Recipe - Spaghetti Squash Muffins with Flax & Walnuts

 

 - Spaghetti Squash Muffins - 

with Flax & Walnuts

 

Spaghetti squash is awesome roasted, shredded, and topped with pasta sauce. But if you're looking for other ways to use up your supply of last year's squash, muffins are a great alternative.

Because spaghetti squash keeps so well, I don't bother to freeze it. I just store it in a cool room.

To roast the squash, cut the top stem off, and then carefully slice it lengthwise down the middle into two halves. Scoop out the seeds. 

Place the squash, cut side down, onto an oiled, foil-lined baking sheet. Bake at 400°F (205°C) for about 30 minutes. Turn the cooked squash face up after roasting to allow it to cool and release moisture. The squash I used had been stored for 6 months, so there wasn't a lot of moisture. If the squash is fresher, you may need to scrape it into a colander and let drain.

Once cooled, I like to quickly process in a food processor. If you don't have a food processor, you can mash with a potato masher. But spaghetti squash can be quite stringy, so I prefer to use a food processor.

You'll be using 1 cup of squash for this recipe - the rest can be refrigerated for a few days or frozen for another use.

These muffins taste nutty and spicy with the flax meal, walnuts and spices. The squash adds moisture, but you wouldn't know it's in there  

Remove from the pan right after baking and cool on a wire rack to prevent them from drying out.

PRINT RECIPE

RECIPE - Spaghetti Squash Muffins with Flax & Walnuts             

Prep Time:  50 minutes (includes roasting the spaghetti squash)
Oven Baking Time: 20-25 minutes
Total Time: 75 minutes 
Yield: Serves 12 people

Ingredients

• 1½ cups (360 ml) unbleached all-purpose flour
• ½ cup (120 ml) whole wheat flour
• ¼ cup (60 ml) flaxseed meal
• ½ cup (120 ml) brown sugar
• 1½ tsp (8 ml) baking soda
• 1 tsp (5 ml) baking powder
• ¼ tsp (1 ml) salt
• 1½ tsp (8 ml) ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp (5 ml) cloves
• ½ tsp (3 ml) ground ginger
• ½ tsp (3 ml) nutmeg
• ½ cup (120 ml) chopped walnuts

• 2 eggs (large)
• ½ cup (120 ml) butter, softened
• ¼ cup (60 ml) olive or canola oil 
• ¼ cup (60 ml) liquid honey
• 1 tsp (5 ml) pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup (240 ml) spaghetti squash (roasted and pureed or mashed)

Preparation

1. Measure and place the first 12 dry ingredients into a medium-sized bowl, and stir together.
2. In a large bowl, beat the eggs well. Add the softened butter, oil, honey, and vanilla, and beat. Add the squash and beat until blended. 
3. Add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, and mix with a big wooden spoon until just blended.
4. Spoon the batter into parchment-lined muffin cups.
5. Bake on the middle rack of a preheated 350°F (175°C) oven for about 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. 
6. Remove from the pan right after baking onto a wire rack, and let cool.

I hope you enjoy this recipe. Please leave a comment or feedback if you tried the recipe.

Nutrition Facts