Confession: I
just discovered spaghetti squash.
I know some of you superwomen out there have been using it forever as a pasta substitute. You were right, and it is heavenly, but I have to tell you that
there is something even better to be had in the leftovers...
I was on my way back from a long run at the gym when I started thinking about lunch. We had gorged on spaghetti squash, marinara and ground turkey the night before, so I knew I had some leftovers. It seemed like a decent plan.
...but really, who wants to eat regular old leftovers?
I was still in the car when I realized I could make something even better with my bowl of spaghetti squash. Throw that spaghetti squash in a pan with some paleo flour, egg white, and nutritional yeast - oh, and don't forget the garlic - and you get something that is restaurant-worthy.
You know, like a good restaurant.
These fritters? Each one is a savory, cheesy, goody with a crispy exterior and a warm, textured, cheesy inside. Soak it in the warm yolk of a soft-poached egg and it cannot be beat.
Savory Spaghetti Squash Fritters with Poached Eggs
Servings: 2
Total time using fresh spaghetti squash: <90 minutes
Total time using leftover (cooked) spaghetti squash: <15 minutes
Ingredients for Savory Spaghetti Squash Cakes:
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tbsp egg whites (1 egg white)
- 2 tbsp almond flour
- 1 tbsp coconut flour
- 1 tbsp parmesan or nutritional yeast (use nutritional yeast to make this recipe dairy free)
- 1.5 cups spaghetti squash, cooked and stringy
- 2 tbsp coconut oil (or your cooking oil of choice)
Ingredients for Poached Eggs:
- 2 eggs
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar (optional)
- Water
Directions to cook and prep spaghetti squash (skip this step if you are using leftovers or already prepared stringy spaghetti squash):
- Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.
- Poke spaghetti squash 4 times with a fork or knife to allow for air to escape.
- Place on an aluminum or parchment lined pan and bake for 60-70 minutes, until the outside can be much more easily pierced with a fork.
- Remove from oven and let cool enough that it can be handled.
- Cut in half length-wise, then scoop out the seeds and discard.
- Use a fork to remove the flesh and use for the recipe. Flesh should come out nice and stringy, like angel-hair pasta!
Directions:
- Combine garlic, egg white, flours, parmesan/nutritional yeast, and spaghetti squash in a bowl and mix well. Divide in two and roll into balls.
- Heat coconut oil over high heat in a covered skillet until melted.
- Place both cake balls in the oil and use a thin spatula to flatten them to be about half an inch thick. Cover and cook for 3 minutes.
- (Optional directions for adding poached eggs: While cakes are cooking, fill a sauce pan with 2 inches of water and boil. Add rice vinegar, lower to a light simmer, and use a small cup or ramekin to slowly slip each egg into the water. Wait for 3 minutes for soft poached eggs, then use a spoon to remove)
- Reduce heat, remove the cover, and flip both cakes using the thin spatula. Re-cover and return to high heat for an additional 2-3 minutes.
- Remove from heat and top with poached eggs.
