If you have ever watched The Biggest Loser or any other weight loss shows, I am sure you have heard of Spaghetti Squash as a great alternative to pasta. I have been on a big health kick since February of this year and I think I have eaten pasta only twice in that time span. I can’t handle the carbs and calories in my diet. But recently I have been craving pasta. So, on a whim at the grocery store this past weekend I thought I’d buy a Spaghetti Squash.
I got really excited thinking about all the ways I used to eat pasta and what I could cook to go with the spaghetti squash. I was really squealing with joy. So after a quick Google query on how to cook the thing, I was off! I set the oven to 375° and got the Big Knife from the set I received as a wedding gift. I have only used that knife like, three times and only on a watermelon, so I was unprepared for how tough a Spaghetti Squash is! I was fighting that thing and praying the knife didn’t fly out of my hands and hit my dogs (who always hang out in the kitchen when I get the cutting board out). Finally after wrestling with it and not cutting myself or my furry friends (whew!) I began the drudgery of scooping out the pulp. Hated it.
Next I placed it rind up on a baking sheet and set the timer for 35 minutes. After it cooked, I let it cool for a while until it was only slightly warm to the touch. The website I visited on how to cook it warned of burns if you scraped it too soon. It was so easy! I just took the fork and scraped it from one end to the other and it fell right into the plastic container. Since I am the only one in my house who will even look at a vegetable I was worried that I would have too much. But since I ate half a container of it at my first sitting, I think I’m safe!
On my first taste it was a little sweet. I thought that was OK since I usually add a little sweetener to my homemade pasta sauce, I’d just plan to leave it out. My favorite way to eat pasta is as a side dish with a little butter and cheese and seasonings. So I paired it with my steak and sprinkled a little garlic salt and some Italian seasoning on it. No butter or cheese, but I’m used to that now. I. Was.In. Heaven. It had a slight crunch that I adored. So the conclusion: Spaghetti Squash-Good and Easy to make! Four Stars on this veggie!
