Saffron Tomato Sauce with Chicken and Spaghetti Squash
October 29, 2009 { }
Dinner at our house has become more and more spontaneous lately, which is not generally my style. I used to follow a regimented meal plan. Now, I look at what we have left-over, what’s in the pantry, what looks great at the market, and what’s on sale and figure something out. This dinner was born out of a need for more chicken stock and a great sale on squash.
Saffron is favorite spice of mine. It’s a little pricey but it’s worth the extra money for the great depth of flavor it provides. It’s actually the stamen of the crocus flower. You don’t need much to make a big impact on flavor, either.
I will eat spaghetti squash any day over regular pasta. I can cook gluten-free pasta, Joe likes it, but honestly I feel better when I don’t eat a lot of it. It’s a once-in-a-while food for us. Which brings me to my next point…
When it comes to long-term weight loss, it’s important to make lasting shifts in your diet. I’ve read about so many people that go gluten-free and gain weight, which baffles me. I wonder if ‘gluten-free’ hasn’t become the new ‘fat-free.’ I gained more weight eating fat-free foods because I thought I could eat it and not gain weight. Not so. This is true with gluten-free too. Gluten-free foods have calories just like anything else.
I don’t count calories. It makes me crazy. But I do make healthier choices. This meal is one of them.
I used about 1/2 of the chicken left-over from making chicken stock and stirred it in after the sauce had cooked, just to heat it through. Other options for chicken – brown the chicken before you start your sauce, remove the chicken, and then add it back in about 10 minutes before your sauce is done and let it cook with the rest of the sauce. You can also roast chicken breasts that have the bone-in and add the meat to the sauce.
If you don’t know how to roast a squash, read my tutorial here.
This post is linked to Finer Things Friday, Foodie Friday, and Fight Back Friday.
Saffron Tomato Sauce
serves 3 -42 tablespoons good quality extra virgin olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, sliced thin
2 cloves of garlic, minced on a microplane
1 (28 ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 teaspoon fresh thyme, chopped
½ – ¾ cup good quality chicken stock
¼ teaspoon saffron threads
¼ cup italian parsley, chopped
kosher salt
and fresh ground pepper to tasteHeat olive oil in a large sautee pan over medium low heat. Add onion and cook until soft, about 5 to 8 minutes. Add garlic and cook until it begins to color, about a minute. Add tomatoes, thyme, 1/2 cup chicken stock, and saffron. Bring to a simmer and allow to reduce by about 25 percent, or until desired consistency is reached. Add in remaining stock if sauce is too thick. Stir in parsley. Taste and season with salt and pepper.
Enjoy!
Like my recipes? Don't miss one - subscribe via RSS or e-mail today.
Follow me on Twitter.
Tags: gluten-free > saffron > spaghetti squash > sugar-free > tomao sauce
Comments
25 Responses to “Saffron Tomato Sauce with Chicken and Spaghetti Squash”
Post your response
About Amy Green
Nearly 6 years of living free of refined sugars and gluten has stopped my food cravings enabled me to maintain a 60+ pound weight loss. Today I live with enormous freedom. Join me as I create healthier food that's SS&GF and delicious. I hope to help you do the same. Read more about my story here.
Search
Don’t Miss a Recipe!
Recent Posts
- Slightly Indulgent Tuesday – 3/9/10
- Sugar-Free Mocha Frappe & Vitamin D
- Restaurant Style Mexican Black Beans Recipe
- Slightly Indulgent Tuesday – 3/2/10
- Go Ahead Honey, It’s Gluten-Free Guiltless Pleasures!
- Understanding & Choosing Gluten-Free Flours, Part 4
- Stovetop Pasta Marinara with Broccoli and Chickpeas
- Slightly Indulgent Tuesday – 2/23/10
Get $5 off Your First iHerb.com Order
All photos and text (unless otherwise noted) on Simply Sugar & Gluten-Free are my own creations - and my intellectual property, all rights reserved. Please do not publish my work without my consent. Of course, you can use my work as inspiration to build upon (what a gift it would be to inspire others!) and in that case a link back would be appreciated. Copyright 2009, all rights reserved.
