spaghetti squash rainbow salad

this week i cooked up a massive spaghetti squash from my csa - actually that's a lie, it was so big that i only cooked half of it!  the rest is waiting patiently in the fridge to be enjoyed over the weekend.  with the first bit we had a yummy spaghetti squash bolognese but we only got through half of what i cooked because each quarter of the squash yielded 4 cups of cooked 'noodles'!

the leftover 4 cups came in handy today when i wanted to make a quick lunch for myself and m.  he's busy working in the record store today and i'm baking cupcakes all day for a friend's wedding tomorrow.  {and my fingers are crossed that they get a bit of sun for their outdoor ceremony!}

{spaghetti squash rainbow salad}

this salad came together really quickly because i already had cooked spaghetti squash on hand, but with an hour's prep you can make it too - and that hour is pretty much yours to enjoy since once the squash is in the oven baking it doesn't need any attention.

{rainbow for two}

spaghetti squash rainbow salad
serves 2 as a main or 4 as a side
4 cups cooked spaghetti squash
1/2 cup red cabbage, shredded
1/4 cup red bell pepper, diced
1/2 cup green kale, shredded
1 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
4 tbsp capers
juice of 1/2 lemon
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 tsp caper brine {optional}
sea salt & pepper

to cook the spaghetti squash, slice it in half lengthwise from end to end.  place each half cut side down on a baking sheet lined with tin foil and bake in a preheated oven at 375f for 45 minutes to 1 hour.  remove the baking sheet from the oven and allow the squash to cool a bit before handling it.  then, flip it over and scoop out the seeds {these should come away quite easily}.  i put my seeds aside to wash and toast later.  then gently with a fork, scrape away the flesh from the squash and watch in amazement as strands of spaghetti-like threads appear!  {next time i'll have to take photos of this too because it really is a sight to behold if you've never cooked a spaghetti squash before!}

the salad can be quickly assembled by combining all the ingredients in a large bowl and tossing to coat evenly with the oil, lemon and brine {if using}.  season to taste with sea salt and fresh cracked black pepper.  if you're using fresh-baked squash and enjoying this dish warm, then assemble things right before serving.  if you'll be using squash that's fully cooled, the salad can be prepared an hour or two in advance and kept in the fridge.

{bring on the squash}

i loved the different colours and textures this dish offers.  there's a nice crunch from the cabbage & bell pepper, a slight chew from the kale and little bursts of briney goodness from the capers.  all that against a sweet, tender background of spaghetti squash.  yum.

i hear that some folks aren't keen on capers?  if you count yourself as one of them, some chopped sundried tomatoes would be nice in this dish too.


have yourselves a lovely few days & happy weekend!
xo
jess

{shared at ricki's wellness weekend}