Spaghetti Squash with Roasted Tomatoes, Beans & Almond Pesto Recipe

Recipe By: Karen Ansel, M.S., R.D.N.

“Looking at a tangle of spaghetti squash tricks your brain into thinking you're about to eat a serving of eggy noodles, when in fact, you get a nice calorie and carb savings in this healthy recipe. Giving tomatoes a stint in a hot oven makes them candy-sweet.”

Ingredients

• • Almond Pesto
  • 2 cups fresh basil leaves
  • 1 cup fresh parsley leaves
  • ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • ⅓ cup whole raw almonds
  • 1 clove garlic
  • 1½ tablespoons red-wine vinegar
  • ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
  • ¼ teaspoon ground pepper
  • ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
• • ¼ cup water
  • Spaghetti Squash & Vegetables
  • 1 3-pound spaghetti squash
  • ¼ cup water
  • 2 pints grape tomatoes, halved
  • 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
  • ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
  • ¼ teaspoon ground pepper
  • 1 cup canned cannellini beans, rinsed

Directions

• 1 To prepare pesto: Pulse basil, parsley, Parmesan, almonds, garlic, vinegar and ¼ teaspoon each salt and pepper in a food processor until coarsely chopped, scraping down the sides. With the motor running, add ¼ cup oil; process until well combined.
• 2 Add water to the pesto in the food processor; pulse to combine.
• 3 To prepare squash & vegetables: Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil.
• 4 Halve squash lengthwise and scoop out the seeds. Place cut-side down in a microwave-safe dish and add water. Microwave on High until the flesh can be easily scraped with a fork, about 15 minutes.
• 5 Meanwhile, toss tomatoes with oil, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Transfer to the prepared baking sheet. Roast until soft and wrinkled, 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from the oven. Add beans and stir to combine.
• 6 Scrape the squash flesh into the bowl and divide among 4 plates. Top each portion with some of the tomato-bean mixture and about 3 tablespoons pesto sauce.

• To make ahead: Refrigerate pesto (Step 1) for up to 5 days.
• Tips: Turn leftovers into a pesto-turkey sandwich for lunch: Spread 1½ Tbsp. leftover pesto on 2 slices toasted whole-wheat bread. Top with 3 oz. sliced deli turkey, 2 lettuce leaves and 2 tomato slices.