Spaghetti squash's signature look is an orb shape in an even, pale yellow color.Shopping Tips
Here’s how to pick spaghetti squash when buying at the market:› Look for an even, pale-yellow color. Squashes with green spots are immature.› Hold the squash in your hand to make sure it feels hard with no soft spots.› It should be 8 to 9 inches long and 4 to 5 inches in diameter. Smaller squashes will lack flavor; larger squashes may be too fibrous and stringy.Source: LiveStrong.com
Once spaghetti squash has cooked, use a fork to scrape down the sides of the squash. The flesh will immediately start peeling away in spaghetti-like strands —hence the name. Continue to scrape sides to remove strands, then transfer them to a separate bowl for serving.Why is spaghetti squash - that bulky, pale-yellow winter squash - suddenly all the rage and getting such love from foodies? It's the trendy side dish popping up in restaurant menus, a featured ingredient on television cooking shows and billed as the new pasta swap.
Why? Because more people are discovering that one cup of those cooked strands the squash yields has only 40 calories, 10 grams of carbs and 2 grams of fiber. For Weight Watchers, that's a PointsPlus value of zero. For pasta lovers - or folks following the Paleo diet where grain products are off-limits - it's a guilt-free, tasty substitute for a cup of pasta, which has about 220 calories.
"I began the Paleo Diet four w "I began the Paleo diet four weeks ago and make spaghetti squash at least twice a week," says Ooltewah homemaker Karen Guethlein. "I roast mine in the oven with olive oil and salt/pepper, then I top it with enchilada sauce. It's very tasty. Since starting Paleo I have lost 22 pounds."
Spaghetti squash is an unprepossessing winter squash that is less high-profile than its summer sister, the crookneck squash. A spaghetti squash is a large oval or oblong shape, pale-yellow with bright yellow/orange flesh. When uncooked, its flesh is solid. But once you take a fork to the flesh after it's cooked, it immediately becomes obvious how the variety got its name; the flesh pulls away in spaghetti-like strands.
"I love the taste and how easy it is to prepare. Frankly, the reduced calories are just a bonus," says Ashley Wolfe Evans, executive director of Volunteers in Medicine.
Signal Mountain resident Gail Chapman says she and her husband "have eaten it for years - even before it was trendy."
"The taste and consistency are terrific," she says. "While it is good with just a little butter, salt and pepper, I most often serve it with oven-roasted onions, bell peppers and grape tomatoes, along with some sautéed mushrooms."
Sandra Gillespie Coffey says she and her husband often swap pasta for spaghetti squash.
"It gives spaghetti sauce a great flavor. You don't have that heavy feeling after eating it like you do with pasta. It's wonderful," she says.
Ways to Cook
* Halve the squash lengthwise, scoop out and discard seeds. Sprinkle the cut sides with 1/2 teaspoon salt, then brush both sides with olive oil.
Put the squash, cut side up, in a baking dish and cover with aluminum foil. Roast 20 minutes, then uncover and continue roasting another half hour until the squash is tender.
* Lisa Lillien, aka Hungry Girl whose cookbooks are bestsellers, suggests using a crockpot. Put 1 spaghetti squash in a slow cooker (at least 4-quart capacity) and add a half cup water. Cover and cook on high for 2 1/2 hours or until squash is soft.
Slice squash in half lengthwise, scoop out and discard seeds. Use a fork to scrape out spaghetti squash strands. Place in a strainer to drain excess moisture. Blot dry removing as much moisture as possible.
* Cindy Lowery, senior vice president of Midsouth chapter of the Alzheimer's Association, and Chapman both endorse microwaving for fast, easy prep.
Chapman begins by using a meat or barbecue fork to prick the uncut, whole squash in several places. Then she puts it in a container with a small amount of water in the bottom and microwaves it 10 to 20 minutes until soft.
"When it is cool enough to handle, I cut it in half, spoon out the seeds and use a dinner fork to pull out the strands.
"I do have a word of caution from experience: Be sure to poke those holes in it. Once, when I was in a hurry, I forgot that step and the squash exploded in my microwave. When I heard it and opened the door, it had covered the inside and began to drip on the stovetop and floor. After cleaning such a sticky mess, I have never forgotten that step again!"
