Weeknight Spaghetti with Roasted Butternut Squash

This meal answers that important, incessant, weekday question.

After braving our respective routes — Caitlin, the Red Line, I, the Beltway — we arrive home around 7:00 p.m., tired from the day’s activities.  After a quick moment of reprieve, we often head down to the apartment gym to get some much-needed exercise.

Once we’re back upstairs, the question rears its head.  The question that creeps into our minds every night, demanding an immediate answer.  The question is bandied about a few times, as each of us tries, in vain, to propose a suitable answer.

Take-out?  Maybe, but where?  Pizza?  Boring.

Do you want to grill?  Too tired.

An omelet?  We did that two nights ago.

And then, it dawns on us.  There’s a squash on the counter…and fresh vegetables in the veggie drawer.  There’s pasta in the cabinet…and fresh thyme growing outside  And there’s the answer.  The perfect answer, ready in minutes, with fresh vegetables, whole grains, and the taste of Fall.  It’s the perfect weekday meal.

WEEKNIGHT SPAGHETTI WITH ROASTED BUTTERNUT SQUASH

PREP TIME: 15 minutes
COOK TIME: 40 minutes
YIELD: Serves 4

WHAT TO GRAB:
1 butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and chopped
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 pound spaghetti (we use barilla plus)
1 teaspoon fresh thyme
1 cup grape tomatoes, halved
1/2 cup fresh spinach
1/2 cup feta
Olive oil
Kosher salt and Pepper

HOW YOU DO IT:

1.  Preheat the oven to 420 degrees.  Toss the butternut squash with 2 tablespoons of olive oil, the cinnamon, salt, and pepper.  Roast for 20 minutes.  Flip the squash pieces and roast for another 15 minutes.

2.  Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil.  Add a bit of olive oil and salt.  Add the spaghetti and cook according to the box’s directions.

3.  Drain the pasta.  Return the pasta to the pot.  Over low heat, add the spinach, grape tomatoes, and thyme.  Cook only until the spinach has softened and everything has come together.  Add the butternut squash and feta.  Add the salt and pepper to taste.  Serve warm!