Spaghetti squash is an extraordinarily satisfying substitute
for pasta. This is good news for those who wish to avoid pasta to lose weight
or reduce consumption of grains for other reasons. The recipe that follows can
be made with your favorite tomato sauce (as written) or with other types of
sauces, such as pesto or simply olive oil with crushed garlic. I have not
provided a recipe for tomato sauce here since there are so many varieties of
tomato sauce to choose from. Just pick one of your standards.
Ingredients
1 spaghetti squash
3 c. (24 oz.) tomato sauce of your choice
2 tbsp. olive oil
8 oz. baby Portobello mushrooms (chopped)
1 tsp. oregano
1 garlic clove (crushed)
6 oz. grated parmesan cheese
Directions
Preheat the oven to
350˚.
Cut the squash in
half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds and the first layer of strings. The
spaghetti squash is a tricky squash to “clean” prior to baking because it is
stringy by nature. You want to remove the tough strings at the core, but you
don’t want to dig out the flesh of the squash, which is what you will bake and
eat. Put the squash halves upside down on a cookie sheet with a little water in
it (up to about ½ of an inch). Bake at 350˚ for 30-40 minutes (depending on the
size of the squash) or until the squash is clearly soft when pierced with a
fork. Check frequently after 30 minutes in the oven so as not to overcook. Once
the squash has cooled enough to handle, scoop out the squash meat and toss it
in a large bowl. Separate the strands so that it resembles spaghetti.
While the squash is
baking, cook the mushrooms. Heat the olive oil in a frying pan for one minute
on high heat and then turn the heat down to medium. Sauté the chopped
mushrooms, crushed garlic clove, and oregano in the olive oil, drizzling in a little
water as needed to prevent the mushrooms from drying out. The mushrooms will
cook for approximately five minutes, until soft but not rubbery. Stir
frequently.
When the spaghetti
squash is done, warm the tomato sauce in a pot over low heat until it is hot.
Add the mushrooms to the sauce and fold them in. Pour the tomato/mushroom sauce
over the spaghetti squash and serve. Sprinkle parmesan cheese on top.
Eat well, be well, live deliciously!
Eat well, be well, live deliciously!
