Spaghetti squash with kale, shallots, apple, and raisins

Shredding the squash

Here's why fall is the best season out east: the leaves turn colors, you still don't have to wear a puffer jacket, and Trader Joes brings in everything pumpkin. So as I went crazy over the weekend picking out everything with the word pumpkin next to it and every weird shaped squash I could find I got excited about all the festive things to make this season.

Being national kale day, I went with a very healthy (warning you now this is mostly vegetables and vegan friendly!) spaghetti squash with kale, apple, shallots, and raisins warm salad recipe. Spaghetti squash is such an epic vegetable because you can do so much with it. Bake the whole thing, you'll only need half but use the other half as a spaghetti substitute later in the week by adding your favorite pasta sauce.

This warm salad is fun because of the different textures and flavors, the apples give it a little crisp and the raisins add a sweet element. This is health at its finest really using seasonal items and preparing them in the most healthy way.

1 spaghetti squash
1/3 cup of kale cup into 1/2 pieces (1/3 bag at TJ)
1 small shallot
1/4 apple (I chose gala)
Dried cranberries, raisins, or whatever you want to garnish
Cinnamon
Vegetable stock
Olive oil (optional)

1. To prepare your spaghetti squash you'll need to cut it vertically in half. To be honest this is the hardest part for me. When it's open, clean out the seeds and that pulp in the middle.
2. Place the two halves skin up, inside down on aluminum foil on a baking sheet for about 35 minutes at 350 F. Check at the 30 min. mark though.
3. While your squash is roasting brown your shallots and cut your apple into smaller pieces. Put both to the side.
4. Prepare your kale by putting the strips into a pot with vegetable stock that lightly covers the kale (not too much you can add as you go). Cook down the kale on high heat until all the stock is gone, this depends on how cooked you like your kale though. The more stock the more cooked it's going to be. Also a word about the small stems, I don't mind them but if that's not your thing take them out before cooking of course.
5. Your squash is ready when you can run a fork through it and shreds looking like spaghetti result. (Hence the name) Deshred your squash and set aside one half of it and take out a little from the second half. You'll want a little less than one half for this recipe.
6. Take note of the part about saving the rest of the squash it's definitely a great low calorie alternative to pasta.
7. Add cinnamon to the part of the squash you're used, and if you'd like a little more flavor olive oil or a sort of vinegar works too. I prefer the simple flavors of the squash and the recipe as a whole but that's just me.
8. Mix the kale and the squash together, and add the shallots, apple, and whatever garnish you'd like on top. I used golden raisins (highly recommend) and dried cranberries.
9. I served mine in the skin of the squash because who doesn't like eating out of a spaghetti squash bowl.