Today’s recipe takes a minute.
About 50 minutes, actually.
Getting home from work on Tuesday during Atlanta’s “big” snow storm took a minute too. Here’s how I meandered my way home:
- Leave work when snow starts. Sit in traffic for an hour. Enjoy a snack.
- Abandon car in a parking deck and take public transport (MARTA).
- Arrive at station by house, thankful for my boots with the fur.
- Detour through the gym for a shoulder workout.
- 5 hours later, get home.
Even after a long commute, I promise that this gratin is worth the minute it takes to put together. It makes 9 servings, so it’s like the gift that keeps on giving.
Cold weather always makes me crave tomato sauce. This dish uses fire-roasted tomatoes and garlic to liven up the spaghetti squash and cauliflower. I added a healthy amount of cayenne, but you can adjust to your liking. Just don’t skip the cinnamon – it’s not over-powering. A dash of cinnamon simply adds to the richness of any tomato-based dish.
The cottage cheese and egg mix is poured over the top and oozes down through the veggies. Once baked, the egg binds the dish, and the cottage cheese melts around the spaghetti strands. Let it cool before slicing into squares.
It’s a healthier version of gratin! If you’re hosting a Super Bowl gathering this weekend, it could be pre-sliced and served on a tray to guests. By contributing a dish, you know you’ll have a healthier side option.
Looking for other Super Bowl Ideas? I’m finally joining Lindsay’s Pin it Party! Check out a few of my favorite party-food links, then visit Lindsay’s blog for some more pin-able fun.
Super Party Foods
- Beefy TVP Chili (vegan)
- Brown Beer Hummus
- Chick-less Nuggets + Sweet ‘n Spicy Mustard Sauce
- Mini Mac ‘n Cheese Muffins
- Potato Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Raw Sweet Potato Hummus
- S’Mores Brownies
- Turkey Beer Chili
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Spaghetti Squash & Cauliflower Gratin
Adapted from this NY Times recipe.
- 1 medium-size head of cauliflower
- 1 small spaghetti squash (~2.25 C)
- 1/2 C red onion, diced
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 can (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes (I used Muir Glen Fire-Roasted)
- 1 tsp oregano
- 1/2 tsp turmeric
- 1/2 tsp cumin
- 1/4 tsp cayenne
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 C egg whites
- 1 egg
- 1/2 C salt-free cottage cheese
- 1/4 C freshly chopped parsley
Preheat oven to 450°F. Line a baking sheet with foil and set aside.
Cut away the bottom of the cauliflower stem and trim off the leaves. Cut cauliflower into 1/2 inch thick slices (it will fall apart a bit – don’t worry). Spread evenly across baking sheet, and spray lightly with olive oil.
Roast for 20 minutes, flipping halfway through. Cauliflower should be nicely browned. Remove from oven and set aside to cool. (you might to chop some of the biggest slices).
Meanwhile, prepare spaghetti squash. Cut the squash in half (can soften in microwave first). Remove the seeds. Place in a glass baking dish, cut side down, in about 1 in of water. Microwave for 7-8 minutes, or until shell is tender when pierced with a fork. (You can also do this in the oven at 350 for about 45 mins. I thought the microwave worked fantastically.) Remove the flesh with a fork and place in small bowl.
Spray pan with olive oil and warm over medium heat. Add onions and cook until soft (~5 mins). Add garlic and cook until fragrant (~1 min).
Add tomatoes and spices to pan. Stir to combine and bring to a simmer. Chop cauliflower into small-ish pieces and add to pan. Add spaghetti squash. Toss everything together.
Prepare an 8×8 baking dish with cooking spray or a bit of olive oil. Spread cauliflower mixture into it, spreading evenly.
In a small bowl beat together eggs and cottage cheese. Pour over cauliflower mixture.
Bake in the oven for 25-30 mins, until top begins to brown. Remove from the oven and allow to sit ~10 mins to solidify before serving.
