Simple Buttered Spaghetti Squash with Parmesan & Parsley

I remember the first time I had noodles with butter, salt, and pepper. It was sometime during my later elementary school years (maybe even early middle school) and I was at a friend's house. Her dad was home and he made it for us as a snack. That first bite was a revelation for me! Something about the combination of the butter with the pepper tasted like the most comforting thing to ever pass my lips. Sometimes, the simplest things give us the most pleasure. Now, if I'm having a rough patch or if I just need to feel like that awkward, naive kid at the end of a regular old school day.

This is my grown up version of that classic, comforting dish.

As much as I would love to eat egg noodles every day, it just isn't something my already soft, squishy midsection can handle. Sooooooo, spaghetti squash it is! And to be completely honest, I'm not complaining one. little. bit. Spaghetti squash lends itself well to all kinds of dishes that are typically made with pasta, but this has to be my favorite. It's simple, fast, delicious, and perfect for those slightly chilly fall days that require comfort food.

If you're feeling fancy, you can add a touch of garlic to the butter, or a bit a protein. Italian sausage is lovely, but a simple poached or fried egg will also do just fine.

Simple Buttered Spaghetti Squash with Parmesan & Parsley

makes 4 servings

• 1 spaghetti squash
• olive oil
• salt
• 4 T unsalted butter
• 1/3 cup flat leaf parsley, chopped
• salt & black pepper
• grated parmesan cheese

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Cut the ends off the squash and then cut it in half lengthwise. Scoop out and discard the seeds and pulp.
3. Brush the cut sides of the squash with olive oil and sprinkle lightly with salt. Place the squash halves cut side down on a parchment lined baking sheet. Roast 45 minutes or until tender.
4. When the squash is cooked and has cooled off enough to handle, use a fork to scrape the squash out of the skin. It will magically become noodle-y!
5. Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the squash and season with salt a pepper. Toss the squash around in the butter to coat.
6. Remove from the heat and toss with the parsley. Transfer to serving bowls and top with parmesan cheese. Serve and enjoy!

Peach and Burrata Salad with Balsamic Reduction

Yep. I'm just gonna put that juicy peach photo right in your face this morning. Because who doesn't want to see a Peach and Burrata Salad up close and personal?

My 18 lb box of peaches has dwindled to less than half of what I started with. It's a sad state of affairs, knowing this sweetness will be gone soon. Fortunately, I learned from last year's mistake and we have avoided being bombarded with fruit flies (is there anything more annoying?) by making sure we had plenty of room for the peaches in the fridge. Once they hit their perfect stage of ripeness, I piled them all in the fruit drawer and have been taking 1 (make that 2) our each and every day to enjoy. My final task is to make a couple jars of my peach and hatch chile salsaand my Grandma Della's Peach Cobbler. If I'm lucky, I may make one more batch of these Peach & Oat Muffins from last week.

I spend a lot of time comparing my transition to life in Colorado to the first couple of years we spent in Japan. I LOVED living in Japan but not until the last 2, maybe 2 1/2 years. It was so strange and different and I didn't know what I was doing for those first couple of years that I just couldn't come around to it. However, once I figured out the rhythms of each season and had an idea what to expect, I was able to fall in love. I feel like I may be turning that corner here in Colorado, at long last. The current weather pattern, cool, crisp mornings, warm afternoons, and chilly nights, has won me over after weeks of weather that is too hot for my taste. Understanding that this refreshing time of year comes just after peach season is the kind of stuff I like to know about where I live. It's a strange quirk, perhaps, but at least I am aware of it. That makes change a little easier to deal with.

Speaking of change... Baby #2 is growing! I feel like I'm hungry every 30 minutes so I've been trying to fit in a lot of small, healthy snacks throughout the day. One of my favorites is a sliced peach, Greek yogurt, and a little sprinkle of muesli. Or a spoonful of natural peanut butter. Mmmmmmyes.

Well, I'm off to enjoy a lovely, cool morning outside with this guy. He makes my heart happy in so many ways. And he loves peaches just as much (maybe even more) than I do!

