Spaghetti Squash

Spaghetti squash topped with fresh marinara.

Spaghetti squash is one our favorite foods.  The boys love the flavor and I like its versatility and low calories.  We serve it with spaghetti sauce, mixed with a little butter or olive oil and seasoned with salt and pepper, tossed together with other veggies, or whatever we feel like.  As a main dish or side, spaghetti squash can easily accommodate different types of sauces and flavors.

There are two ways to cook this vegetable.  Cut the squash in half and scrape out the seeds before cooking, or, after baking.

Spaghetti squash is hard-skinned (a typical winter squash) and is usually a couple of pounds. To start, rinse the squash.  Use a very sharp knife and and cut the squash in half length-wise.

Scrape the seeds out and remove excess strings.

Place the squash flesh-side down on a baking sheet.  I usually put a little water on the pan.  Cook at 350 degrees for about an hour or until the squash feels soft to the touch.

Use a fork and gently pull the strings of squash away from the sides.

Go around the entire squash and remove the vegetable "noodles" into a bowl.  Discard the shells. Sometimes the squash feels a little too watery.  When that happens, I place a towel in the bottom of the bowl I am transferring the squash to, and that helps with excess moisture.

One cup of plain spaghetti squash offers approximately 75 calories and over 2 grams of fiber.

- Kim Fielding