Makes 9 servings.
Approximate nutritionals: 64 calories, 1g fat, 148.1mg sodium, 9.5g carbs, 2.3g fiber, 4.3g sugar, 5.2g protein
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The bad part about being an adult is that snow days are really just work from home days. Boo.
What’s your favorite cold weather dish?
Have you ever had to abandon your car somewhere?
BOOTS WITH THE FURRRRRRR!!! Shorty get LOW LOW LOW LOW LOW LOW LOW!!!
Yeah, I would probably turn on that jam as I baked this mixture together and then I would think of you and how you should be in my kitchen cooking with me!
You KNOW that song is on my workout playlist! 😉
Yuuuuuuuum
That looks delicious. And that does not sound like a fun commute.
I was lucky – my co-worker had a 14 hour drive!
Yum.
I was home the entire time, but I definitely would have been amongst the people who abandoned my car and walked if I wasn’t.
And you said your instagram photo of it looked bad…..
I would suffer a snowstorm for THAT.
Perfect food for cold weather! Yum. And that sounds like a very, very lovely commute. At least you made it to the gym. 🙂
Right?! It was so much worse for many others. People slept in their cars!
Yum. Pinned for future menu planning 🙂
Thanks! Let me know if you try it! 🙂
Hello comfort food! I love gratins. SO good.
I would love to work from home today. Not because of the snow (we didn’t have any so far, lucky), but because of being able to stay in my sweatpants and taking power naps here and there…..
oh drool I want to make this, I love that you add cottage cheese
does the cottage cheese get goupy? i might try the lactose free version
Yes ma’am! Not quiiite like mozzarella, but it does melt.
I’m so glad you are safe and sound!! I have been thinking about you and watching the weather! I crave tomatoey things too… like chili!!
wow that spaghetti squash and cauliflower gratin looks so good – love how itz loaded with veggies!
Definitely perfect for cold weather! I feel yo pain sista!
Holy crap on the getting home! I saw all the news stories & wondered about you but was not sure if you were part of it – craziness & you made the most of it! 🙂
You need to live closer so lazy me can come over for dinner! 🙂
Jody. I’m calling you out. In at least the last 4 comment you’ve left you used the word lazy to describe yourself. I demand you stop! You are ANYTHING but lazy. In fact, you’re a workhorse! You just don’t enjoy spending time in the kitchen. There’s a difference. 😉
I always mean lazy in the kitchen.. not the other stuff! 🙂
That storm in Atlanta was CRAZY! I couldn’t believe some of the stories I heard. Glad you got home safe and sound.
And this dish sounds so good – love all the flavors and textures. And I agree, fire roasted tomatoes are the way to go.
It was!!! And then Julia, Katherine, and I went walking in t-shirts Sunday. Bizarre!
THIS LOOKS SO GOOD.
yum! pinned today’s recipe. looks fab. thanks for participating.
i’ve heard the WORST stories about Atlanta and the snow! glad you got home safetly!
Thank you! It was more everyone leaving at the exact same time… and having no clue how to drive on slick roads.
Atlanta was not built for snow! All of our corporate offices are closed down there today, stay safe, and hopefully no more abandoning cars! I loooove the beer hummus recipe, definitely making that for sunday, my fiance will be thrilled!
Not at all! We only have like 3 salt trucks. LOL!
Did you end up making the hummus? Would love your thoughts!
Yes! I also used an IPA and it was really good, plus everyone loved that there was beer in it! Thanks for the recipe!
Awesome! I’m so glad everyone liked it!
That looks fantastic! Yes, I have had to abandon my car once as well. We almost alway get ice here. If it does snow, it rarely sticks unless on top of said ice. One year it started snowing though and didn’t stop. So like if there is enough that falls, eventually it’ll pile up. And so did the traffic. I had to get up a really steep, winding hill and I said forget it b/c I sat there for a good hour watching cars slide down. Good times.
