Rewind to a month ago. I was in an adventurous mood while shopping at the grocery store. I bought lots of vegetables, including a spaghetti squash. Since Braelyn can’t have noodles, I thought I could create a spaghetti recipe using the squash as a replacement. Then I thought, “Boring” “Typical” “I can do better than that”. How about a stir-fry instead? As in the spaghetti squash replaces the lo mien noodles instead of the obvious spaghetti noodles. Perfect!
Fast forward to yesterday and all those other vegetables I had bought at the grocery store have been used. In fact, I’ve probably made at least 8 more trips to the grocery store buying even more vegetables to be cooked and eaten. But where is that lonesome spaghetti squash? Still on my counter. And where is that spaghetti squash stir-fry recipe? Still in my head!
That’s it, it was time to stop second guessing and get to work. Either this stir fry was going to happen or it wasn’t, so I had better just try it so I could quit thinking about it and move on with my life. Dramatic, right?! Fortunately, for pride’s sake, the recipe was a success. A very healthful success indeed! What a flavorful and filling vegetarian meal this turned out to be. The orange honey glaze was a complimentary balance of sweet and savory, and the mixture of vegetables gave a tender crunch to each bite. I couldn’t help but top the dish with chopped cashews to give yet another level of texture to this meal.
So with all that being said, I think the main conclusion here is this: the next time I buy a spaghetti squash, it will surely not sit on my counter for a month! Oh, and just so you know I did Google why asparagus makes your pee stink. Indeed I did. And you know what I found out? I have a special gene, along with 25% of the population, that allows me to smell the compounds released in my body from the asparagus. Yes, I am very special. Very, very special!
Orange and Honey Glazed Asparagus Stir Fry
Ingredients:
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup carrots, sliced in 1/8” circles
½ cup onion, cut in ½” pieces 1 cup red bell peppers, cut in 1/2” pieces
2 cups asparagus, cut in 1” sticks
2 cups mushrooms, cut in quarters
1 clove garlic, minced
¼ cup plus 1 tablespoon honey
¼ cup apple cider vinegar
¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons orange juice
2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons gluten free tamari sauce
3 teaspoons cornstarch
1 average sized spaghetti squash (about 2 ½ pounds)
¼ cup chopped pistachios or cashews for garnishing
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Wash squash and cut lengthwise. Scoop out seeds. Place face down in baking pan with ¼” water. Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour until tender.
2. While squash is cooking, prepare all vegetables by cutting into bite size pieces. Make sure to remove at least an inch from the bottom of the asparagus and discard. Keep veggie pieces separate as you will cook them at different times in the process.
3. Prepare sauce by mixing honey, apple cider vinegar, orange juice, tamari sauce and cornstarch. Stir until cornstarch dissolves in liquid. Set aside.
4. Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil over medium high heat in a large saucepan. Add carrots and onions and cook for 7 minutes, stirring frequently so as not to burn. Reduce heat slightly if needed. (Add 1 tablespoon at a time of water if pan gets to dry while cooking vegetables. Heat should be slightly hire than medium for sautéing)
5. Add red bell peppers and cook 3 minutes more, stirring frequently.
6. Add asparagus and mushrooms and cook 7 minutes more, continuing to stir. Add garlic and cook an additional minute.
7. Reduce heat to medium low. Pour 2/3 of sauce mixture over vegetables and stir until sauce becomes bubbly and thickens. Remove from heat.
8. Pour remaining sauce into small saucepan. Bring to a light boil and stir until sauce is reduced by almost half and thickened.
9. Arrange spaghetti squash flesh side up on platter. Divide vegetables evenly among squashes. Drizzle additional sauce over top of veggies. Garnish with chopped pistachios or cashews.
Serves 4
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 cup carrots, sliced in ⅛” circles
- ½ cup onion, cut in ½” pieces 1 cup red bell peppers, cut in ½” pieces
- 2 cups asparagus, cut in 1” sticks
- 2 cups mushrooms, cut in quarters
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- ¼ cup plus 1 tablespoon honey
- ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
- ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons orange juice
- 2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons gluten free tamari sauce
- 3 teaspoons cornstarch
- 1 average sized spaghetti squash (about 2 ½ pounds)
- ¼ cup chopped cashews or pistachios for garnishing
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Wash squash and cut lengthwise. Scoop out seeds. Place face down in baking pan with ¼” water. Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour until tender.
- While squash is cooking, prepare all vegetables by cutting into bite size pieces. Make sure to remove at least an inch from the bottom of the asparagus and discard. Keep veggie pieces separate as you will cook them at different times in the process.
- Prepare sauce by mixing honey, apple cider vinegar, orange juice, tamari sauce and cornstarch. Stir until cornstarch dissolves in liquid. Set aside.
- Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil over medium high heat in a large saucepan. Add carrots and onions and cook for 7 minutes, stirring frequently so as not to burn. Reduce heat slightly if needed.*
- Add red bell peppers and cook 3 minutes more, stirring frequently.
- Add asparagus and mushrooms and cook 7 minutes more, continuing to stir. Add garlic and cook an additional minute.
- Reduce heat to medium low. Pour ⅔ of sauce mixture over vegetables and stir until sauce becomes bubbly and thickens. Remove from heat.
- Pour remaining sauce into small saucepan. Bring to a light boil and stir until sauce is reduced by almost half and thickened.
- Arrange spaghetti squash flesh side up on platter. Divide vegetables evenly among squashes. Drizzle additional sauce over top of veggies. Garnish with chopped cashews or pistachios.
