Super Simple Spaghetti Squash

Even though winter squash are available all year round in the grocery stores, I really like to eat things when they are in season, and my friends, we are now in squash season.  They are actually quite versatile and can be used in soups, stews, salads, side dishes, main courses, and even tacos (I will make tacos out of anything).  Today we are going to make some spaghetti squash and serve it like, well spaghetti, but it can be used in place of rice or pasta really in any dish.  Here is what we are making:

Super Simple Spaghetti Squash

1 spaghetti squash
2 teaspoons of olive oil

Topping suggestions:
Tomato sauce of your choice
nutritional yeast for a cheese flavor
hemp seeds for a nutty flavor

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.  Then cut your squash in half lengthwise, scoop out the seeds and pulp (set them aside), rub the cut surface of each half with olive oil, place face down in a roasting and pan and then put them in the oven for about 30 to 40 minutes.

If you don't want to heat up the oven you can pop the squash halves into a glass dish with a little water and microwave them for about 10 minutes.  But, they won't get that roasted delicious flavor if you do it that way.




While those are cooking, separate the seeds from the pulp.  The pulp goes in the trash, the seeds go on a baking sheet sprinkled with a little salt.  Throw those in the oven next to your squash for about 15 minutes until brown and toasty.  Now you have a snack!

OK, when your squash is done it will look like this  -->

With a fork scoop out the flesh and separate it a little so it looks like noodles.









Now, just put it on a plate and top with your favorite sauce.  I like to sprinkle on a little nutritional yeast and hemp seeds, together they taste kind of like Parmesan cheese.

In this picture the spaghetti squash is served along side a bed of greens topped with dry fried garlic eggplant (eggplant slice, dry fried and then sprinkled with garlic powder) and zucchini cakes (sorry I bought those, haven't made up a recipe for them...yet).








If you have leftover spaghetti squash and want to do something else with it tomorrow night, try it in some tacos.  The tacos pictured below are hard shell tacos with a scoop of vegetarian refried beans on the bottom, then layered with spaghetti squash, a sprinkle of cumin, and chili dry fried tofu (tofu, dry fried, sprinkled with chili powder), cilantro, and topped with salsa.

That was 3 quick recipes for the price of one!  Enjoy your spaghetti squash and don't forget to eat the rainbow.

Happy eating and best health,

Dr. G