Grain-Free Vegetable Lo Mein

Spaghetti squash bakes down into tender strands that catch a savory sauce the way noodles do, with no wheat and no soy. It asks a little patience while the squash roasts, and almost nothing of you after that. A dish this satisfying, built entirely from real vegetables, earns a permanent place in the rotation.

Carrots bring beta-carotene, a source of vitamin A involved in immune and mucosal health, and the celery, green onion, and water chestnuts add the kind of plant fiber and polyphenols that feed a healthier gut community. Mushrooms lend an umami depth that makes the dish taste like more than the sum of its vegetables, and the coconut aminos carry the savory note soy sauce once did.

These are real vegetables, grown and pulled from the ground, turned into something worth sitting down for. Slow down enough to make the plate beautiful: the orange carrot, the green onion, the pale strands of squash. Take a breath before you eat. The settled state you bring to the table is part of how the food lands in your body.

Ingredients

• 1 small spaghetti squash
• 2 teaspoons coconut oil
• 8 ounces mushrooms, sliced
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 cup chopped celery
• 1 cup shredded carrot
• 1/2 cup chopped green onion
• 1/2 cup sliced water chestnuts
• 1/2 cup chicken broth
• 1/2 tablespoon honey
• 1/2 tablespoon coconut aminos (in place of soy sauce)
• 1/2 tablespoon sea salt

Method

Heat the oven to 400 F. Halve the spaghetti squash lengthwise and scoop out the seeds. Set the halves cut side down on a rimmed baking sheet and roast for 30 to 60 minutes, until the flesh is fork-tender. Roasting time depends on the size of your squash, so check it early. When it is done, drag a fork through the flesh to pull it into long strands and set them aside.

While the squash roasts, warm the coconut oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms, garlic, ginger, celery, carrot, green onion, and water chestnuts, and stir-fry until the mushrooms are tender and the vegetables have softened. Pour in the broth, honey, coconut aminos, and salt, and let it bubble for a minute to come together. Serve the vegetable mixture spooned over the hot squash strands. This is a flexible formula; pineapple or spinach work well stirred in, though leave out peas, which are a legume.

*Adapted from acleanplate.com*