If you love pasta noodles but are looking for a new way to lower your carbohydrate intake or to increase your vegetable intake, we have a vegetable for you to try. Spaghetti squash, believe it or not, is actually a vegetable with that name. It is naturally gluten-free, low in calories, fat, sodium and carbohydrates. Additionally, it is high in fiber, potassium, vitamins C & A as well as antioxidants.
When selecting spaghetti squash, you will want to choose one that is lemon yellow in color, free of blemishes and has a firm skin. Make sure to wash your spaghetti squash under running water and dry with a towel. The hardest thing about preparing spaghetti squash is cutting it. Use a sharp knife and slice down the squash length-wise. (Tip: I often use a wooden mallet to tap my knife to help it cut through the squash). The next step is to remove the pulp and seeds from both halves (this will be the part that looks like the “guts” of a pumpkin).
When preparing the spaghetti squash, drizzle both halves with olive oil and put face down on a cookie sheet. Place squash in the oven at 350° for an hour. If you are thinking about food prepping, this would be a perfect thing to do ahead of time on the weekend when you have extra time. After an hour, you will remove the spaghetti squash from the oven and the skin should be soft when squeezed. You can take a fork and scrape out the inside of the spaghetti squash to produce thin, spaghetti-like strands. The spaghetti squash can be used just like noodles so you can top with your favorite pasta sauce and enjoy the flavors of pasta with this unique vegetable!
