Fall = pumpkin season in foodie land. But do you know what other fabulous food this season brings? Why, spaghetti squash, of course! Since October began, I have roasted somewhere around five spaghetti squashes. My cravings for spaghetti squash have been in full force and I most certainly do not see them disappearing anytime soon.
Are you new to spaghetti squash? If you aren’t a “foodie” like I am 😉 then you may be thinking…what in the world is that, how do I cook it, and what does it taste like? If you want to give it a try (or if you are already a spaghetti squash lover), then this would be a great recipe to try it out in. This is simple, yet tasty, and incredibly nutritious. Now let’s get our squash eating on with this Mexican-themed dish!
Servings: 2 large
*Adapted from one of Robyn’s delicious recipes!
Ingredients
olive oil cooking spray
1 large spaghetti squash
water, for cooking
1/4 yellow onion, diced
1/2 green bell pepper, diced
3/4 cup Cajun-style black beans (I used the Trader Joe’s brand)
3/4 cup chunky salsa (I used medium heat)
1 ripe avocado, chopped
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Line a large baking sheet with foil and olive oil cooking spray.
2. Cut the top off of the spaghetti squash. Cut the squash in half and remove the seeds. Place both halves of the squash cut-side down onto the baking sheet. Roast the squash for approximately 30 to 40 minutes. Let the squash cool for approximately 30 minutes so that you can handle it without burning your hands.
3. While the squash is cooling, line a large skillet with a thin layer of water. Heat over medium-high heat until very hot. Once hot, lower the heat to medium and add the onions and peppers to the skillet. Cook for approximately 8 to 10 minutes, or until softened. Add additional water, as necessary.
4. Once the peppers and onions are cooked through and the squash has mostly cooled, use a fork to scrape the squash from the shell into the form of “pasta.” Add the squash to the skillet.
5. Stir in the beans and salsa. Lower the heat to medium-low and cook for approximately 5 minutes, or until all of the ingredients are warm.
6. Serve the Mexican Spaghetti Squash topped with chopped avocado, because seriously, what is Mexican food without avocado?? 😉
I know that for some it may seem strange to use squash as a “noodle” or to combine it with Mexican-type ingredients, but let me just say…give it a try! You seriously won’t regret it. Plus, you really cannot beat how simple this dish is to compile. You could absolutely roast the squash on the weekend and compile all of the ingredients on a week night. Who doesn’t love a dinner that can be thrown together in under 20 minutes? I would never complain about a meal like that!
Delicious roasted squash, spicy salsa and peppers, Cuban seasoned beans, and creamy avocado all combined into one dish? Sign me up for this. I could eat this one every single week. Now if only spaghetti squash was in season year round…
P.s. Sorry for the not so pretty photos. It turns out that spaghetti squash and my camera don’t get along ;).
And for the blog transfer to self-hosted update….yeah, still working on that one! :/
