Yellow Squash with Pasta

Serves 8 / This beautiful and complete meal may be served cool or at room temperature, or reheated and served warm. Take it to your next summer potluck.

Zest from 1 lemon
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice (1 large lemon)
3/4 cup water
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
3 yellow crookneck squash (1 pound), ends trimmed
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 cup fresh fennel leaves and stalks, finely chopped
1/2 cup red onion slivers
6 cups water
2 cups fusilli pasta
8 ounces seitan, cut into small slivers or thin squares
1 tablespoon brown rice syrup
2 tablespoons fresh ginger juice (about 3 inches gingerroot, grated and squeezed)
2 tablespoons low-sodium tamari or shoyu (natural soy sauce)
Roasted tamari almonds or toasted sesame seeds, for garnish

1. Combine lemon zest, juice, water, and salt in a saucepan; cover and bring to a boil. Add whole, uncut squash to the pan. Keeping heat on high, boil quickly until all liquid is gone. Remove squash from pan and let cool; cut into 1-inch pieces and transfer to a serving bowl.
2. Using the same pan, add 1 tablespoon olive oil, fennel, and red onion. Sauté until onions are soft, about 6 minutes. Add to squash and toss.
3. Bring 6 cups water to boil; add pasta, cook until barely al dente, and drain.
4. Heat a skillet over medium-high heat; add remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil and seitan pieces. Cook until all sides are crisp and golden. Stir in rice syrup and ginger juice. Remove from heat and stir in tamari or shoyu. Add seitan to squash mixture and toss. Garnish with almonds or sesame seeds just before serving.

PER SERVING: 234 cal, 35% fat cal, 9g fat, 1g sat fat, 0mg chol, 12g protein, 27g carb, 3g fiber, 304mg sodium

Recipe provided by Joanne Saltzman, author of Intuitive Cooking (Book Publishing Company, 2006) and founder of the School of Natural Cookery in Boulder, Colorado (www.naturalcookery.com).