Spaghetti Squash Part Deux

I bought a 3 lb spaghetti squash this week at Trader Joe's, so I ended up using the first half of the squash on this delicious recipe earlier this week, and used the second half tonight for this new recipe. Oh my stars -- I thought the first recipe was REALLY tasty, but this one approached perfection. I'm not kidding. Not only was it crazy easy (and fast) to make, but the textures and layers of flavor were fantastic. The mixture of spaghetti squash with the pasta noodles made the dish really hearty, the smokiness of the walnuts paired perfectly with the cheese, and the combination of breadcrumbs sauteed with garlic and rosemary coated the squash and pasta throughout with a light but tasty sauce. Best of all, the whole dish was very filling, yet was incredibly low in calories. So maybe I had two helpings...

I take no credit for either recipe -- both came from Vegetarian Times.

Seriously... do not skip this one.

ROSEMARY-PARMESAN PASTA and SPAGHETTI SQUASH
Serves 4

1 small spaghetti squash (1½–2 lb.)
4 oz. multi-grain thin spaghetti or angel hair pasta (or gluten-free spaghetti)
⅓ cup chopped walnuts
2 Tbs. olive oil
¼ cup plain dry breadcrumbs (yep, I used GF breadcrumbs here)
3 cloves garlic, minced (1 Tbs.)
1 Tbs. chopped fresh rosemary
¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese


Directions
1. Preheat oven to 375°F.

2.  Pierce squash in several places with knife. Microwave 3 minutes on high power to soften. Slice off stem and blossom ends, and stand squash upright. Cut straight down length of squash. Remove seeds with spoon. Place squash halves cut side down on rimmed baking sheet, and add 1 1/2 cups water to cover baking sheet surface. Bake 30 minutes, or until squash yields when pressed.

3. Cool squash 10 minutes cut side up. Scrape with fork to release strands. Transfer strands to bowl.

4. Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain, and add to squash strands, mixing with two forks.

5. Toast walnuts in small skillet over medium-high heat 5 minutes, or until browned and fragrant. Transfer to plate, and set aside.

6. Wipe out skillet, then heat oil in skillet over medium heat. Add breadcrumbs, and cook 1 minute. Add garlic and rosemary, and sauté 2 minutes, or until fragrant, and breadcrumbs are toasted. Add breadcrumbs to squash mixture, and toss to combine. Serve sprinkled with walnuts and cheese.

Vegetarian Times, October 2014 p.67