ITEMS
Lettuce Heads
Leeks
Spaghetti Squash
Cilantro
Curried Carrots
Ground Beef / Safflower Oil
PRODUCERS
Three Fiddles Farm - Bozeman
Towne's Harvest Garden - MSU, Bozeman
Towne's Harvest Garden - MSU, Bozeman
Amaltheia Organic Produce - Belgrade
Roots Kitchen & Cannery - Bozeman
Wickens Ranch - Winnifred / The Oil Barn - Big Sandy
Curried Spaghetti Squash Salad
Eat as-is, or try it as a lettuce wrap with washed and dried lettuce leaves. Would be nice served alongside our recipe for Keema Aloo. Serves 4-6 as a side.
3-4 C spaghetti squash, cooked and cooled - see below
1-2 C carrot, grated or julienned [you want ~ 5 C total of squash and carrots]
1 Tbs fresh lime zest or orange zest (or both)
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tsp fresh ginger, minced - sub a pinch or two of ground ginger
1/3 C raisins or dried cranberries (optional)
1/2 C toasted nuts - cashews, almonds, or peanuts
2-3 scallions, sliced
1/2 C cilantro, chopped
1/4 C olive oil
3 Tbs fresh lime juice - sub apple cider vinegar or rice vinegar
2 Tbs honey - sub agave, maple syrup, or brown sugar
1/2 tsp salt, plus more to taste
1/2 tsp ground turmeric
1 tsp curry powder
1/4 tsp cayenne - sub a pinch of red chili flakes, use more or less to taste (optional)
Garnish with Curried carrot pickles (diced), plus more cilantro, scallions, nuts, lime juice
To cook squash: place squash halves, cut-side down, in a microwavable dish with 2 Tbs water. Microwave uncovered on high until flesh is tender, 10-15 min. Or place squash halves, cut-side down, on a rimmed baking sheet with some water. Bake at 400 F until tender, 40-50 min. Cool completely, then scrape out and separate strands, discard the skins. Let drain in a mesh colander if watery.
In a large bowl, whisk together garlic, ginger, oil, lime juice, sweetener, salt, turmeric, curry powder, and cayenne until well-mixed. Then add the cooled squash, carrots, zest, nuts, raisins, scallions, and cilantro. Toss until well-mixed. Taste and adjust salt, acidity, heat, etc. Top with garnishes of your choice.
Spaghetti Squash Burrito Bowls
Make this vegetarian by substituting any variety of things for the ground beef: quinoa, rice, mushrooms, bell peppers, etc. See variation notes below. Serves ~4.
1 spaghetti squash, halved, seeds removed
2 Tbs extra-virgin olive oil or safflower oil, divided
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 C leeks, chopped and rinsed well
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 lb ground beef
1 Tbs taco seasoning mix - see below for a homemade recipe!
1 15-oz can black or pinto beans, or ~1 1/2 C cooked beans
1 1/2 C cherry tomatoes or other fresh tomato, chopped
1 C corn kernels, frozen or canned - sub diced peppers, mushrooms, cabbage, etc
Toppings: cheese, cilantro, scallions, avocado, salsa, hot sauce, sour cream, fresh lime juice, etc
Preheat oven to 400°. Drizzle cut sides of spaghetti squash with 1 Tbs oil and season with salt, chili powder, and cumin. Place the halves cut-side down on a large, rimmed baking sheet (line with foil for easier clean-up). Roast until tender, 40-45 min. Let cool until you can handle it. Scoop out the squash meat from the shell and, using a fork, break up the strands. [You can do this part ahead of time and refrigerate the cooked squash. Gently reheat before using]
Meanwhile, in a large skillet over medium heat, heat 1 Tbs olive oil. Add leek and cook until soft, ~5 min. Stir in garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute more. Add ground beef, breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon. Cook until beef is no longer pink, ~6 min. Stir in taco seasoning, then add beans, cherry tomatoes, and corn and heat through, stirring occasionally. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Keep warm if squash is still roasting.
Fill each bowl with a scoop or two of the spaghetti squash, then top with the warm taco filling, followed by cheese, cilantro, diced avocado, sour cream, salsa, hot sauce or whatever you like to use.
Notes: 1) You can use the squash shells as bowls. Use a fork to separate the strands, leaving them in the shell. Top with taco filling and a bit of cheese. Return to the oven for ~5 min, or until cheese is melty. 2) You could also make this as a casserole-type dish. Mix the cooked and squash together with the taco filling and most of the cheese. Transfer to a greased casserole or baking dish, top with remaining cheese and bake until heated throughout and cheese is melted, 20-25 min. Cover with foil for first 10-15 min to keep from over-browning. Serve with your preferred taco toppings.
Additional Recipes & Suggestions
Jamaican-inspired Picadillo - use some of the curried carrots for a pop of flavor, plus maybe some cayenne or chili flakes, in place of the escovitch sauce.