So you can guess what’s in this recipe because I pretty much laid it out in the title this time, right? No guessing. Roasted veggies of your choice along with spaghetti squash. The only thing that is a little different is the olive pesto. And probably not with the olives you might be thinking. Black olives are my favorite olive, and the easiest to find, which is why I decided to make them into a pesto. And pesto is super easy to make. Roast some spaghetti squash to make it even healthier. Hope you enjoy this vegan and gluten-free Roasted Veg with Olive Pesto and Spaghetti Squash.

“I received free samples of California Ripe Olives mentioned in this post. By posting this recipe I am entering a recipe contest sponsored by California Ripe Olives and am eligible to win prizes associated with the contest. I was not compensated for my time.”

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Since I’m still going mostly-strong on the Elimination Diet, I wanted to make a recipe that went along with that – keeping things simple and full of veggies. Add some seeds and olives and oil and you are looking at a Mediterranean Diet; a diet that is full of healthy eating and promotes longevity of life – who doesn’t want that? And did you know that olives also help lower heart disease risk, reduced chronic disease, lower blood pressure, and improved brain function … so eat those olives up! Eating in moderation is also a big part of any diet, so don’t eat the whole can of olives – or this pesto. It is so flavorful, and makes a ton, that you only need a couple spoon fulls on one portion of veg, or just mix it all in together in a big ole bowl. And California Ripe Olives are one of the most versatile items in your pantry – they are loved for their unique flavor, texture and color, but also can be part of a healthy diet. That means start thinking outside the can and come up with new recipes for olives!

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Carefully slice the top and bottom off the spaghetti squash, then cut in half and scrape out the seeds and stringy bits. Slice the top off the garlic and slice the shallot thinly. Spread oil over the spaghetti squash and sprinkle black pepper over both halves. Now, while I’ve spent the last week packing and being in the process of moving – I’ve encountered one of the most annoying parts. Being so efficient that you pack your foil or parchment paper in a box and taped it closed … and you don’t know which box. So you have to get inventive with your baking pan and roasting. To do that for roasting a bulb of garlic, place the garlic bulb on the baking sheet and pour a little olive oil over it and sprinkle pepper then place one squash half over the bulb. Place the sliced shallots on the baking sheet and sprinkle with oil and place the other half over the shallots. Place the sliced mushrooms on the baking sheet and sprinkle with oil. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes then turn the oven off and let sit in it for 15 more minutes. Once garlic is cool enough to touch, squeeze into the food processor and dump in kale leaves, drained olives, pumpkin seeds, and black pepper. Turn on and drizzle in the saved olive juice. Stop and scrape sides a few times while drizzling in olive oil and water. Scrape squash into a bowl and dump in shallots and mushrooms and mix together. Portion out and add a little pesto or dump pesto into bowl and mix everything. Enjoy!

Roasted Veg with Olive Pesto and Spaghetti Squash,

1 Spaghetti Squash
1 Pkg Sliced Mushrooms
1 Shallot, sliced
1 Bulb Garlic
1 Tsp Black Pepper

1 Can California Black Ripe Olives
3 Large Kale Leaves
1/2 Tsp Black Pepper
1/2 C Pumpkin Seeds
1/2 C Olive Liquid
2 Tbsp Olive Oil
1/4 C Water

1. Set oven to 350 degrees.
2. Halve the spaghetti squash and scrape out the seeds. Slice shallot thinly and slice the top off the bulb of garlic.
3. Spread oil over both halves of the squash and the garlic and sprinkle pepper over both. Place garlic on baking sheet then place then place one half over the garlic.
4. Place the sliced shallots on the baking sheet and drizzle oil over them then place the other half of the squash over the shallots.
4. Drizzle oil over the mushrooms and place around the squash.
5. Roast 30 minutes then turn oven off and leave pan in the oven 15 more minutes.
6. Drain the black olives and save 1/2 cup olive liquid. Rinse well then dump in food processor.
7. Wash then add kale leaves, pumpkin seeds, cooled garlic, and pepper to the processor.
8. Turn on and drizzle in the olive liquid. Turn off and scrape sides.
9. Turn back on and drizzle in oil and process. Turn off and scrape sides. Turn on and drizzle oil in and process until everything is moving.
10. Scrape the spaghetti squash and add mushrooms and shallots and mix. Portion out and add a little pesto.
11. Save the leftover pesto.
12. Enjoy!