From Dishing Up The Dirt
1 spaghetti Squash, cut in half lengthwise (use a sharp knife and steady hand!) seeds removed with a spoon
2 Tablespoons olive oil, divided
2 leeks OR 1 small onion, finely chopped
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and diced
1 1/2 cups kale, roughly chopped
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1/3 cup oat flour-ground in a food processor or blender from about 3/4 cup of old fashioned rolled oats (can sub all purpose flour if need be)
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/4 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 cup cornmeal
neutral oil for frying
Smokey Cashew Sauce:
1 cup raw cashews, soaked at least 30 minutes in water
2 Tablespoons tomato paste
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
1-2 teaspoons smoked paprika (more or less depending on preference)
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper + more to taste
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
2 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 cup water + additional to thin if necessary
Preheat the oven to 400F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and brush the squash slices with 1 Tablespoon olive oil. Place cut side down and roast until fork tender. About 35-40 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool before scraping out the flesh with a fork. Reduce the oven temperature to 200F.
While the squash cooks prepare the veggies. Heat the remaining 1 Tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally until soft and fragrant, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic, jalapeño, and kale. Continue to cook, stirring often, until the kale is slightly wilted adding additional oil if necessary. Remove from the heat and place the cooked veggies in a large bowl. Wipe out the pan and set it aside (you'll be using it again!)
Once the squash has cooled use a fork to scrape out the flesh into long strands. Place the scraped squash strands into a dish towel and wring out as much liquid as possible. Place wrung out squash in the bowl with the cooked veggies. Add the eggs, flour, salt and spices. Mix until well combined.
Place the cornmeal in a shallow dish and using your hands form the squash/veggie mixture into small uniform patties (about 1/4 inch thick) Carefully dip each side of the patty in the cornmeal. (The patties may be a bit fragile at this point but they'll be sturdy once they're fried up!)
Heat about 1/4 cup oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Working in batches add the squash patties in a single layer and fry until golden, about 3-4 minutes per side.
Keep the cooked fritters warm in a 200F oven until ready to serve.
Prepare the cashew sauce by draining the soaked cashews and running them under cold water. Place the cashews along with the rest of the sauce ingredients into a high speed blender and blend on the highest setting until completely smooth and creamy, scraping down the sides of the blender as necessary. Add additional water-1 Tablespoon at a time- until you reach the right consistency.
Serve fritters with the smokey cashew sauce and enjoy!