Instant Pot Spaghetti Squash Thai Noodle Bowl

Thankfully, Instant Pot is getting more and more popular, which means there are more and more recipes that are cutting dinner prep time exponentially. This is my first time using spaghetti squash, so I can't really attest to Instant Pot being better or worse than using a slow cooker, but I can say it was very tasty.

Modified Recipe by The Skinny Fork using Detoxinista Squash Recipe| Servings: 2 | Time: ~30 min active time

Ingredients:

Main

1 small spaghetti #squash (About 4-5 lbs.) 1 cup water 2 cups #broccoli, Steamed

1 tbsp Sesame Seeds

#Thai Peanut Dressing

2 tbsp peanut butter 1 tbsp light brown sugar 1.5 tbsp veggie oil 1.5 tbsp lime juice 1/2 tbsp coconut aminos 1 tsp ginger 1 garlic clove, minced 1 tsp sesame oil 1/2 tsp salt

Optional/Suggested Toppings: Cilantro Sriracha

Peanuts (I seriously have every other nut on hand except peanuts. Would have been good)

Instructions:

Slice the spaghetti squash in half and then scoop out the seeds in the center.

Place a trivet or steamer basket in the bottom of the Instant Pot and add a cup of water into the bottom. Arrange the cut squash halves on top of the trivet and secure the lid. Make sure the vent at the top is turned to the "sealed" position.

Use the manual button to set the pressure cooker to cook for 10-12 minutes on high pressure. When the timer goes off, carefully turn the vent at the top to quickly release the steam and lower the pressure.

Carefully remove the lid, use a fork to check the squash to make sure it's cooked to your liking. I like my squash to be tender, but not mushy. If there is water collected in the center of your squash, drain it before serving.

To serve the squash, use the tines of a fork to separate the cooked strands into spaghetti-like pieces and remove them from the hard shell.

Meanwhile prep the broccoli and dressing. I used a steamer for my broccoli, which takes about 5 minutes. There are several ways to go about it though. For the sauce, just mix it all together.

Place the noodles into a bowl and top each with 1 cup of broccoli, 3 tbsp dressing, 1/2 tbsp sesame seeds, and peanuts if desired. 

Health facts: According to nutrition-and-you.com, spaghetti squash is low-calorie, high in fiber, and helps reduce fat absorption, reducing your bad cholesterol.

What I ate and drank today

2 cups of herbal tea

2 cups of caffeinated coffee

6 glasses of water

Red wine

Cough drops

Sushi "bowl" (failed sushi pieces from last night)

5 celery sticks with almond butter

Spaghetti noodles bowl

Exercise

~1.5 miles of walking