These were as easy-peasy as they were delicious. They’re Good for the gut and kid-approved! We love upgrading traditionally unhealthy Standard American Diet favorites and turning them into a veggie-full and flavorful, gut-loving dish. We had a great time preparing them with our friend and fellow RD mama, Grace Pascale (@BabyByChickpeas).
Spaghetti squash is one of our favorites as it is:
💛High in insoluble fiber to feed our healthy gut bugs
💛Low in calories and very filling
💛High in Manganese, which is essential for bone development and maintenance.
💛Manganese is also part of the antioxidant enzyme superoxide dismutase (SOD), which is arguably one of the most important antioxidants in your body, helping to reduce inflammation throughout the body & in the gut. 💛A hydrating vegetable
If you or your littles are chicken or chick-un nugget lovers, we recommend serving these along or instead of next time to up their veggie intake and fuel their healthy gut bacteria. Leila loved dipping them in primal kitchen foods date-sweetened ketchup!
Spaghetti Squash Nuggets
These not only look delicious but they are a nutritious and gut microbiome feeding powerhouse. Most burgers have absolutely no fiber, these are packed with soluble and insoluble fiber so you are getting one of the most important nutrients for you and your family!
Check out the ingredients and directions below.
Ingredients:
1 cup spaghetti squash
2 tbsp vegan parmesan cheese (we use The vegetarian express vegan almond parmesan)
3 tbsp green onions, finely chopped
2 cloves fresh garlic, minced
Salt to taste
Black pepper to taste
For the Breadcrumbs:
1/2 cup organic gluten free plain breadcrumbs (we used WhatUSee Foods Chickpea bread crumbs for extra plant protein & crunch)
1/2 tsp Italian seasoning
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/8 tsp salt
Directions:
Cut the spaghetti squash in half (carefully!) and steam in your Instant Pot for 7 minutes or bake for 30 minutes face down in the oven on 350F
Remove the squash halves from the oven or instant pot, let cool. Scrape the inner squash out with a fork into a cheesecloth
With a cheesecloth, squeeze out the excess water in a bowl & discard (or use to water your plants!) Chop or cut the spaghetti squash with a knife or cooking scissors, so you do not have any long strands and instead have small pieces (about 2 cm).
In a medium bowl, thoroughly combine the prepared spaghetti squash, vegan parmesan cheese, chopped green onions, and minced garlic cloves. Add salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.
In another small bowl, combine all the ingredients for the breadcrumb mixture.
To make each nugget, portion about 1 Tbsp of spaghetti squash mix into your hands and press together.
Drop the spaghetti squash into the breadcrumb mixture, taking care to coat each side.
Arrange the nuggets on a baking sheet and bake in the oven on 350 degrees F for 20 minutes (you can open the oven at 10 minutes and flip for a golden crisp on each side.
Serve plain or with your favorite dipping sauce like pesto, ketchup, or hot sauce. Enjoy!
Heal with Each Meal!
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