By Jessica Knutzon, Co-editor
Many people have never heard of this great fruit… its cousin, butternut squash, seems to get all the attention. Don’t get me wrong, all squashes are delicious, but spaghetti squash can be used to substitute, well, spaghetti. That’s right. Spaghetti!
One cup of spaghetti squash has about 30 calories, is low in cholesterol and carbohydrates – and as a bonus – is rich in potassium. It is a great alternative to pasta because it can be cooked with your favorite sauces, meatballs and other toppings. Compared to spaghetti, the consistency is slightly different and the taste is slightly sweeter, but it is delicious. Below is a recipe on how to prepare the fruit for consumption, but it is so easy to add your own sauces. I encourage you to experiment with everything from pesto to marinara and everything in between.
Ingredients:
- 1 spaghetti squash fruit
- Olive oil
- Salt
- Pepper
- Your favorite sauce (premade or purchased)
Supplies:
- Large baking dish (i.e. a cookie sheet)
- Large, sharp knife
- Cutting board
- Spoon
- Fork
Preparation:
- Preheat the oven to 375° Fahrenheit
- Clean and dry the squash
- With a large, sharp knife, cut the squash in half, lengthwise
- Use a spoon to scoop out all of the seeds
- Spread olive oil on the inside of the squash, making sure to cover the entire surface
- Add salt and pepper to taste (more can be added later if needed)
- Place the squash halves, cut side down, on the cookie sheet
- Bake for 35 minutes
- Let the squash cool for 10 minutes and use a fork to pull out the squash
- Mix the squash with a sauce and voila! [In the photos the squash is mixed with homemade pesto and chicken sausage.]
Photos courtesy Jessica Knutzon.
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