I don’t know about you, but I crave pasta…a lot! When I make it at home I try to keep it as healthy as possible by choosing a 100% whole wheat pasta. Whole wheat pasta tastes just as good (if not better) than white pasta and is much healthier! Tonight for dinner, however, I decided to mix things up and try something different: spaghetti squash “pasta:”
My first experience with spaghetti squash “pasta” was at one of my favorite chain restaurants, Ruby Tuesdays. It is a delicious and healthy option at a great restaurant (p.s. their salad bar is to die for!). Now that the fall weather has starting rolling in (squash tends to be the best tasting in the fall and winter), I decided to try making spaghetti squash “pasta” at home. At first it may sound a bit intimidating, but trust me, it is easy! What you’ll need….
Ingredients
1 spaghetti squash
extra virgin olive oil cooking spray
1 jar of your favorite pasta sauce (red or white, though red will be healthier)
1 14.5 oz can of no salt added diced tomatoes, drained
1/4 of 1 sweet yellow onion, diced
Serves: 3-4
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line baking sheet with foil and lightly spray with EVOO cooking spray.
2. Cut the top and bottom off of the spaghetti squash (you will need a sharp knife to do this….be careful! 😉 ). Cut the spaghetti squash in half.
3. Scoop out the seeds and stringy part of the squash. When you are finished it should look something like this:
4. Flip the two pieces of squash over so that the scooped out center is facing the baking sheet. Bake for 30-40 minutes (Mine baked for approximately 35 minutes).
5. While the squash is baking, combine the sauce, tomatoes, and onions in a medium sauce pan and heat through over low heat.
6. Pull the squash out of the oven and allow it to cool enough to where you can handle the squash without burning yourself.
7. Using a fork, scrape the inside of the squash from the top to the bottom until you have scraped out the majority of the squash. The scraped pieces should resemble pasta:
8. Top each serving of pasta with sauce and enjoy!
I served my “pasta” with roasted asparagus.
While this does not taste exactly like pasta (the texture is slightly different- a bit crunchier, maybe?), it certainly satisfied my craving for pasta! After all, my favorite part about pasta dishes is often the sauce! If you are trying to watch your carbs, calories, or are just trying to get more vegetables into your diet, I highly recommend this dish! You won’t be disappointed….and well, if you are, send me the leftovers! 😉