What are your favorite things about this time of year? This end-of-summer-beginning-of-fall time can be so lovely, don't you think?

Ponder that while you enjoy this easy, delicious, and healthy salad!

Peach and Burrata Salad with Balsamic Reduction

Serves 2

Total time: 15 minutes

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
• 2 cups baby spinach leaves
• 1 peach, sliced
• 1/3 cup toasted pecan halves
• 3 oz burrata cheese
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• sea salt
• black pepper

Instructions

1. Begin by making the balsamic reduction by putting the vinegar in a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a simmer and reduce by half. Remove from the heat and allow to cool.
2. Meanwhile, pile the spinach leaves on two plates and top with the peach slices, the pecans, and the cheese.
3. Drizzle with some of the balsamic reduction and the olive oil.
4. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste and serve.

Charred Brussels Sprouts + Pineapple

Last night, I spent a few minutes scrolling through some old blog posts from our first couple years in Tokyo. Brad and I started The Whites in Tokyo almost immediately after moving to Japan and I'm so grateful that we did. I remember sitting in our tiny business-hotel room with two twin beds complete with buckwheat filled pillows, trying to get rid of the sticky heat that hung over the city in late August. Brad wrote the first few posts while I worked on swimming out of a haze of culture shock. Finally, on August 20, 2008, I wrote my first post about venturing out on my own. Reading that was fascinating to me because it is not unlike how I feel living in Denver.

Reliving those early days of life in a new place helped remind me that I've come a long way since then. I owe a lot of my culinary knowledge to my time abroad because that was how I chose to get to know the culture. Prior to life in Tokyo, I never would have thought to put pineapple with brussels sprouts. But that's the beauty of experiencing new places domestic and abroad: the lessons we learn about food can follow us anywhere. While in Japan, I was able to travel to Thailand a couple of times and this recipe reminds me a little of the food I ate there. More because of the depth of flavor from the soy sauce, lemon and honey on the charred sprouts paired with the freshness of pineapple. That and the contrasting textures. All of these things remind me why I love Asian food. It is always so purposeful and never fails to unveil flavor combinations that linger in your mind long after you have swallowed each delicious bite.

Are you a brussels sprout hater? Get over it. You'll be glad you did. The sweet-salty sauce with the juicy, tart pineapple and crunchy almonds help take brussels sprouts to a new, exciting place far removed from the mushy, boring, flavorless land where they used to live. These would be great as a side dish to just about anything, but particularly dishes like grilled salmon or even with a burger as a healthier replacement for fries.

Who knows? At this time next year I may be posting a brussels sprout recipe inspired by life in the Wild West! Life has thrown crazier curve balls my way...

Charred Brussels Sprouts with Pineapple & Almonds

Makes 4 servings

• 3 1/2 cups or about 1 lb brussels sprouts
• 1 cup diced fresh pineapple
• 2 tablespoons peanut or olive oil
• 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon honey
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1/3 cup sliced almonds, toasted

Heat oven to 425 degrees and line a rimmed sheet pan with parchment paper.

Next, pull off any unattractive leaves from the brussels sprouts, then trim the ends and cut the brussels sprouts in half lengthwise. Place in a large bowl with the pineapple. Drizzle it all with peanut oil (olive oil also works) and sprinkle with a little salt and pepper. Toss to coat.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the oil, lemon juice, salt and honey. Set aside.

Spread the brussels sprouts and pineapple on your parchment lined sheet pan and place on the middle rack of the oven. Roast for 15-20 minutes or until the outer leaves and cut side are nicely charred and the centers are tender. Flip the brussels sprouts half way through cooking time to ensure even doneness.

When the sprouts are done and still hot on the baking sheet, drizzle with the soy sauce and honey mixture. Toss gently to coat, and transfer to a serving dish. Sprinkle with the almonds and serve immediately.

Variations:

• Add crumbled bacon before serving
• Add red pepper flakes to the soy sauce and honey mixture before coating the brussels sprouts
• Use canned pineapple and add a bit of the juice after the brussels sprouts are done cooking
• Use mandarin oranges in place of pineapple. Don't roast them with the brussels sprouts. Add them at the end.