Pesto Bacon Spaghetti Squash (grain and dairy free, paleo)

Dinner time is sacred time at our house.  It is the one time of day that everyone gathers around the table to talk, eat, and enjoy each other’s company.  I work hard to encourage all of us to be sure to get home for dinner. It is a tradition that I cherish and value.  And I spend a lot of time creating deeply nourishing meals that my family wants to come home to.  Like this meal: Pesto Bacon Spaghetti Squash.

Morning time is my most creative and productive time.  I wake up most mornings and start prepping food for the day.  I find that late afternoon gets hectic around here and my energy level goes down, so cooking dinner in the morning works better for me.  I love getting to the end of the day and having a delicious, home-cooked meal ready to heat up.

My little one (who will be 3 this summer) is my side kick in the kitchen.  We both put on our aprons in the morning and take on our daily food projects.  We are often found making ghee, sauerkraut, muffins, or paleo crackers.  It makes me happy to see her growing up in my kitchen seeing REAL food being prepared.  I try to make it fun for her to learn her way around the kitchen.  I give her little jobs to do.  Her favorite by far is to be my official spoon licker.

Yesterday, I decided to bake some spaghetti squash that I got at our local CSA.  My kids always love spaghetti squash noodles.  I made a fresh pesto to go on top.  And some left over bacon.  It was super easy, but WOW! was it good.  It makes me happy to see my family enjoying good food sitting around the table that I grew up eating at.  It may only be 20 minutes out of my day, but it feeds my cup and warms my heart,

Now let’s get to that recipe, shall we?  There are several ways to prepare spaghetti squash.  Here are my favorite ways:

• Cut the squash in half lengthwise, scrape out the seeds, and place inside a large crock pot.  Pour in about an inch of water.  Cook on high for about 2 hours, or until soft.
• Cut the squash in half lengthwise, scrape out the seeds, and place skin side up on a greased baking sheets.  Lightly oil the outside skin as well. (I use coconut oil or ghee).  Bake for 35-45 minutes on 400’F, or until fork-tender.
• Place whole (uncut) spaghetti squash on an greased baking sheet.  Bake at 350° for 60-80 minutes.  Allow spaghetti squash to cool for 20-30 minutes.  Cut squash open with a knife.   Using a spoon scoop out seeds.  Scrape the flesh out of the squash into stringy noodles.

Looking for an easy weeknight meal that the whole family will love?  This Pesto Bacon Spaghetti Squash dinner is sure to please.  You can prep the squash, bacon, and pesto ahead of time. It’s easy to reheat and assemble when it’s time for the tribe to gather and eat.

Wishing you and yours many happy and relaxing meal times together!

Pesto Bacon Spaghetti Squash (gluten, grain, and dairy free, paleo)

• Author: Katja from Savory Lotus
• Yield: 4 1x

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Ingredients

• 2 spaghetti squash
• a titch of coconut oil (like this) or ghee (like this) for oiling squash
• 1 bunch fresh basil, leaves only
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 tsp fresh lemon juice
• 1 clove of garlic, minced
• 1/4 tsp unrefined sea salt (I use this one)
• 1/4 cup hemp seeds (like these) or raw pumpkin seeds
• 4 strips of cooked bacon, chopped

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Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400’F.
2. Cut the squash in half lengthwise, scrape out the seeds, and place skin side up on a greased baking sheets. Lightly oil the outside skin as well. (I use coconut oil or ghee). Bake for 35-45 minutes , or until fork-tender. Allow to cool slightly.
3. Meanwhile, place basil, olive oil, lemon, garlic, and salt into a food processor. Process until you achieve a smooth texture. You will need to scrape the sides a few times.
4. Add the hemp seeds (or pumpkin seeds) and pulse until desired pesto consistency. Adjust for salt and lemon.
5. Once squash are a bit cool, scrape out the tender “noodles” into a large bowl and toss with the pesto. Fill squash shells with pesto “noodles,” garnish with chopped bacon, and serve.

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MORE SPAGHETTI SQUASH RECIPES:

• Spaghetti Squash Carbonara (Primal)
• Italian-Style Roasted Baked Spaghetti Squash(Primal)
• Spaghetti Squash Fritters (Paleo)
• Wild Mushroom Ragout over Spaghetti Squash (Paleo)
• Grain Free “Spaghetti” Boats (Primal)

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