ROASTED SPAGHETTI SQUASH WITH CREAMY RED PESTO AND MUSHROOM SAUCE

Spaghetti squash is such a great alternative to starchy, processed pasta, without compromising taste.
I am always amazed when I make it for a guest, how often they say that they have never tried it before. It can look intimidating to experiment with the first time, but I promise it is easy to make!
It is a great dish to serve when entertaining, as it gets the compliments flowing and is also at times a conversation piece. You can use any sauce on them that you would use for a pasta dish. Some of the sauce I have tried it with are: garlic and lemon olive oil, creamy alfredo sauce, chili sauce, spicy arrabiata sauce, and marinara sauce with lentil balls (as seen in this previous  recipe, http://readyhealthgo.blogspot.com/2014/01/squashtini-and-nut-balls.html).
This time I tried a sun dried tomato pesto with sauteed mushrooms, and it was delicious!
I am sure this will become a family favorite.

ROASTED SPAGHETTI SQUASH WITH CREAMY RED PESTO AND MUSHROOM SAUCE

Ingredients:

For the squash:

3 spaghetti squash, halved lengthwise and seeded

For the sun-dried tomato pesto:

2 cups of basil leaves (packed)
3 garlic cloves, chopped
1 cup of sun-dried tomatoes, soften (put in hot water for 15-20 minutes if needed), then drain before using)
1/4 cup of pine nuts
2 tablespoons of olive oil
Sea salt and pepper to taste

For the sauce:

1 tablespoon of olive oil
1 onion, chopped
225g of mushrooms, sliced
1/4 cup of white wine
1 recipe of sun-dried tomato pesto (above)
3/4 cup of cashew cream (put 1/2 cup of raw cashew in a high speed blender with 1/2 cup of water, and blend until very smooth)

Preparation:

For the squash:

Line an oven tray with parchment paper.
Season the spaghetti squash with salt and pepper.
Place flesh side down and roast at 375 F for 45 minutes until fully cooked.
Remove from the oven and let the squash rest until cool enough to handle.
Using a large kitchen fork, scrape the strands of squash from the inside of the skin and place them in large bowl.

For the pesto:

In a food processor, place all the pesto ingredients and process until a coarse paste is formed.
Season with sea salt and pepper.

For the sauce:

In a large skillet, heat up 1 tablespoon of olive oil under medium high heat, add the onions, and cook for 3-4 minutes until translucent.
Add the mushrooms, saute another 5 minutes.
Add the white wine, and reduce until it is almost all absorbed.
Add the Sun-dried tomato pesto and the cashew cream. Mix well.
Pour the sun-dried tomato and mushroom sauce in the bowl along with the spaghetti squash strands. Mix well, split into 6 individual plates, and serve.

Bon appetit!

This will make 6 servings