October 29th, 2009 @ 10:20 pm
I love being spontaneous when cooking – it makes everything more exciting! These flavours are lovely & the combination sounds to die for.
[Reply]
October 30th, 2009 @ 12:00 am
That is exactly how I create my recipes…with what I have on hand, what I am craving, the needs of the fam, and what’s in season. I love the spontaneity of recipe development. I feel very much a part of the flow of life when I am in creation mode!
I do wonder too about the weight gain some folks experience when going GF. I think it is part of the craze. There are so many gf products and very processed baked treats available now. I wonder if some people start to eat more of that stuff when gf compared to not being gf? Not sure.
Anyways, your recipe sounds delish! I love spaghetti squash, I probably have at least 20 pounds of them in my garage right now!
[Reply]
Amy Reply:
October 30th, 2009 at 6:35 am
@Ali @ The Whole Life Nutrition Kitchen, I have talked to people who start buying gluten-free products not because they need to but because they think it’s healthier. Of course, gluten-free can be healthier but HOW it’s done is what matters.
I don’t necessarily include all GF products when I say this because I’m sure there are some healthier choices out there, but processed food is processed food.
[Reply]
October 30th, 2009 @ 7:59 am
Yummmmm! This sounds fantastic… And I wonder if the saffron might entice my little anti-tomato sauce guy. I think we;ll give this a try next week! Thanks, Amy.
And you are an inspiration, by the way.
[Reply]
October 30th, 2009 @ 8:03 am
This sounds so wonderful. I love spaghetti squash – it’s lighter and doesn’t over-stuff you like pasta or GF pasta does.
I agree that some people think gluten-free is healthier. There was even something I read about the Betty Crocker GF cake mixes, from Betty Crocker, touting that they were designed for someone looking to be healthier. Hello, they’re LOADED with sugar and white rice flour? Not healthy. Tasty (I’ve tried a few), but not healthier than any other cake.
That being said, I have found that I have had significantly more trouble dropping a few pounds since going gluten-free. (lately, I’ve gained a few) I eat healthily, and I mostly eat items that are naturally gluten-free anyway, same as I did before. But I am attributing it to my body’s ability to absorb nutrients – since gluten is no longer “beating up” my intestines, now they have a chance to do their job and absorb what I’m feeding them. Regardless, I’ll take that extra energy I’m getting, even if it means a few extra pounds!
[Reply]
Amy Reply:
October 30th, 2009 at 8:47 am
@Alta, That’s a great point, Alta. Though I don’t have celiac disease, I know that it can cause weight loss for the reasons you mentioned. It sounds like you’re headed in right direction, though. So glad your energy is improved!
[Reply]
October 30th, 2009 @ 9:20 am
I have never thought of using saffron in tomato sauce before, but it sounds like a wonderful idea. I know what you mean about making lasting changes to diet. I am now realizing that all grains affect me, not just gluten, so any grains have to be a once in a while thing for me. Thank goodness for quinoa and buckwheat!
[Reply]
Chelsey Reply:
November 1st, 2009 at 12:10 am
@Jenn AKA The Leftover Queen, After my week of GF baking I’m thinking maybe the same thing about how grains affect me.
It’s all about moderation I guess.
[Reply]
Jenn AKA The Leftover Queen Reply:
November 1st, 2009 at 9:35 am
@Chelsey, Yes, it really is. It took me years to really confirm this. I tried being GF for a while, but it didn’t seem to help. Good luck with your moderation!
[Reply]
October 30th, 2009 @ 9:44 am
Looks and sounds delish… a good way to get some extra veg into the family!
ButterYum
[Reply]
October 30th, 2009 @ 10:20 am
great tomato sauce idea!
And how did the yogurt experiment go?
