spaghetti? look again!

Squash is one of my all time favorite foods --acorn, butternut, delicata, I love them all. They are amazingly simple to cook with, and absolutely delicious, not to mention very good for you. Though squash can be intimidating, once you try cooking with one for the first time, you'll see that it is certainly easier than you think. Plus, you'll get amazingly yummy results. I tend to roast my squash in the oven, though there are certainly other ways to cook it.

Squash is very abundant in fall and early winter, but this time of the year, they are definitely few and far between at the market. The other day, when I was picking up some produce, I came across a spaghetti squash. I was seriously excited about the find, its been months since I've seen one of these little puppies, and I absolutely LOVE spaghetti squash. Spaghetti squash is very similar to its other squash cousins, except for the fact that it does an amazing thing when it is cooked. Most squash gets soft, sweet, and starchy (almost the consistency of a potato) when it is roasted.

Spaghetti squash turns out a bit differently than the traditional roasted squash. It gets its name from the spaghetti like strands that easily come away from the sides of the squash after it has been cooked. The result is delicious. If you're looking for a healthy, gluten free alternative to your every day pasta dish, you should definitely give this a try. I promise it is easy to make, and delicious to eat.

dinner time.

Spaghetti Squash with Garlic Broccoli and Mushrooms

1 medium sized spaghetti squash
1 tsp olive oil
salt, pepper, garlic powder to taste

starting to shred

look at those strands of squash

spaghettied!

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees
Cut your Spaghetti squash in half with a sharp knife (Be patient, it is hard to cut through- picture carving a pumpkin)
Drizzle your squash halves with olive oil, and sprinkle with salt, pepper, garlic and any other herbs you might desire
Place the squash face down in a baking dish, and let it roast for about 45 minutes to 1 hour, depending on how large/thick your squash is. You'll know it is done when you can stick your fork easily through the skin side, and when your squash strands shred away easily from the skin of the Squash (if you want your strands to be softer, roast for longer)
Once your squash is done, pull it out of the oven and flip the two halves over
Using a fork, begin to shred the meat of the squash away from the walls of the squash --the strands should come off very easily (if they do not, the squash is likely not done yet)
Shred out the inside of the squash, and top with whatever you like*


1 cup broccoli florets
1/2 cup mushrooms, sliced
2 scallions, both white and green parts, chopped
1/2 tsp olive oil
1 clove of garlic, chopped
Salt, pepper
Sprinkle of additional desired herbs (I chose oregano for this one)

To top your spaghetti squash, heat olive oil on medium high in a pan
Once the oil is hot, add the broccoli florets and garlic, cooking for 4 minutes before adding the sliced mushroom and scallions, cooking for another 4 or so minutes
Season as you desire, using salt, pepper, and herbs
Once the veggies are done, sprinkle the squash with parmesan cheese (or cheese of your choice) and top with your veggies
enjoy!!

delicious!

*Any pasta topping would work well here; I've topped it with blistered roasted tomatoes, sauteed veggies, home made pesto, and more. I definitely encourage you to get creative here!