-2 minutes until kale is just wilted. Remove from heat and stir in salt, black pepper, lemon juice, and lemon rind. Serve while hot. Makes 4 servings. May store in an airtight container in the fridge for 1-2 days.

Nutrition Information: