Spaghetti Squash, Creamy Leek Casserole (Paleo)

By seamline

From Brenda Strausz

Ingredients

• 1 prepared large spaghetti squash (3-4 cups spaghetti), see note below. Click here for my Perfect Baked Spaghetti Squash instructions.
• 1/2 head cauliflower, cut into florets
• 2 medium parsnips, peeled and chopped (2 heaping cups chopped parsnips)
• 1/2 cup coconut milk
• Salt, to taste, or Herbamare seasoning, available here (an organic herbal salt - highly recommended!)
• 2 Tbs. ghee or coconut oil
• 2 shallots, minced
• 1 large or 2 small leeks, thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup fresh dill, measured and then chopped
• Optional: 1 lb. ground sausage of choice or 2 cups shredded chicken

Details

Preparation time 40mins
Cooking time 90mins
Adapted from empoweredsustenance.com

Preparation

Step 1

1. Preheat the oven to 350 and grease a small casserole dish.
2. Steam the cauliflower and parsnips together until they are tender, about 15 minutes. Drain and cool slightly. Use a blender to pureé the cauliflower and parsnips with the coconut milk and 1/2 tsp. Herbamare.
3. In a saute pan, heat the ghee over medium heat. Add the shallots and leeks, and sauté, stirring occasionally, until softened and translucent, about 10 minutes.
4. Combine the spaghetti squash, cream sauce, leek mixture, dill and cooked sausage/chicken if using. Season to taste with salt or additional Herbamare.
5. Bake until hot and the squash is fully cooked, about 30 minutes.

To Balke Squash:
1. Smallish spaghetti squashes are easier to cut for this recipe. Use due caution when cutting the squash!
2. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
3. Slice the ends off the squash and discard. Then, cut about 1 1/2 inch wide rounds of the squash (I make 4 cuts in a small squash) and set on a baking dish lined with unbleached parchment paper, for easy cleanup. Use a spoon to scrape out the seeds.
4.Bake until the strands are tender but not mushy, about 20 - 25 minutes. Use a fork to pull the strands into the center of each round. This creates long strands of spaghetti.

Notes
Ever-so-slightly undercook the squash. It should have a slight crunch, and not be mushy. The squash will continue to soften while the casserole is baking. The casserole can be assembled ahead of time and stored in the fridge. Before serving, place in the oven. You will need to increase the baking time by likely 15-20 minutes.