Spaghetti Squash with Edamame-Cilantro Pesto

Nicole this recipe reminds me of eating salted-edamame in your kitchen. I can't ever get enough! So, when I make this recipe I never end-up with as many beans as called for, because I've ate too many of them: very addicting!

Dinner Conversation:
Dad to my brother: "Aaron, pass the squash please?"
Aaron: "That's not squash! That's spaghetti! Obviously."
[Obviously, this is a great way to get kids to eat their vegetables!]

2 2½ pound spaghetti squash or 1 big one
cooking spray
½ teaspoon salt
1¼ cups chopped fresh cilantro
1 cup vegetable broth
1 tablespoon extravirgin olive oil
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 garlic cloves, minced with a mincer
1 pound frozed soybeans, shelled (edamame)
¼ cup grated parmesan cheese
2-3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into strips
white wine
butter
herbs to taste

Preheat oven to 350. Cut each squash in half lengthwise; discard seeds. Place squash halves, cut sides down, on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350, or slightly higher if cold for 1 hour, until tender. Start the chicken and pesto about 45 minutes into cooking your squash. Take squash out of the oven. Cool slightly. Scrape inside of squash with a fork and remove the cool spaghetti-like strands to measure about 8 cups. Place in a large bowl. Sprinkle with ¼ teaspoon salt, toss gently to combine. Cover and keep warm.

Place cilantro, broth, oil, pepper, remaining ¼ teaspoon salt, garlic, and edamame in a food processor, pulse until coarsly chopped. Serve edamame pesto over squash, sprinkle with cheese.

For the chicken, fry in a pan with white wine, butter and herbs to taste until thoroughly cooked. (When my garden is in season these would be FRESH herbs!) Serve either alongside or on top of spaghetti & pesto.

Yields: 5 servings

Time to make: 1.5 hr