Lowery says that, after microwaving and shredding the squash into strands, she likes to sauté "lots of garlic, cherry tomatoes and basil in olive oil, then toss in my spaghetti squash, season with salt and pepper, add Parmesan and sometimes I even sprinkle on a little mozzarella. Delicious!"
Contact Susan Pierce at spierce@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6284.
Recipes
Spaghetti Squash with Parmesan Cheese 1 medium spaghetti squash 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese 1/2 stick butter Salt and pepper Heat oven to 350 degrees. Use a paring knife to prick squash all over. Place in a baking dish and bake one hour or until soft. Cut squash in half. Scoop out and discard seeds. Using a fork, scrape flesh in strings into a serving bowl. Toss with Parmesan and butter and season to taste with salt and pepper. Yields 6 servings. - Food Network Spaghetti Squash and Meatballs 1 medium spaghetti squash (about 2 pounds) Kosher salt 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for brushing 2 stalks celery, chopped 1 medium carrot, roughly chopped 1 medium onion, roughly chopped 6 cloves garlic 1 cup fresh parsley leaves 1 pound ground beef 1 pound ground pork 2 large eggs 1 cup Italian-style bread crumbs 1 cup plus 3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese 2 (28-ounce) cans tomato puree 2 large sprigs basil 1 teaspoon dried oregano Heat the oven to 425 degrees. Halve the squash lengthwise and scoop out and discard seeds. Sprinkle the cut sides with 1/2 teaspoon salt, then brush both sides with olive oil. Put the squash, cut side up, in a baking dish and cover tightly with aluminum foil. Roast 20 minutes, then uncover and continue roasting until the squash is tender, about 35 more minutes. Meanwhile, make the meatballs: Brush a baking sheet with olive oil. Pulse the celery, carrot, onion, garlic and parsley in a food processor to make a paste. Transfer half of the vegetable paste to a bowl; add the ground beef, ground pork, eggs, bread crumbs, 1 cup Parmesan and 1 teaspoon salt and mix with your hands until just combined. Form into 24 (2-inch) meatballs; transfer to the prepared baking sheet. Bake until firm but not cooked through, about 10 minutes. Make the sauce: Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the remaining vegetable paste and cook, stirring occasionally, until it looks dry, about 5 minutes. Stir in the tomato puree; rinse each can with 1 cup water and add to the pot. Stir in the basil, oregano and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt. Bring to a simmer, then add the meatballs and simmer until the sauce thickens and the meatballs are cooked through, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove the basil. Use a fork to scrape the spaghetti squash flesh into strands; transfer to a large bowl and toss with 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan. Season with salt. Divide the squash among bowls and top each with some meatballs, sauce and the remaining 1 tablespoon Parmesan. Note: This recipe makes extra sauce and meatballs. Let cool completely, then freeze in a storage container for up to one month. - Food Network Pizza Spaghetti Pie 1 large spaghetti squash 1 pound Italian sausage 1/2 yellow onion, diced 1 cup pizza sauce (no sugar added) 1 teaspoon dried basil 3 eggs, whisked Salt and pepper to taste Optional pizza toppings: veggies, basil, cheese Heat oven to 400 degrees. Cut spaghetti squash in half lengthwise. Place squash cut side down on a baking sheet and bake for 20-25 minutes or until the skin of the squash gives when you press on it. Reduce oven heat to 350 degrees. When squash is cooked, remove threads and place in an 8-by-8-inch, greased baking dish. Place a large pan over medium heat. Add Italian sausage and onion. Cook until no pink remains in the sausage and it is broken into pieces. Add pizza sauce, dried basil, salt and pepper to pan and mix well. Add sausage mixture to the baking dish and mix well with spaghetti squash threads. Add whisked eggs to the baking dish and mix everything until eggs are no longer visible. Place in the oven and bake one hour or until the top of the mixture forms a slight crust that doesn't give when you press on the middle of the dish. Let rest 5 minutes before serving. Yields 4 servings. - PaleOMG