[Reply]
Amy Reply:
November 1st, 2009 at 7:56 am
@Gudrun, The yogurt experiment couldn’t have been a bigger flop. Honestly. I threw it all out. I will learn how to make yogurt at some point. I get so frustrated when I can’t get it right and it then becomes a mission of mine to perfect it. So, this is now on my list.
[Reply]
October 30th, 2009 @ 12:14 pm
I have a spaghetti squash sitting on my counter at the moment. This sounds like a great way to use it. Have a wonderful Foodie Friday.
[Reply]
October 30th, 2009 @ 12:17 pm
What a GREAT!!! recipe using saffron.
Geri
[Reply]
October 31st, 2009 @ 4:18 pm
I’ve never cooked anything with saffron or made spaghetti squash. Can we still be friends?
[Reply]
November 1st, 2009 @ 12:07 am
Amy! Looks Fabulous. I’ve been GF & SF for 2 weeks and I’m doing great! Halloween was tough, but I did it. I have been trying out a lot of GF baking this week to see what works and what doesn’t. I’ve found some good recipes, but now I am sick of all the carbs (I taste test everything until it’s gone it seems!) I am sick of heavy carbs! I’m ready to feel lighter! I can’t wait to try this with spaghetti squash! Thanks for the great idea.
[Reply]
November 1st, 2009 @ 7:40 am
@Chelsey, I know the feeling – the best thing I have ever done for myself is to prepare food I can eat ahead of time so it’s ready. The tasting gets old sometimes. I’ve learned to just taste a little and to not do any testing while I’m hungry because if I’m hungry I eat what I’m baking instead of a healthy, balanced meal or snack.
[Reply]
November 1st, 2009 @ 2:40 pm
You’re the only person I’ve heard of who lost weight on a gf diet. I think some of the weight gain is due to more fat and the starches used in baking. Another big factor is that many people with celiac have been somewhat starved of nutrients and when the body begins to heal, it wants to hang onto everything, but doesn’t know when to stop. At least that’s what it seemed like from my experience and I’ve heard others say the same thing.
[Reply]
Amy Reply:
November 1st, 2009 at 7:48 pm
@Linda, I don’t have celiac so my reasons for going gluten-free are much different than someone who has suffered through intestinal damage.
I’ve had countless people e-mail me privately and share their experiences about losing weight after cutting out gluten/wheat products. I’ve also talked with people on Twitter and I have many friends who’ve experienced the same thing I have.
Your explanation of people recovering from being nutrient starved makes complete sense – just two different situations.
[Reply]
Lauren Reply:
November 1st, 2009 at 8:50 pm
@Amy,
I had another situation – once I went gluten free, I started sprouting up. I did gain weight, but it was because I was getting the nutrients. Also, I had more of an appetite because I was able to do more than just lay on the couch, and subsequently use those extra calories, etc. I’m not as thin as I was then, but in a good way because I’ve filled out and matured. I’ve grown at least 4 inches since going GF, and I *think* I’m not quite done!
[Reply]
Amy Reply:
November 1st, 2009 at 10:23 pm
@Lauren, I have read about that – especially when someone your age is diagnosed and starts to heal their body starts growing – that’s wonderful. I was grossly overweight and a binge eater, so going gluten-free & sugar-free stopped the intense food cravings.
November 1st, 2009 @ 6:32 pm
This is a delicious idea. Saffron – that is a new one for sauce but it it works, we can add it to our list.
[Reply]
November 2nd, 2009 @ 6:37 pm
This definitely does look tasty! Very different too. You should submit this recipe to Recipe4Living.com!
[Reply]
November 5th, 2009 @ 7:41 am
This sounds amazing…I cook with spaghetti squash a lot, would love to try this sauce with it! Great blog! Found you while Stumbling!
[Reply]
Amy Reply:
November 5th, 2009 at 9:20 am
@Aggie, I didn’t know that people didn’t cook with spaghetti squash until I started posting about it. I’m so glad you found me.
[Reply]