Written By Miranda Regalado
It seems like we live in a world where people have decided that our biggest enemy is food. Too many carbs (carbohydrates), too much gluten, too much sugar, is it GMO? And I get it, I also live in that constant battle between eating healthy and the quick and easy that gets us through the week. On that note, we could talk about pasta, the best friend that’s always 7 – 10 minutes away from a warm meal.
I must admit that I do love pasta! Red or white sauce, even with only butter and parmesan. It wasn’t until very recently that I tried spaghetti squash and OMG! It was so delicious! It has a slightly nutty flavour, a very nice texture, and definitely a lot fewer carbs than regular pasta. This winter vegetable is nature’s own take on our beloved pasta. In addition to its nice taste, it is packed with beta carotene, vitamins B6 and C, manganese, pantothenic acid, and many more nutrients.
It is true, it will add a couple more steps than the few minutes’ pasta takes to boil, but it is so much worth it. In return, spaghetti squash will help your body by providing you with antioxidants, these powerful compounds that help you to stay healthy and battle free radicals, as well as giving you a chance to live longer and without chronic diseases. Another fundamental quality of all winter squashes is the amount of fiber in them, boosting your gut health and promoting good digestion. Since fiber moves slower through our bodies, it helps us to improve digestion, get rid of constipation, and many other issues related to this.
The way we chose to cook it was by cutting it vertically, which would help you get longer strands of “spaghetti” than cutting it like two canoes. After taking the seeds out, I coated the inside of the halves with olive oil, salt, and pepper. And upside down they went into the oven. Roasted at 375 for 40 minutes. I chopped bacon, onion, tomatoes, and garlic and sautéed them with a little olive oil and unsalted butter for a few minutes. Once the squash is done, please let it cool a bit before helping you to scrape it with a fork and voilà! There you have your spaghetti ‘al dente’ to be mixed with your choice of sauce. Let your culinary passion come out and enjoy this amazing recipe!
