Eat More Produce!: Spaghetti Squash (Number One)

I stole this image from The Steamy Kitchen

This past June, I made a vow to myself that I needed to eat healthier by eating foods that were fresh. I  added in yogurt and more produce to my diet. I got the yogurt down easily. Ben & Jerry's has been replaced by Chobani's for my "Best Love in a Cup" title (not to say that I still don't love some New York Super Fudge Chunk... or Dublin Mudslide... or... any of them). The produce accomplishment is a little bit harder to achieve outside of my once a day banana.

Today, I sat down and was scrounging for lunch. As my state trooper husband is sleeping since he did not come home until 7:30 am from work, I decided to make a spaghetti squash. Brad does not like to eat anything does not come with some form of meat. Quote from Brad: "Anything that does not have meat in it, is a side dish." Vegetarians beware. Therefore, this is a perfect treat for me to eat when he is not forced to partake in my culinary prowess. 

For those of you who are not familiar with spaghetti squash, when it is uncooked, it looks like a solid, normal squash to the eye. However, after it is cooked it takes on a life of its own. The "meat" of the squash shreds away into long, thin strands and looks somewhat like spaghetti. Hence the name, spaghetti squash, you can use it with pasta sauces, such as Marinara, Alfredo, or Pesto sauce. 

I am still exploring the wonders of the spaghetti squash. I had to look it up: "Is it a summer squash? Winter squash? Who knows?!" The real deal is that it is a winter squash because it has a hard skin rind. I find this so odd because the taste feels like summer squash... it's yellow, duh.

Directions for Baking a Spaghetti Squash

1. Preheat oven to 375 F

2. Cut the squash in half lengthwise (this is really the hardest part for me). Get a big knife. Or a big man. Or both.

3. Take each half in turn and scrape out the pulp and seeds in the middle with a large spoon. It will smell like you are preparing a jack-o-lantern.  

In the picture above, the half on the right has been seeded, and the left has not. You will notice that if you scrape too hard, the flesh of the squash will start to peel away in the harder strands. That is the squash itself, so ease up on the pressure.

4. Place each half RIND SIDE DOWN into a baking dish and bake for 30 - 40 minutes.

5. When the squash has been taken out of the oven, I turn the halves over using a large knife and place it in the fridge to cool a little (no more than ten minutes). Once it has slightly cooled, I use a fork and scrape the squash widthwise from the outer edges towards the center. This way, the squash strands will be longer. Put the squash in a bowl, and you're done!

How I Prepared my Squash Today

After I had my baked squash read to go, I scanned by fridge for leftovers and things I could use. I placed the following ingredients into the bowl and mixed it up. 

• 1 Tbsp. butter product (I used Brummel and Brown and stirred it in first before adding the other ingredients)
• 3/4 c.  left over cooked wild rice
• 2 Tbsp. golden raisins 
• 2 Tbsp. walnut pieces
• 2 tsp. ground cinnamon

There was enough for two lunches. Paired with a cup of Harney & Sons Hot Cinnamon Spice tea, this was quite a fall meal for one of the first days of summer, but oh was it tasty.