Depending on size of spaghetti squash you may have to double the pesto amount..
Ingredients
1 spaghetti squash — split in quarters
1 red bell pepper — sliced thin-julienne
1 shallot, minced
½ bunch of fresh basil
½ cup of toasted pumpkin seed (½ for pesto ½ for garnish)
½ cup of grated Romano cheese or vegan Parmesan cheese (little extra for garnish)
¼ cup garlic infused olive oil
dash of sea salt and pepper
¼ cup reduced chicken stock (almost like a demi glaze) for vegan dishes use vegetable stock or can be omitted..
1 lemon juice and zest
Directions
Preheat oven to 375°F. Lightly coat the quartered squash with garlic infused oil and sea salt and pepper. Cook for 20 minutes, possible less depending on oven variations. Very important that is it al dente texture, not mushy. So it is basically undercooked.
While the squash is cooking sauté the julienned bell pepper and minced shallot till lightly caramelized. Then prepare the pesto –blending basil, fresh thyme, fresh chives, ½ toasted pumpkin seeds, ½ of the vegan Parmesan cheese, garlic infused oil, sea salt and pepper, lemon juice, zest and reduced stock.
Once squash is able to handle pull out squash threads and pour warm pesto, caramelized peppers, and shallots over squash add more basil chiffonade. Finish with, vegan cheese, salt and pepper.
Chefs note-I put non dairy grated cheese, or regular Romano cheese on the side for those who prefer a little extra, and don’t have a dairy sensitivity. Great replacement for pasta and look for my chicken spinach and eggplant meatballs coming soon. They go so well with this type of vegetable dish.