Kale, Kumatos & Spaghetti Squash Bake

This winter weather is really starting to piss me off. Honestly? I find it comparable to sharting. 

But seriously. I know that is just such a horrifying term but this weather is such a teaser. It’s like it wants to snow, but then it doesn’t quite really want to, so instead it just gives you a little glimpse of what snow could look like and instead of frolicking around in what should be a winter wonderland you’re inside having to change your pants due to the brown slush that has splattered all over you. 

One lousy shart after another over here in the Midwest. 

But on another note….. you should come visit, it’s like sooooooo beautiful……………………………..

😉

ANY WHO. Any. who. Because *shart* just got weird…. here is a seriously good spaghetti squash bake with roasted kumatos, garlic & kale. 

I know what you’re thinking. Spaghetti squash is like SOOOOO old news. You are on to bigger and better things, like zoodles, celeriac noodles, i mean literally anything you can spiralize. I get it. I was heading in that direction as well, until, I broke my zoodle contraption and thought the end was near. And then I remembered, spaghetti squash.

Hello.

It’s me.

I was wondering if after all these years you’d like to meet.

But seriously spaghetti squash is literally so easy and there is very little labor in comparison to the other noodle frauds. So I’m bringing back a “classic” in hopes that it will provide some lighter (yet still satisfying) comfort. 

Consume.

Recipe Notes:

There is a lot of roasting that goes on before the actual bake. Does NOT mean you’ll be doing more work. This just means theres a little more time involved, but completely hands off. Letting the oven do its magic. Which to me is the best kind of meal. And when I say a lot of time, I’m just talking two hours, so this still is incredibly easy to prepare after work.

You will find Kumatos in the tomato section (because yes they are a tomato). They are usually brown or greenish in color. They actually ripen from the inside out AND are the sweetest tasting tomato I have ever tried. Which is why I chose to use them for this particular dish since spaghetti squash is a little lacking in powerful flavor and kale has more of a spice to it. And garlic, well, garlic is just potent (in the best kind of way). You can find these tomatoes at Trader Joes and usually at most grocery stores (if you’re in St. Louis you can find them at Schnucks). HOWEVER if your grocery store does not have these in stock just use regular vine tomatoes and sprinkle just a tsp or two of brown sugar on top before roasting.

Kale, Kumatos & Spaghetti Squash Bake

Prep time:  15 mins

Cook time:  2 mins

Total time:  17 mins

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Ingredients

• Spaghetti Squash
• 4 kumatos, sliced into 1"2 rounds
• 2 heads of garlic, tops sliced (exposing tops of cloves)
• 4-6 cups kale
• ½ cup fresh basil (or 10 leaves)
• 1 tsp Garlic Powder
• ¼ cup olive oil + more for drizzle
• Salt
• Pepper

Optional:

• Parmesan

Instructions

For Spaghetti Squash:

1. First preheat oven to 375. Next very carefully, with a sharp knife, slice your spaghetti squash in half (length wise).
2. On a rimmed baking sheet (or dish) fill with water only about a ½" high. Poke the outside of your squash with a sharp knife all over and then place, cut side down, on water filled baking sheet.
3. Set in oven for 50 minutes until soft when easily pierced with fork.
4. Remove from oven and with a spoon scoop out seeds and discard. Next with a fork pull from top to bottom of inside of spaghetti squash, scraping out the "spaghetti". Place in a bowl and set aside until ready to use.

For Kumatos & Garlic:

1. Set oven to 375.
2. On a baking sheet place kumato slices and drizzle with a generous amount of olive oil and sprinkle with salt, pepper & garlic powder.
3. Next generously drizzle heads of garlic with olive oil & sprinkle with salt and pepper. Wrap loosely in aluminum foil and place on baking sheet with the Kumatos
4. Set in oven and let roast for about 30-40 minutes flipping tomatoes halfway through.
5. Remove tomatoes from oven. Check to make sure heads of garlic are down by removing a clove and making sure it is soft all the way through. Depending on your oven this can take up to an hour.

For the bake:

1. Once all vegetables are done roasting, In a baking dish add your kale, spaghetti squash kumato slices & fresh basil. Next add your head of garlic (without foil but still whole)
2. Drizzle a two tbsp of olive oil on top of spaghetti squash bake & toss. Salt & Pepper to taste.
3. Place back in 375 degree oven for about 20 minutes.
4. Remove & serve warm. Sprinkle parmesan on top.

3.5.3208

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