Simple Peanut Squash Recipes

Steps:

• Microwave 1 halved, seeded spaghetti squash with 2 tablespoons water, covered, until tender, 15 minutes. Cool slightly, then scrape into strands with a fork. Puree 2 tablespoons peanut butter, 1 tablespoon each soy sauce, rice vinegar, lime juice and water, 1 teaspoon grated ginger, 1 garlic clove and 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes; toss with the squash. Season with salt. Top with chopped peanuts, mint and cilantro.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Wash outside of spaghetti squash. Cut off the stem end, then cut in half lengthwise. Scoop out the seeds. Brush insides with olive oil and sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper.
• Place face down on a baking sheet. Bake until fork-tender, 30-40 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool for just a couple of minutes.
• Alternative: Cut in half, skip the oil/salt/pepper, and place face-down in a microwave-safe baking dish. Fill with about 1 inch of water and cook on high until tender, 10-12 minutes. Read lots more about cooking spaghetti squash both ways right here!
• While the spaghetti squash cooks, make the peanut sauce and prepare the toppings. To make the peanut sauce, add the peanut butter, 1/4 cup warm water, ginger, garlic, lime juice, and Tamari to the pitcher of a blender. If you have a high-speed blender, you might not need to mince your ginger and garlic first - I don't need to with my Vitamix, it takes care of business! Add additional water, if needed, to keep the mix moving. Blend until completely pureed.
• Using a fork, carefully scrape the still-hot spaghetti squash out of its shell into a medium-size bowl, taking care to not break the shell. Place the shells upright on your serving plates or platter.
• Pour the peanut sauce over the warm spaghetti squash and toss until combined. Taste and add a couple extra pinches of salt if desired.
• Divide peanut-sauce-spaghetti squash mixture between the shells. Top with peanuts, cilantros, and wedges of lime to squeeze over the top. In addition, you can top individual servings with tofu or chicken if you like.
• Serve immediately.
• Note that if you're not serving this right away, you may want to warm the peanut sauce on the stove so that it's piping hot before mixing it with the spaghetti squash. I find that as long as I mix the peanut sauce into the hot spaghetti squash and serve it at once, it's plenty warm for eating.

Steps:

• In a 4- or 5-qt. slow cooker, combine the first 13 ingredients. Cook, covered, on low until squash is tender, 5-6 hours., Puree soup using an immersion blender, or cool slightly and puree soup in batches in a blender. Return to slow cooker and heat through. If desired, garnish with cilantro and peanuts.