Spaghetti Squash with Vegan Spinach Pine Nut Pesto

Spaghetti Squash with Spinach Pine Nut Pesto is both vegan and paleo, and it is so full of flavor and texture that you won’t even realize that it is low carb, dairy free, and mostly vegetables. Spaghetti squash is a nice replacement for pasta when you can’t have it, and it is quite filling.

I am halfway through my second week on the Paleo Diet, and I must say that I am seeing results! On Sunday I went to Trader Joes and stocked up on all of my favorite veggies so it would be easy for me to focus on all the foods I can eat.

Serves 3

You will need:
1 Spaghetti Squash
4 tablespoons Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper
1/4 cup Pine Nuts
3 cups Spinach
2 tablespoons Lemon Juice
1/4 cup Basil
1 clove of Garlic

Step 1:
Heat your oven to 350 degrees. Cut the squash in half the long way and then scoop out the seeds. Drizzle a little olive oil on a baking dish to prevent the squash from sticking and then place the squash on the baking sheet with the inside facing down. Bake the squash for 30 minutes.

Step 2:
After 30 minutes remove the squash from the oven and flip over. Drizzle olive oil over the squash and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake for another 30 minutes.

Step 3:
Meanwhile, prepare the pesto. Start by toasting the pine nuts in the oven, along with the squash, for 2-3 minutes. Next place the toasted pine nuts in a blender or food processor with the spinach, lemon juice, basil, garlic, and a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Blend on the chopped mode, while drizzling 3 tablespoons of olive oil into the blender. Add more olive oil if necessary. If you prefer, you can add the pine nuts on top of the pesto to add a little texture to the dish. My blender didn’t to a great job of blending the pine nuts, but I liked the texture they added.

Step 4:
When the squash is ready to come out of the oven, heat the pesto in a saucepan over medium low heat. Once hot, remove the squash from the oven, shred it with a fork. Place the shredded squash in a bowl and pour the pesto over.