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Un-Spaghetti: Quinoa Pasta with Roasted Red Pepper + Butternut Squash Sauce


While tomato sauce and traditional bolognese is one of my absolute favorite things to cook, I was craving something different for Sunday Supper and we had our God son so I wanted to get in as many veggies as I could in a creative way. I roasted some butternut squash with some sliced red peppers and blended them up with a little pasta water, chicken stock and a tbsp of goat cheese to add some richness- so easy and such a delicious and different sauce you can use in so many ways! This would go great over grilled chicken, triple the recipe and it would even make a great soup!

Loving this sauce and hoping you will too- get creative with it and let me know what you do!

SERVING SIZE: 4 (or 2 with leftovers)

PREP TIME: 5 minutes

COOK TIME: 25 minutes

INGREDIENTS:

1lb gluten free quinoa or chickpea pasta (ancient harvest is a great quinoa option and my go-to chickpea pasta is bonza brand)

1 lb ground local, organic chicken or turkey

1tsp salt

1tsp pepper

1 tsp chili flakes

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp onion powder

1 tsp dried basil

1 tsp dried oregano

coconut or olive oil spray

2 cups raw, organic baby spinach (or kale)

1/2 cup fresh, chiffonade basil *

sauce:

3 large red bell peppers (cut into 1 inch pieces)

2 cups butternut squash (cut into cubes)

coconut or olive oil spray

salt + pepper

1 tbsp dried oregano

1 tbsp dried basil

1/2 cup chicken stock

1 ladle full of pasta water

1 tbsp (or more depending on how rich you want it- start with 1 and add more if you want)**

1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese**

RECIPE:

preheat oven to 400 degrees. Start the sauce- spray an aluminum foil lined baking sheet with coconut or olive oil. Add the chopped peppers and butternut squash and season with salt, pepper, oregano and basil. Bake for 20-25 minutes while you make the ground chicken/turkey and pasta.

While the vegetables are cooking, heat 4 cups of salted water, covered, until boiling. While you wait for the water to boil start the ground turkey/chicken- in a saute pan on high heat, spray thoroughly with coconut or olive oil spray and let heat for 1 minute. Add the ground meat and season with listed seasonings, mixing and stirring until cooked through. Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook for about 6 minutes or until al dente (be really careful not to overcook the pasta, gf pasta easily overcooks and will fall apart :( )

Before you drain the pasta, make sure to ladle out the pasta water for the sauce. When the vegetables are done, scrape everything (including any juices) into a blender and add the pasta water, chicken stock, salt and pepper and cheese (if using). Blend everything until you achieve the consistency you like and continue to season to taste.

Mix the pasta, sauce, ground meat and raw spinach in a large bowl and serve with fresh basil and a little extra parmesan. Happy Eating!

*How to chiffonade basil:

**totally optional- omit for a completely dairy free dish; I would add some nutritional yeast if going dairy free here and a tbsp or two of coconut cream to thicken and add some richness that way.


Kristen's Cooking Tips

#1 

Use sharp knives! Slicing, chopping, mincing- sharp knives cut prep time in half and are WAY safer than fighting with dull blades that barely get through the skin of a tomato. At the very least, get a knife sharpener and run the blade across it before any prep. 

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#2

Taste EVERYTHING as you go! Cooking is about using instinct and creating flavors- you'll never learn to cook if you don't develop instincts... taste the food at every stage and follow the flavor development, adding more salt, more acid, more cream- whatever your taste buds are reaching for. 

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#3

Mis en Place: it's french for everything in it's place. Before you start a dish, gather all of your ingredients and prep everything you need in advance. Minced garlic? mince it first and set aside. Chopped herbs? Chop away and be ready when you need them. So many people I talk to say cooking is stressful, there is "too much going on"- it's all about time management. Cooking should be relaxing and fun! Think about your favorite cooking show... notice how they always have everything they need right there? Read the whole recipe through and zoom out- while this is cooking, make this; while this is chilling, cook this. Know how to breakdown the steps and prepare your ingredients so you're not stuck with burning garlic while you're chopping cilantro. Go in with a clear mind and know you're about to fuel your body and nourish your soul with your own two hands...and a few sharp knives ;)

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