Dinner tonight – Spaghetti Squash with Salmon and Asparagus
What could be more satisfying than Pasta?
Compliment your Spaghetti Squash with Baked Salmon and Asparagus with Shitake Mushrooms. A complete meal that will hopefully leave with you some leftovers to have again this week!
You know what I love about Spaghetti Squash? It is one of those foods you can eat in volume without any guilt! It also goes great as a side with just about any protein. Tonight, allow me to suggest the following dinner: Baked Salmon with Spaghetti and roasted Asparagus with Shitake Mushrooms.
Lets’ start with how to cook a Spaghetti Squash:
- Preheat your oven to 375 degrees
- Place your Spaghetti Squash on a foil covered baking sheet
- Poke holes all over your Spaghetti Squash
- Place in oven and bake for 45 minutes to an hour based on size. When done, your Spaghetti Squash should have a slightly bronzed look on the outside. You will also know it is done when you can easily cut through with a knife.
- When done, I cut off both ends and then cut longways all the way through.
- Next I like to use a Grapefruit spoon to scoop out all of the seeds in the center of each half. I like the grapefruit spoon as it has “teeth” and makes for easy cleaning of the seeds.
- Once the center is all clean, I scoop out all of the center with a spoon and fork and place into a dish. As you spoon/ fork our all of the flesh, it will come out looking just like spaghetti.
- Next add my Lemon Basil pesto and Goat Cheese. (see below)
As you scroll though my recipes, you will see a recipe posted as Melissa’s Pesto. Here is a slightly different recipe.
Today I was able to purchase a beautiful, large BRIGHT YELLOW Spaghetti Squash. Why the emphasis on bright yellow? The brighter yellow color means the Spaghetti is going to be extra sweet!
So here is a slightly new twist on my Pesto which I will refer to here as my Lemon Basil Pesto:
Ingredients:
What you will need:
- One Lemon
- Tablespoon of Olive Oil
- 2 packs of fresh Basil leaves from your produce section
- About 10 to 12 Walnut halves
- One Tablespoon of Parm/Reggiano
- Two Tablespoons of Goat Cheese
Instructions
- Squeeze juice of 1 large lemon.
- Fistful of basil
- 10 Walnuts
- One tablespoon Parm/ Reggiano
- Tablespoon of Olive Oil
Add all 5 ingredients to a mini food processor. Stir into your Spaghetti Squash and top with a sprinkling of Goat Cheese. Done!
As you can see you are well on your way to an impressive dinner!
Next, roast your Asparagus!
Ingredients and Instructions:
- Preheat oven at 350 degrees
- One or two Bunches of Asparagus
- Lightly spray with Butter flavor Pam
- Add Shiitake Mushroom or any other type of Mushroom. I like the Shiitake’s as they have a more “meaty” flavor
- One 5oz can of Water Chestnuts
- Add another spray of Butter flavor Pam
- Sprinkle Garlic and Herb Seasoning by Frontier liberally.
- Bake in oven at 350 degrees for about 30-40 minutes
- When done, squeeze a bit of lemon juice all over the top
You are almost done! All you need to do is bake your salmon which you can cook at the same time as your asparagus.
I love left over salmon, so I typically bake (4) 4OZ servings at a time.
Ingredients and Instructions:
- 4 4OZ filets of Atlantic or Pacific WILD CAUGHT Salmon on the skin
- Be sure to pat your Salmon Filets dry
- Oven temp should be 350 degrees, same as your Asparagus
- Season with Salmon Seasoning by Frontier liberally
- Season with fresh or dried Frontier’s Dill liberally
- I like my Salmon cooked medium rare…. Really the best way to eat. Bake at 350 degrees for 13 minutes. DONE!
- Top your Salmon with a Teaspoon of Mango Chutney. My favorite brand is made by Sukhi’s Gourmet Indian Foods Company.
- Use a Spatula to lift salmon filet off the skin and add to your plate of Roasted Asparagus with Shitake Mushrooms and Lemon Basil Spaghetti Squash.
Enjoy Dinner!!!