Terrific Tempeh over Spaghetti Squash “Pasta”

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Tempeh and spaghetti squash… isn’t that what most people wake up to write about on the morning of their 49th birthday? I’m not sure how time goes so quickly, but here I am again spreading the word about plant-based eating! I am grateful for having found this way of living and am hoping to do this until I am at least 100! I wanted to bring you a new recipe to try out. 😉

Spaghetti Squash vs Pasta.

I am a huge pasta fan, so when people would equate spaghetti squash to noodles, I did kind of question their taste buds. However, when my daughter loved this dish and said it tasted like she was eating pasta, I took notice. I mean, a cup of spaghetti squash has 40 calories, where as a cup of spaghetti has 220… Not that I am huge into caring about calories. To me, the more important thing is making the calories that you do eat count, and as you can imagine, squash is much more nutritious than pasta.

Spaghetti squash is high in fiber, which binds to cancer causing toxins in the colon and ushers them out of the body. It is also high in vitamins A, C and B complex vitamins. It is a good source of minerals such as iron, copper, calcium and magnesium. ( 1) Regular pasta might taste great, but you are just not going to get as much nutrition from regular pasta made from semolina wheat. (Dang it… I wish pasta was the healthiest thing on the planet! 😉 )

To choose the best possible spaghetti squash, pick one that is heavy with a nice lemony color, that has a stem on it.

Tempeh! … huh? What’s that?!

A friend was saying the other day that she needed to get more beans and legumes into her family so I started to think about what sort of different recipes I could come up with. Even though the recipes linked below are perfect for these late fall days, I wanted something a bit more out of the box than Beluga Lentil Chili, Tortilla Soup and Lasagna Soup. Something I haven’t posted about yet is tempeh!

Are you wondering what the heck tempeh is??

A suburb in Phoenix? 🙂 If you drop the h, yes…

Tempeh is usually made from soybeans that have been pressed and fermented. It is very high in protein, coming in at more than double the protein in tofu. (So, you will finally have an answer when someone asks you, “But, where do you get your protein!?”)

Tempeh is a good source of prebiotics, fiber and calcium, as well as other minerals and vitamins. It is usually made with soybeans, but can also be made using any type of bean such as chickpeas, kidney, adzuki, etc.

Tempeh is easy to find in most grocery stores, usually in the same cooler as the tofu and faux meats near the produce section. The most common brand I have seen is LightLife.

You may also find a company in your city that makes tempeh. Here in Kelowna we have Vegilante Tempeh that will deliver directly to your door! You can find their products at the brand new Vegetarian Butcher on Lakeshore Road. It is possible to make your own tempeh as well… instructions here. I’ve never tried this, but who knows, it might become the new plant-based “sourdough bread” phenomenon if we head into lockdown again!

So, if you are up to trying out an new protein that is a healthy, non processed meat substitute, head to your grocery store to pick up a pack to add to your spaghetti sauce or to try out in this recipe! It can be served as a cutlet, cut into strips or chunks, or crumbled into dishes that would normally contain some sort of ground meat. Similar to tofu, it tends to take on the flavour that it has been cooked in.

Here it is! The recipe for Tasty Tempeh and Baked Spaghetti Squash pasta.

Terrific Tempeh over Spaghetti Squash Pasta

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Serves: 6 Prep Time: 20 minutes Cooking Time: 50-60 minutes to bake squash 50-60 minutes to bake squash

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Ingredients

• 2 medium spaghetti squashes
• 1- 8 ounce package of tempeh
• 2 cups tomato sauce
• 1 cup artichoke hearts, chopped into 1" pieces
• 1/2 red pepper, diced
• 1 small onion, or 1/2 medium onion, diced finely
• 1/4 cup of veggie broth or water, to moisten as you stir fry
• 4 cloves of garlic, diced finely
• 1 large kale leaf, core removed and chopped finely
• 2 tablespoons sundried tomatoes, chopped finely
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• 1 teaspoon hot sauce, (adjust to taste)
• 1 teaspoon oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.  
2. Wash spaghetti squash.  Carefully slice down the middle lengthwise and remove seeds and gooey center. (To cook the seeds, separate and rinse them, rubbing on a tiny bit of olive oil, if you like. Season with garlic powder and salt and any other spices you like.  Bake on a cookie sheet until slightly browned.) 
3. Place the 4 halves of the spaghetti squash face down in a large casserole dish.  Add about 1/4" of water to the pan. 
4. Bake for about 50 minutes to an hour until the squash is tender and separates easily from the skin.  (This baking can be done ahead of time and the squash can be reheated.)
5. While the squash is baking, wash and chop vegetables.
6. In a frying pan, using broth or water as needed, stir fry onion until translucent.  Add garlic, diced tempeh, oregano and garlic powder.  Cook for 3-4 minutes. 
7. Next add the remainder of the ingredients.  Simmer for 10-15 minutes.  
8. Once the spaghetti squash is cooked, allow to cool slightly then scoop out of the skin and place in a bowl.  Toss with a tiny bit of olive oil and salt and pepper if desired. 
9. Serve the dish piping hot, (reheat squash if needed), like a pasta dish, placing the squash on the bottom and the tempeh sauce on top. 
10. Enjoy!

                                                          www.thevibrantveggie.com

1. Nutrition and You. com – spaghetti squash