Curried Spaghetti Squash with Mushrooms and Feta

Ah, Spaghetti Squash. The current superstar of the craze for no-carb, pro-squash maddness, this little (actually, quite big) squash has been making the rounds in recipes for years. I remember discovering it two years ago when I had my first blog, and having no idea what to think of it. On the one hand, I'm a huge fan of foods that get people to try new things and to rethink what they are eating. On the other hand, anything that is touted as a "cure" for anything or a "superfood" (yeah, guys, those don't exist as far as scientific R.D. data is concerned-- sorry!) makes me cautious. Is Spaghetti Squash the answer to all your problems? No. Should you still try it, and enjoy the slightly sweet nuttiness and smooth texture that it provides? Yes.

Spaghetti Squash recipes featured on this blog are not encouraging a low-carb or no-carb lifestyle. Carbohydrates are necessary for things like, oh, breathing and oxygen use. So having an intake of carbs every day is important and smart. But I do like to use Spaghetti Squash because it adds subtle undertones of walnut into any dish and acts very well as a canvas to paint other flavors on. This recipe is one of my favorites, actually, because it brings in mushrooms (which I adore) and green curry paste. If you've never had GCP before, it has citrus notes and a slight spice that pairs wonderfully with the sweetness of spaghetti squash. (I'm also a feta addict, so adding that in here was a no-brainer for me.)

This can honestly be a main or a side. It has a low calorie count, which makes me want to put it as a side, but it is also a substantial amount of food. I would say that if you serve it as a main, add some grilled vegetables on the side and maybe a protein of some sort on top (tofu, tempeh, etc). As a side, it is good to go!

Curried Spaghetti Squash with Mushrooms and Feta

Serves 4 

Ingredients:

• 4c. sliced white button mushrooms
• 2tsp extra virgin olive oil
• 4c. cooked "forked" spaghetti squash
• 3/4 to 1tbl green curry paste (depends on how strong you want it-- I always use 1tbl)
• 1/4c. water
• 1/2c. reduced fat crumbled feta cheese

Instructions:

1. Coat a medium pan with oil, and heat over medium-low heat. Add in the mushrooms and saute until tender, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
2. Combine the green curry paste and water, mixing until a smooth and relatively thin sauce forms. Pour the sauce over the spaghetti squash, tossing to coat.
3. Place 1c. of the spaghetti squash into each of four bowls; top each with 1/4 of the mushrooms and 2tbl feta.

Nutrition Information:
Sodium: 370mg
Total Fat: 5g
      Saturated: 2g
      Trans: 0g
Sugar: 6g
Protein: 8g
Calories: 119

Coconut Vegetable Curry

Do you ever find yourself feeling sentimental?

 

I was talking to a friend of mine and she mentioned how she is really starting to feel sentimental about high school and our high school teachers. It was weird to me to think about, because I hated high school, but I also did really like a few of the teachers I had. The math department, in particular, was fantastic. But after our talk, I realized that I couldn't really recall very many moments where I have truly felt sentimental. That could partly be because I am young-- not a lot of experience in sentimentality yet. But I also think that I tend to focus so much on the task at hand that I sometimes ignore the better parts of my past. Yeah, high school had its awful moments, but my experience there helped me into Colorado State University. I find that I miss my college professors (particularly my SOC teacher, who I will have next semester again-- yay!!) much more, maybe because they teach the topics that contribute to my current and future life goals. 

Speaking of sentimentality: this is a recipe that appeared on my old blog, but that I remember fondly. I'm kind of in love with eggplant at the moment, so when I was looking for what to make I saw this recipe and flipped. It's super simple to make, but there are a plethora of flavors in this guy. Eggplant is cooked in a rich coconut red curry sauce until tender, then mixed in with hearty bella mushrooms, bright lemongrass, and sweet bell pepper. There are some hints of ginger, sesame, and curry powder, and an added health bonus of serving it over brown rice.

I hope everyone has a good week. I'm off to a two-day hike up in the granite hills of CA, and I'm so excited! All my gear is packed and we are about to take off (I'm going with my father, since I only have a few weeks left with him here in CA. Then I'm off to school again! So excited!). Pictures to come, eventually! 

Coconut Red Curry with Vegetables

Serves 4             Serving Size: 1/2c. rice plus 1/4 of curry mixture

Ingredients:

• 1tbl olive oil
• 1 medium eggplant, cut into 1" cubes
• 8 oz slices bella mushrooms
• 1 yellow (not bell) pepper, minced
• 1/2 red bell pepper, diced
• 2c. light coconut milk
• 2tbl red curry paste
• 1 stick lemongrass, cut into 4 pieces
• 1/4tsp curry powder
• 1/4tsp ground ginger
• 2tbl toasted sesame seed
• 1/4tsp salt
• 1/4tsp pepper
• 2c. cooked brown rice

Instructions:

1. In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium-low heat. Add the eggplant to the pan; cook for 5 minutes on medium. Add the mushrooms, peppers, coconut milk, curry paste, and lemongrass to the pan. Bring to a simmer, then turn to low and cook for 20 minutes, or until eggplant and mushrooms are tender. 
2. Take the lemongrass out of the pan; add the curry powder, ginger, sesame seed, salt, and pepper.
3. To serve, ladle 1/2c. rice into each of four bowls. Divide curry evenly among the dishes.

Nutrition Information:
Sodium: 356mg
Total Fat: 12g
     Saturated: 7g
     Monounsaturated: 3g
     Trans: 0g
Sugar: 7g
Protein: 8g
Calories: 299