That sounds like what was happening in ATL! Trucks were just parked int he middle of roads, unable to move. I hope this is it for our winter!
I love spaghetti squash, that is one food I am unable to find out here that I truly MISS big time and think about always especially when it gets colder out here it is such a comfort food to me! Great recipe copied it and stuck it in my evernote for that moment I am able to get my hands around a squash! Hope you have an incredible weekend! xo C
That’s too bad! I think it would work with slices of any winter squash… or shirataki noodles!
That looks fantastic! Spaghetti squash is one of my favorites! Pinning this for sure! It looks like a great dessert I could enjoy on a cold winters day, comfort food that still contains a lot of nutrition! I need this for my training, makes me stronger, while feeding the soul! Keep up the good workouts!
Thank you! You need to eat at least half the recipe with all your training! 😉
Can we have this for dinner before my cornflake krispie treats and whiskey!
Yes! It’s nice a warm. 🙂
We don’t have snow here (yet) but this cold weather always has me hankering for comfort food – this gratin would hit the spot.
Thank you! I hope it warmed up for you. 🙂
This sounds so good, although I don’t think it would last 9 meals in my house. This would be a great dish to have at a Super Bowl party!
Soup. I’ve been loving soup lately, especially during these colder days!
I’d like some with a piece of your break to sop it up. 🙂
I can’t believe all the chaos in Atlanta this week from the ice and snow – I’m glad it only took you 5 hours to get home. I had friends who slept in their cars overnight. Ugh!!
Can you believe it?! Another reason to move to CO. They know how to handle 2 inches of snow.
I would abandon my car…unless I had a BMW
Hope it was the boots with the fake fur 🙂
Okay, this looks good, how can I veganize it? Flax egg and some daiya?
I’ve never had a snow day in my entire life. I want one (and I wouldn’t work from home that day 🙂 ).
Of course! It’ more like cotton. 🙂
That might work… I’ve done pasta bakes with pureed tofu and some nooch before and that worked well!
Are you trolling me with that serving size?! That would legitimately give me 2, *maybe* 3, servings. 9 servings… for ants!! 😛
LMAO! You’re supposed to eat it with other stuff. The whole thing would be a good meal though. 😉
I always crave tomato sauce when it’s cold, too! OK, I crave tomato sauce about 50% of the days of the year, but especially when it’s cold :). Glad you made it safely, and thanks for sharing this awesome recipe – adding it to my (long) list of S2TT must-makes!
Yay!!! Another neighbor blogger 🙂 I’m in Alabama and we got the ice right in the middle of the day. It was forecasted about 200 miles to the south of Tuscaloosa and that was a huge bust. I had already been scheduled to be home (flu) but our school dismissed in the middle of all that and it was total chaos. We still have not gone back to school due to ice on rural roads. Glad you made it home safely. There were some horror stories in AL-GA over that mess.
I can’t believe they had classes! My little sister goes to Auburn and they cancelled on Monday evening. I made fun of them, but it turns out that was a good call! Hope you’re feeling better!
FIVE HOURS LATER?! Omg, girl! That’s insane! I once skidded off the side of the road and couldn’t get my car back out so had to hitch a ride back to the friend’s house which I had just left minutes before. Had to wait until the next day, after the snow/ice melted the NEXT DAY before I could drive again…and that would be the day I went to work in my moccasin slippers! Ha!
This looks great! I’m with you on the tomato cravings when it’s cold! Chili is a must!
I was wearing my boots with the furrrrr! I knew that was shizz was coming.
I’d never have thought to add cinnamon! This look sosososososososo good. I can’t wait to try this and all your spag squash recipes and your cauliflower ones too.
You get a lot of mileage out of those two. So good.
I am gonna add cinnamon to the next tomato sauce dish I eat.
Thanks! I guess I do use them a lot… they’re just so versatile! 🙂