Spaghetti Squash and Brussels Sprouts

I got the most beautiful stalk of Brussels sprouts in this first share of winter. Never one to turn down sprouts, I searched for a recipe to use them for dinner tonight. As is usual for me, I was looking for a recipe with protein so I could enjoy the dish and not feel guilty about the nutrition. There were many recipes with white beans and some sort of cheese, but I was missing one ingredient or another. Then I ran across the following recipe using spaghetti squash (which we also happened to get in the share). I don't have chickpeas, but I do have pinto beans, so I just substituted.

Spaghetti Squash with Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Pinto Beans
 Adapted from: http://blog.fatfreevegan.com/2011/01/spaghetti-Squash-roasted-brussels-sprouts-chickpeas.html

• 1 spaghetti squash*
• 1 pound Brussels sprouts*
• 1 medium onion*, diced
• 3 cloves garlic*, pressed
• 1/2 cup homemade chicken stock*
• 15 ounces pinto beans, rinsed and drained
• 2 teaspoons dried basil
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (or to taste)
• salt and black pepper, to taste
• 1 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
• sliced almonds, optional 

Preheat oven to 400. Pierce a spaghetti squash 8-10 times with a skewer or thin knife (pierce deeply through flesh into center). Place on a baking sheet on center rack of oven. Bake for 30 minutes and then turn 1/4 turn. Bake another 30 minutes or until outside has browned in places and shell feels soft. Remove from oven and set aside until cool enough to handle. Once it’s cool, cut it in half and remove and discard the seeds and scrape the strands of squash out with a fork. Put the squash into a bowl and set aside.

While the squash is cooking, prepare the Brussels sprouts. Trim and discard the ends and cut the sprouts in half (quarter larger sprouts). Place on a baking sheet and spray quickly (2 seconds) with olive oil. (This prevents burning; if you don’t want to use the oil, cover loosely with a sheet of aluminum foil.) When the squash has almost finished cooking, put the sprouts into the oven and bake for about 15 minutes, stirring halfway through. Remove them when they are just beginning to be touched by brown but are not burning (they will finish cooking in the skillet in the next step).

In a large, deep, non-stick skillet, cook the onions on medium-high heat until they become golden, about 5-6 minutes. Add the Brussels sprouts, garlic, and stock and cover tightly. Cook for 3-5 minutes, adding more stock or water if skillet becomes dry. Add the chickpeas, basil, and red pepper flakes. Stir in the spaghetti squash, and toss gently to mix. Cook until heated through. Add salt and pepper to taste, along with lemon juice. Serve topped with crushed or sliced almonds, if desired.

Preparation time: 10 minute(s) | Cooking time: 1 hour(s) 10 minute(s)

Number of servings (yield): 5

Nutrition Facts

Nutrition (per serving): 196 calories, 14 calories from fat, 1.7g total fat, 0mg cholesterol, 348.2mg sodium, 742.8mg potassium, 40.7g carbohydrates, 10g fiber, 7g sugar, 8.8g protein

*CSA Ingredients