Week 13: Thai Peanut Sauce Spaghetti Squash

Mmmm... Thai.  

Hmmm... Spaghetti Squash.

One of my more poorly kept secrets is that I hate vegetables.  In fact, I really don’t eat very many.  I know... I know.  Shame. On. Me.  It isn’t that I hate ALL veggies, just the majority of them.  Onions?  Sure, please slather some on my cheeseburger.  Green peppers?  Okay, especially if they are on my Italian sausage sub.  Corn?  Um, yeah!  Who doesn’t love corn on the cob?!  Potatoes?  Don’t be silly.  Of course I love potatoes.  Carrots?  You bet!  But hand me a plate of leafy greens, green beans, peas... basically any of the green veggies and I will politely decline.  My idea of eating a vegetarian meal is pizza sans sausage, hamburger, bacon, pepperoni, etc.  However, this week’s recipe was one that I found, and the main ingredient was SQUASH!  I had never cooked or had spaghetti squash before this week.  And my basic understanding from the recent “spaghetti squash craze” was this: 

Spaghetti Squash = A Healthy Substitution For Pasta

Hey, if I can trick my taste-buds into believing it, who am I to judge?  Well, I didn’t.  So, I am in fact going to judge.  The recipe for Thai Peanut Sauce Spaghetti Squash can be found here.  I love Thai food and my husband really loves peanut sauce, so it seemed like this healthy recipe had potential.  The reviews in my household were mixed.  I liked the squash (I just want to confirm that you did read that correctly... I LIKED the squash), and my husband liked the sauce.  However, he would have enjoyed it more if it had been served with the usual rice noodles.  The sauce for me was missing something.  I think adding some “heat” may have done the trick.  I also want to point out that the recipe made a lot of sauce.  I enjoyed the crunchiness of the squash, but feel that I would be terribly disappointed if I used it as a substitute for pasta in any pasta dish.  I’m definitely not giving up on spaghetti squash.  I feel that this squash and I have some potential to develop a very yummy friendship.

Mom

No quotes to begin my comments this week.  I guess spaghetti squash and peanut sauce are just too esoteric;  not enough folks are either fans, or haters.  I should start by saying I don't know much about Thai food.  The only Thai food I've eaten has been prepared by Anna and is very good.  I love her Pad Thai, so I was looking forward to this week's recipe.  While I cook spaghetti squash and like it, peanut sauce was unfamiliar to me.

I followed the recipe as written, with the exception of using Jif Creamy Peanut Butter instead of natural.  Since Jif has sweeteners, I eliminated the coconut sugar, which was just as well since I couldn't find it in our local store.  Coconut milk is available, but our store has been remodeled and it took 2 stock boys and one cashier to find it.  Thank goodness!  I was a little worried I'd need to travel some extra miles.

The sauce was easy to make while the squash was roasting.  A terrific recipe hint, which I'll now continue to follow, was to slice the squash along its width rather than its length.  This makes for extra long strands of squash.  I sautéed chicken breast and served the squash as a side.  It was all very good.  Not great, but good with a delicate peanut flavor.  I think I expected more of ... something.  Some kind of kick, or spicy flavor.  Perhaps, more of the curry paste?  Or, a splash of hot sauce?  It definitely needed something.  It did blend well with the squash, so I think I'll experiment and try this again during the summer with a few extra ingredients.

Would I make this again?  Yes!  It passed the "Honey, Would you eat this again?", with four "yums" up.          

EASY THAI PEANUT SAUCE SPAGHETTI SQUASH

PREP TIME: 8 mins

COOK TIME: 25 mins

TOTAL TIME: 33 mins

Author: LeelaLicious

Yield: 2 servings as main (4 as a side)

INGREDIENTS

• 1 medium spaghetti squash
• olive oil
• salt
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• ¼ cup chopped parsley or cilantro
• 2 tablespoons crushed peanuts

Peanut Sauce:

• 1 can (14 ounces) coconut milk
• ⅔ cup natural, unsweetened peanut butter
• ¼ cup coconut sugar
• ¼ cup water
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce (substitute Tamari for gluten-free)
• 2 tablespoons white or apple cider vinegar
• 2 teaspoons sesame oil
• 2 teaspoons red curry paste
  

INSTRUCTIONS

Spaghetti Squash:

1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Half the squash and scoop out the seeds.
2. Drizzle inside with olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Place spaghetti squash cut side down on a baking sheet and roast for 25 minutes.
   

Peanut Sauce:

1. Place all sauce ingredients in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Then turn down to low and simmer for 5 minutes while stirring almost constantly.
2. Take off heat to cool sauce.
3. When spaghetti squash is done roasting, take it out from oven and let cool for 10 minutes. Then, using a fork, scrape out the spaghetti squash strands. If your squash is very moist, you might have to place the strands in a colander and pat with paper towel.
4. Heat a skillet over medium heat. Add minced garlic, chopped parsley and ¼ cup of the peanut sauce pan and combine. Add spaghetti squash and crushed peanuts, stir to combine and cook until heated through (about 2 minutes).
5. Plate and garnish with a little more crushed peanuts and chopped parsley. Serve right away.