Wednesday, November 3, 2010

Spaghetti Squash Autumnvera, and a Giveaway from Turtle Island

Today, a recipe. It started out as a primavera, but took a turn for the different. I suppose I should call it Spaghetti Squash Autonno, but that sort of sounded like tuna, and I somehow like the sound of autumnvera.


Spaghetti Squash Autumnvera

½ c raw unsalted cashew pieces
1 medium to large spaghetti squash
1 shallot, finely diced
1 c spinach leaves
2 roma tomatoes, finely diced
1 clove garlic, microplaned or minced
½ t sage
½ t salt
¼ t pepper
½ c cooked winter squash (I used kabocha)

Soak ½ c cashews in water overnight. Drain, place in a blender, fill water just to over the cashews and whizz for a few minutes, under very creamy. (This is a Tal Ronnen method.) Set aside.

Pierce the spaghetti squash with a knife in five or six places, and bake at 400 degrees until it is very soft, maybe an hour. Set aside to cool enough to handle. You could bake it the night that you soak cashews to be ready to go the next day. Cut the squash in half and remove seeds and slimy center. (You can also do this before baking; just cut the squash in half and scrape out the pulp and seeds.) Scrape the squash strings into a bowl and fluff with a fork. You may want to use your fingers to pull through and further separate them.

Sauté the shallot until translucent and soft. Add the tomato, spinach, and garlic. Cook down until the spinach is wilted and there is no water visible. Add the sage, salt, pepper, cashew cream, and winter squash and warm for a bit. It will be thick. Add the spaghetti squash and stir to mix, and heat gently for a few minutes. Serve warm.

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Today's giveaway is brought to you buy the generous people at Turtle Island Foods! Two lucky winners will win a coupon good for a Tofurky pizza (have you been curious?), and three others will win a coupon good for almost any other Turtle Island product (Yum, Jurky! Peppered Slices!). To enter, please leave a post below, telling me your about your favorite Turtle Island product, or a turtle you saw once, or anything at all. This giveaway is open to anyone who can get Turtle Island Foods products. The coupons do not specify where they can be used, so enter if you can buy Turtle Island/Tofurky products where you live! If you've already won a bigger giveaway from me this month, please consider not entering again so that lots of people have a good chance!

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I have used the random.org widget, but no luck yet on getting it to post the way I want. I will keep on working on this. The winner of yesterday's generous giveaway, Quick and Easy Vegan Celebrations by Alicia Simpson, is Bobbi Nummers! Please send your name and address to me at miso...@yahoo.com. Congratulations!

23 comments:

  1. Please exclude me from this giveaway (I wouldn't be able to use the coupon) - but I just had to comment that your spaghetti squash autumnvera looks really good. I have only had spaghetti squash once - and, I have to say, it was not my favorite - but your picture makes me want to give it another try. :)

    Good luck to everyone else in the giveaway!

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  2. I want to play the giveaway! Turtle Island foods are the best! They make Turtle Trails soy ice cream and Tofurky and all kinds of good stuff that I love. And their customer service folks are super nice.

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  3. I don't need to be entered in the giveaway, but your squash looks amazing. I've never used spaghetti squash before but now I want to.

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  4. You are so much better with spaghetti squash that I am. I'm jealous!

    Also, I love Tofurky slices, even if they do give me gas.

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  5. I used to eat the tofurkey sausages before I learned how to make my own; I've seen the pizzas in a lot of stores lately, but could never stomach the price tag.

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  6. I have only recently become a vegan, so i have never had the chance to try tofurkey anything. I am the the only vegan in my household and at 16, i will be having to do my own dinner. So i will probably be doing the holiday dinner they came out with.

    I also agree with Lauren. You are excellent with spaghetti squash. The jealousy is mutual :)

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  7. The Spaghetti Squash Autumnvera looks amazing.

    The Tofurky Pizzas are my favorite post-yoga snack!

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  8. Hickory smoked Tofurkey slices. I can eat three sandwiches of just bread, Veganaise and Tofurkey. Oh, maybe it's a tie between Veganaise and Tofurkey slices. And I do love the Tofurkey pizza. It's too difficult to choose!

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  9. Yay! I'm so psyched I won yesterday's book! Don't enter me in the Turtle Island contest, I just wanted to say YAY!

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  10. Tofurkey deli slices make my lunchtimes special. They take me to a happy place.

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  11. Tofurky deli slices are great chopped on pizza, but even better is Tofurky pizza. I've only had it once, but I dream of devouring a whole one all by myself

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  12. I've tried one Tofurkey pizza, but I'd love to try a different flavor!

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  13. That looks really delish!
    My oldest son votes for Tofurky smoked deli slices. :-)

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  14. I love their Tofurky "Turkey" and jerky, I eat their deli slices quite often :o)

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  15. I love the Tofurky pizzas! They are perfect for a lazy day.

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  16. Love this recipe! I will be trying it in the next few days. Thanks.

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  17. I love spaghetti squash, and this recipe looks great! I happen to have a spaghetti squash in my kitchen waiting to be cooked, so I think I'll be trying this dish very soon.

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  18. Your Spaghetti Squash Autumnvera looks amazing!

    I would love to enter the giveaway. I can get lots of Turtle Island products at my beloved Wegmans.

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  19. Just last week I rescued a turtle from the middle of the road as I was driving home. I stopped and got out of my car to move it and the person behind me just zoomed right on past us.

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  20. Turtles are the greatest thing ever. After vegan frozen desserts, that is.

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  21. I'm not entering but I LOVE that your pasta sauce is cashew-based, it's such a good way of making sauce :D And this is the second blog I've seen spaghetti squash on today and it really makes me wish we had it here!

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  22. I've been DYING to try the new Tofurky pizzas! A coupon for a free one could totally make it happen! ;)

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  23. Your spaghetti squash looks wonderful and creamy!

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