Spaghetti Squash with Moroccan Spices

Spaghetti Squash. One of my favorite hard-shelled winter squash.

When you love variety, you love versatility. This yellow gem is just that. Versatile. And this recipe is one of my favorite ways to bring a different twist, a Moroccan one, to an old favorite. It's bursting with flavor from the spices...but also very approachable due to the natural mild sweetness of the squash.

It's fantastic on it's own for a light lunch. Or along side a fish or chicken dish. In the photo below, it was served with tilapia (also in a Moroccan style).

*Shopping tip: When choosing a spaghetti squash, look for one that is heavy for it's size.

Spaghetti Squash with Moroccan Spices

(adapted from Gourmet 2002)

1 medium spaghetti squash (about 3-4 lbs)
1/4 cup butter
2-3 cloves minced garlic
3/4 tsp salt
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp ground coriander
pinch of cayenne pepper (to taste...for me it's about 1/8 tsp)
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves
1/4 cup slivered, blanched almonds

Preheat oven to 375 F.
Cut the squash in half (microwave the whole squash for 1 minute if the skin is too tough to cut through).

Using a spoon, scoop and scrap out the seeds and stringy insides.

Place the squash, cut side down, on a greased cookie sheet. Pierce the skin several times with a fork.  Roast for about 35-45 minutes or until tender when pressed on with a fork. Allow squash to cool for a few minutes.

While you're waiting for the squash to cool, melt the butter in small saucepan. Add the minced garlic. Saute for 2 minutes. Stir in spices and salt. Cook gently for a couple minutes until fragrant. Remove from the heat and set aside.

Then, using a fork, remove the flesh of the squash into a serving bowl, separating the strands as you work.

Pour butter mixture over the spaghetti squash strands and toss well. Top with chopped cilantro and slivered almonds.

Sweet Potato Fries with Cilantro & Lime

We love sweet potatoes in our house. And we particularly like them prepared in less traditional fashions. The sweet potato casserole that we all grew up on (you know the one with the toasted mini marshmellows on top), is good and all....but you haven't really appreciated sweet potatoes until you've tried them with some spicy flair.  

Whether sweets are a staple in your diet or you don't favor them at all, this recipe will open your eyes to a whole new potential for these little gems. Grab a lime and a bunch of cilantro and give it a shot!

Sweet Potato Fries with Cilantro & Lime

(adapted from The Messy Cook's "Tropical Sweet Potato Fries" on Allrecipes.com)
serves 4

4 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch wedges
3-4 TBS olive oil
1 TBS Kosher Salt
1/4 tsp ancho chili powder
1/4 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (or as much as you dare!)
a pinch of garlic powder, onion powder, and black pepper
Zest from 1 lime
additional salt and  pepper to taste
1/3 cup chopped cilantro

Preheat oven to 400 F.

Arrange sweet potatoes on two cookies sheet in a single layer, spreading them out so they touch as little as possible. They need space so they don't get soggy!

Drizzle olive oil over the fries. In a small bowl, combine Kosher salt, ancho chili powder, paprika, cayenne, garlic powder, onion powder, and black pepper. Sprinkle the seasoning mixture over the fries. Sprinkle the lime zest over the seasoned fries too.

Then, using your hands, mix the sweet potatoes around so they are all evenly covered with oil, the seasonings and zest. 

Roast on the middle rack of the preheated oven for approximately 30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes so ensure even browning. Cook until fries are tender on the inside and browned and starting to crisp on the outside.

Sprinkle with fresh chopped cilantro. Taste and add additional salt or pepper if required.

Serving suggestions: These are an awesome accompaniment for burgers, sloppy joes, or grilled chicken.

Roasted Cauliflower

We used to live in a small farming town in England.  The local farmers grew rapeseed, barley, parsnips, and cauliflower. Every harvest they would sing a song of thanksgiving with the children at our church that described different foods that were being harvested. Of course, one of the foods they sung about was cauliflower. And... the song describes it as 'fluffy'. 

Does that not seems odd to you?! Well, I did to me. It was tough keeping a straight face every time we sang out about fluffy cauliflower from the pews.

I was never a big fan of the stuff. Pungent, yet bland? And the texture was less than desirous. In fact, cauliflower was my least favorite vegetable...until this recipe. Roasting cauliflower brings out a fantastic sweetness and does wonders for the texture.

Its an easy recipe that you simply must give a try.

Roasted Cauliflower

1 large head cauliflower
2-3 TBS olive oil
2-3 cloves minced garlic
Kosher salt, to taste (about 1 tsp)

Preheat oven to 450F.

Break the head of cauliflower into bite-sized florets, keeping as uniform as possible. This will ensure they all cook evenly.

In a large bowl or resealable bag, toss together cauliflower, olive oil, salt, and minced garlic until evenly coated. Transfer to a medium baking dish. Roast, covered, for 45 minutes, or until soft and slightly caramelized.