IT WAS GOOD!
Husband even liked it and ate TWO helpings!
There are many different uses for spaghetti squash but, I was trying to keep our meal super healthy and light so this is all I did....
Spaghetti Squash
- Preheat oven to 350F
- Cut your spaghetti squash in half lengthwise and (just like you do when you are going to carve a pumpkin!) scrape out the seeds and stuff (that's a technical term here...). I got a fairly large squash and there really wasn't much "stuff" to be removed so it just took a second
- Place your squash cut side down in a glass baking dish. I used two 13x9 inch pans because I couldn't fit both halves in one pan. You don't have to coat your pan with anything either...just an fyi
- Bake for 35 to 45 minutes until tender. I took mine out after about 35 minutes and had to stick it back in there for about 6 more minutes. Because I have never made this before, I wasn't really sure what "done" was! You could easily eat it after 35 but after the additional time, it was definitely more tender
- Using two forks, shred that puppy! Just scrape the insides of the squash halves out and transfer to a bowl. Voila! Easy! I used a little fresh ground sea salt and black pepper here but did not add any oil, butter, etc like you would with regular pasta. It didn't need anything!!
- Toss in your favorite sauce, veggies, etc or top with the following recipe to really make it yummy!!
This next recipe is closely based off of one from the Better Homes and Gardens "Healthy Family Cookbook", available here, that I mentioned the other day (remember the stuffed peppers?).
Mediterranean Vegetables
Ingredients:
- 2 medium zucchini, sliced
- 2 heads of fresh broccoli florets, chopped
- 1/4 red onion, diced
- 1 cup light chicken broth, I use this
- 1 medium garlic clove, diced (I actually didn't have this....I did buuuuuuut it apparently had been around a while and suddenly I had a garlic plant instead :/ Whoops!! So, I had to use a little garlic powder...not as good as the real deal would have been)
- 1/2 cup pasta sauce
- 1 tbsp dried basil, or please use fresh if you have it!!
- salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, to taste
- (if you like tomatoes, please add some, Please? Husband does NOT like them so they are still in my fridge....but, man oh man, they would have been YUMMY!)
In a large pot or Dutch oven, combine zucchini, broccoli, onion, garlic, spices, and chicken broth. Basically, throw everything but the pasta sauce in there! Bring that to a boil. *Note: 1 cup of broth won't seem like much here and you might be tempted to add more so that it all soaks and boils...DON"T DO IT!!! I am speaking from experience here....once that puppy gets to boiling and producing a smidge of steam, you will have PLENTY of liquid and if you do add extra chicken broth, like someone might have, ahem you will have to drain it off and feel silly in about 8 minutes. Just sayin.....
Reduce heat and simmer, covered, for about 6 to 8 minutes or until veggies are done. Drain off your extra chicken broth if you have any...don't say I didn't warn you! then toss vegetables in the 1/2 cup of pasta sauce. Done! Serve immediately.
You could also add some chicken breast to this and it would be super tasty but we thought we would try keeping dinner super light, all veggie style....and, honestly, I used my last piece of chicken at lunch yesterday....so, there was no chicken available anyway! But do note, spaghetti squash is FILLING!!!!!!!!!!!! One cup of squash plus about 1 cup of the vegetable mixture on top was plenty for me to be satisfied for dinner....I did end up eating another 1/2 portion but just because it was yummy....after that I was comfortably satisfied but not stuffed in a miserable-why-did-I-eat-all-of-that sort of way.
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