After an intense hour and a half of hip-opening yoga, I needed something to pick me back up and make me feel warm and snug.
Super comforting, this is the kind of bowl you just want to curl up in the couch with while listening to Ed Sheeran in the background. It’s a safe, cosy place, and I love it.
I mean, what says cosy more than a hot bowl of spaghetti? It just feels so safe and homely, like nothing can go wrong.
That is what this spaghetti squash comfort bowl brings to the table. Spaghetti squash is a new love of mine. I mean, how incredible is it that a freakin’ pumpkin can be scraped into spaghetti, with little effort at all?! Pretty awesome if you ask me!
The sauce. Eeeer ma gaaawd the sauce!
The sauce just ties it all together, it really does make this dish. It’s wonderfully creamy without being too heavy, so it’s all the comfort without any of the weighing down. It’s a dish of intense gratification, with the hearty spaghetti squash, the warm and buttery cannellini beans, and the soothing steamed veggies.
We roast the squash with cinnamon and coconut oil, and roast a head of garlic along with it.
Have you ever had roasted garlic? It’s absolutely divine, with a caramelised flavour to it and such a soft texture, it just makes the taste buds sing. If you want a step-by-step, The Kitchn has a pretty awesome post on it!
This is the perfect bowl for when you just need a meal that's super warming and insanely delicious. It’s a dish of intense gratification, with the hearty spaghetti squash, the warm and buttery cannellini beans, and the soothing steamed veggies.
Author: Teffy Perk
Recipe type: Vegan, Gluten Free
Serves: 4
Ingredients
Comfort Bowl
1 spaghetti squash
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon coconut oil
Sprinkle of salt + pepper
1 large broccoli, cut into florets
1 large carrot, chopped
1 red onion, cut into half moons
½ teaspoon cumin seeds
¼ teaspoon mustard seeds
1 can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
¼ cup almonds, roughly chopped
Comfort Sauce
1 garlic head, roasted*
120ml tahini
2 limes, juiced
2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons tamari
3 tablespoons water
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon coconut sugar (optional)
Instructions
Preheat your oven to 200ºC/400ºF and place your whole squash and the foil wrapped garlic (check notes) inside for about 10 minutes, to soften it and make it easier to handle.
Carefully remove your squash from the oven and when it’s cool enough to handle cut in half lenghtwise and remove the seeds. Rub the cinnamon, salt, pepper and 1 tablespoon coconut oil onto the cut sides of the squash and place it in a baking tray cut side down.
Bake in the oven for about 40 minutes - it’ll be ready when the skin is a bit browned and the flesh is soft. Remove squash from the oven and let cool slightly, cut part facing up.
While your squash cools, boil some water in a steamer pan and place a steamer basket on top with your onions, carrots, and broccoli. Steam until tender but not too soft, about 3-5 minutes.
While the broccoli steams, add your cumin and mustard seeds to a small pan on high heat and toast, tossing frequently, for about 1 minute. Add your cannellini beans, salt, and pepper and reduce the heat to medium. Toss together until the beans have been warmed through.
To make your comfort sauce, place your peeled roasted garlic clove into a small bowl and mash with a fork. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix until smooth and creamy.
When squash is cool enough to handle, use a fork and scrape out the fleshy parts, moving your fork from side to side as you move down the length of the squash - that’s the direction the strands are in and will give you the longest “spaghetti”.
To serve simply place the spaghetti squash in a bowl and add your carrots, broccoli, and beans. Top with the onions and almonds and drizzle generously the comfort sauce!
Notes
*Peel the thin white skin and chop off the top of the garlic head. Drizzle in some macadamia oil and wrap in foil. Place in the oven with your squash and roast for 40 minutes - 1 hour until soft. I like to roast 2-3 heads at a time, as they last in the fridge for 2 weeks.
Hi, I'm Teffy, a qualified Nutritionist and avid foodie. This blog is all about inspiring a balanced life through delicious and wholesome foods, with not a diet in sight. Healthy eating shouldn't be hard and stressful, it should be easy and fun - Working with my clients they are constantly amazed that yes, food can taste great AND be good for you!
