Spicy Plum Marinara with Butternut Squash Fettuccine

Can you tell I’m having fun with my new inspiralizer? 

My past three recipes have included veggie noodles! Oops. I’m sorry, I really am. Its just that veggie noodles are AWESOME! My favorites (if you can’t tell) are zucchini noodles and butternut squash noodles. I recently bought an inspiralizer– Ali from Inspiralized designed her own. It’s so much better than the Paderno. 

Anyway! Today I’m sharing my second recipe for the California Dried Plum contest. 

By posting this recipe I am entering a recipe contest sponsored by California Dried Plum Board and am eligible to win prizes associated with the contest. I was not compensated for my time.

The California Dried Plum Board challenged us Recipe ReDuxers to develop creative ways to use California dried plums in our everyday cooking. Dried plums are usually thought of as a healthy snack, but they are actually a very versatile culinary ingredient.

They’re a great flavor enhancer in marinades, add moisture to meats and you can substitute plum puree for fats or sugars in baked goods.

Dried plums support heart health, digestive health, immunity and healthy aging. One serving of plums has 3g of fiber, high in potassium, magnesium and vitamin K. For both of my entries in the contest, I really wanted to use plums in a unique way, like sweetening something that isn’t normally sweet. In my first recipe for the plum BBQ pizza, I pureed the dried plums with spicy BBQ sauce to sweeten it up. 

Today’s recipe takes a simple marinara sauce and brings it up a notch by adding sweet (plums) and spicy (red pepper flakes). 

Sprinkled with goat cheese and garnished with a piece of fried bacon, this dish is savory, sweet, spicy, and flavorful! 

Here’s the recipe! 

Spicy Plum Marinara with Butternut Squash Fettuccine

2015-05-07 19:37:00

Serves 2

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Ingredients

1. 1 large butternut squash, spiralized
2. 2 tsp olive oil
3. 1 tsp minced garlic
4. 8oz tomato sauce
5. 10oz diced tomatoes
6. 1/2 tsp dried oregano
7. 1 tsp onion powder
8. 1/4 tsp salt
9. 1 tsp red pepper flakes
10. 1 tsp balsamic vinegar
11. 1/2 cup California Dried Plums

Optional Garnish

1. goat cheese
2. bacon slices
3. parsley

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.
2. Toss the butternut squash noodles with 1 tsp of the olive oil and spread out on a baking pan. Roast for 10-15 minutes, until squash is al dente.
3. Meanwhile, puree the plums in a food processor with 1 tablespoon of water until smooth.
4. Heat the other teaspoon of olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add the minced garlic, tomato sauce, and diced tomatoes. Add the oregano, onion powder, salt, red pepper flakes, and balsamic vinegar.
5. Stir and cook through for about 4-5 minutes.
6. Remove the noodles from the oven and divide onto two plates.
7. Pour the sauce over both dishes and serve!
8. Optional garnish: crumbled goat cheese, bacon and chopped fresh parsley.

By Emily @ Zen & Spice

Zen & Spice https://zenandspice.com/

Emily Weeks, RDN, LD

Hi! I’m Emily, Registered Dietitian Nutritionist and self-taught intuitive chef. I firmly believe that cooking is the simplest and most important step we can take to improve our minds and bodies and build healthier communities. Join me and let’s bring food back to the kitchen!