one of my most favorite things about this time of year is the fact that spaghetti squash is regularly sold at trader joe’s. i mean, you can totally buy it at sprouts pretty much year round, but there’s just something about the fact that it’s a “seasonal” item at tj’s that makes it special. anyway, if you haven’t had spaghetti squash before, you’re totally missing out. not only is it super fun to make (the “shredding” is the best part), but it’s also delicious. and for someone who is not so keen on the pasta train, it’s the best alternative i’ve found to spaghetti.

i stumbled upon this particular recipe on pinterest of all places. it’s from oh she glows, a vegan food blog written by the canadian blogger, angela. her site is choc-full-o-delicious recipes and this one is no different. plus it involves avocado, which hi, makes everything better. except maybe that paleo chocolate pudding i attempted last summer. anyway, i made this, it was scrumptious, and you should recreate it, too.

mix it all up.

creamy avocado spaghetti squash (from oh she glows)

ingredients:
1 medium spaghetti squash
1 medium ripe avocado
1/2 lemon, juiced & lemon zest to garnish
1-3 garlic cloves, to taste (i used one, we didn’t need to ward off that many vampires that night)
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste
2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
freshly ground black pepper, to taste

directions:
now, maybe this isn’t kosher, but i prepare my spaghetti squash in the microwave. if you stab it like you do a baked potato and cook it on high for 12 minutes (rotating every three minutes), it comes out perfectly. i know microwaves aren’t ideal for food preparation, but if you don’t want to wait 45+ minutes, they are great in a pinch. but if you’d like to roast it, just follow angela’s instructions. while your squash is cooking and/or cooling (let it cool before you start creating the “noodles” with a fork), prepare the avocado sauce. place the garlic cloves, lemon juice, and olive oil into a food processor. process until smooth. now add in the avocado and salt. process until smooth and creamy. once the squash has cooled, remove the seeds, and “rake” the squash with a fork. it will start to separate into little “noodles.” remove the spaghetti strands and place them into a bowl. trust me, you can get a lot of noodles from one little squash. the squash (by itself) will store well in your refrigerator for a few days. the avocado sauce should, however, be used on the same day it’s prepared. place the spaghetti squash on a place and top with a generous helping of avocado sauce. voila! all the pasta without the glutenous carbs. and just think, all of that garlic will totally keep the vampires away.

spaghetti squash & creamy avocado sauce.