Confetti Stuffed Spagetti Squash
For my first recipe post, I thought I’d share a recipe that is not only satisfying, colorful and delicious, but also near and dear to my heart! It launched me on a path to find new and exciting gluten free, vegan recipes. A few years ago (2012), I had to make a shift in my diet from vegan, to GLUTEN FREE (I swore I’d never go gluten free!!), and vegan. This was really difficult for me. Even though I had a ton of experience with creating recipes, and helping others change their diets, to be presented with my own diet crisis, was really revealing. I immediately understood, and had boundless compassion for what others that are confronted with this mandate go through! I will link more about this experience, at a later time, but let’s just say, going gluten-free rocked my world… as in, I had no idea what to eat! :0 So, one Sunday morning, I decided to go to the Farmer’s Market, because I get a lot of inspiration there! I live in Ojai, California, which is a tiny little town, nestled in a fertile valley, about 15 minutes inland from the beach. Ojai is an eclectic mix of artists, movie stars, farmers, everyday folk, and tourists, united by their love of this unique place and deep concern for it’s preservation. Our local farmer’s market is almost exclusively organic, and between the abundance of fresh fruits and veggies, the flowers, and the artisan goods, it’s a great place to get inspiration. It’s like an event! Every Sunday morning, our little town is hopping with energy as tourists, and residents converge on the farmer’s market to buy produce, dance to the Iron Mountain Boys (a bluegrass band that performs atop a vintage flatbed truck), eat fresh tamales, get a free hug from Al, and meet and greet! So it was at the vibrant scene that I found myself on a hot Sunday morning in the summer of 2012, and it was here that I found what I was looking for! ~Inspiration~! Spaghetti squash has been a favorite summer treat of mine since I was a kid and my parents grew it in our garden, and since it’s so prolific, there was an abundance of it at the market that day. I picked it up, thinking I would use it as a side dish…. to what, I didn’t know, because what else could I eat?!
Spaghetti Squash Side dish
Rounding the corner I saw a little booth that sells the yummiest artichoke humus ever, and the most delicious, crispy, pita chips to eat it with, unless you’re gluten free. So I’m standing there, thinking about what to eat this humus with, when I spied these olives….. these wonderful, marinated, garlicky, kalamata olives!
Yummy Kalamata Olive
I LOVE olives, and these, my friends, are the best. olives. EVER. (If you find yourself at a farmer’s market in Southern California, find the ‘Moms’ booth and get some of these olives… you won’t be sorry.) Don’t worry, if you don’t live around here, and you aren’t ready to plan your next vacation around olives {yet}, use your favorite, Italian/garlic and herb marinated olives. Whole Foods markets usually have an olive bar located by the wine section, and a pretty good selection of bottled olives as well. Fresh tomatoes, some other veggies, and some flowers and I was good to go. I felt cheered up, and I had a kitchen full of fresh veggies and flowers, and these wonderful olives… so what next? (That’s my youngest son, Teddy, in the picture with me. Oh, those curls!!)
Me at the Farmer’s Market in Ojai, 2012
Well, I clearly needed an excuse to eat a LOT of these olives, and I wanted to make a meal out of this squash instead of a side dish, so this recipe was born! I wanted it to be filling, and I have a little obsession with cannellini beans, so I added those for protein and for that comfort food feel. The tomatoes are a fresh, juicy compliment to the salty olives, and the cheese, is well, CHEESE! The fresh basil is optional, but it gives the dish more color and a little punch of flavor (although, I have made it many times without the basil and it’s still super yummy!) 
I call it ‘Confetti Stuffed Spaghetti Squash’ because it’s a vibrant mix of colors and flavors, that come together for a happy celebration on your plate! Just try and be sad when you’re eating this…. impossible! Needless to say, after I came up with this, I had to make it all the time, because, well, you’ll know after you try it! It’s gluten free, soy free, delicious, summer comfort food that makes your tummy feel happy! This recipe quickly became a family favorite for us, and I hope it will for you too! 
- 1 Medium/Large Spaghetti Squash
- 1½ C diced fresh tomatoes
- 1 C Canned Cannellini Beans
- ½ C shredded Mozzarella Style Vegan Cheese
- ½ C Marinated Kalamata Olives (pitted)
- 4 T (+) Fresh Basil (optional)
- ½ T Vegan Margarine (optional)
- salt and pepper to taste
- Preheat oven to 400*.
- Cut spaghetti squash in half, lengthwise, and scoop out seeds, using a fork or large spoon.
- Place squash upside down in a medium or large glass baking dish. Pour some water into the dish, enough to cover the bottom. This helps to steam the squash as it cooks.
- Bake for approx. 30-45 minutes.* Time varies, depending on the size of your squash. Squash is done when you can pierce it all the way through with a knife. Check at 30 minutes to avoid over cooking.
- While squash is cooking, prepare the other ingredients. If your olives aren't already sliced, slice them now. Dice the tomatoes, and shred cheese. I like to trim the basil with kitchen scissors, to create tiny little strips, but you can also chop with a knife.
- Just before squash is done, heat the beans in a small sauce pot if you desire.
- When squash is tender, pull out of oven and allow it to cool for about for 10 minutes. Remove from baking dish and transfer to plate. Holding the squash with an oven mitt, or clean towel, gently scrape most of the squash from it's peel. If you are serving the squash without it's peel, you can remove all of it, and create a bed of spaghetti squash, where you will top it with the rest of the ingredients. If you're serving it in the shell (as pictured), leave the 'spaghetti' in the shell.
- Toss each half of the squash with ½ of the margarine (if desired), and salt and pepper to taste (both optional). Remember, you don't need much salt, if any, because the olives and cheese are salty.
- Divide all ingredients between the 2 servings. Add the beans first, and then tomatoes, olives, and cheese. Gently toss with the spaghetti squash, so that all ingredients are visible. Finally, add the basil on top, and serve!
- *You can steam spaghetti squash in a steamer basket, and you can also cook them in the microwave on the fresh vegetable setting, if you are in a hurry. I prefer the oven or steaming methods.
Angel McNall is the author and photographer of High Vibe Lifestyle. For over 20 years, Angel has been teaching people how to live more vibrantly by eating a plant based diet, and using plant based medicine. 
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