posted by Jennifer on Dinner Idea, News, Uncategorized

My sister loves spaghetti squash and she has been trying to get me to try it for some time.  “It’s fantastic!” she exclaimed.  I wasn’t so convinced.  I remember trying a recipe for mashed cauliflower which people insisted tasted exactly like mashed potatoes.  Lets just say they tasted like cauliflower!  Yuck!  But, like I said, I am willing to try new things.  First of all, you need to know how to cook a squash.  It’s super hard to cut raw, so the method my sister uses is microwaving it.  Take the whole squash, pierce it several times with a knife.  Microwave for 10 to 12 minutes and let stand for 5 minutes to finish steaming.  You can also bake it for an hour at 375 degrees, or you can put it in a crock pot with a cup of water and cook for 8 hours.  After its cooked, slice lengthwise and remove the seeds.  Using a fork, scrape the inside and little strands will start to come off that look like spaghetti.  For a 1 cup serving, its only 42 calories.  It’s also low in cholesterol, a good source niacin, vitamin B6, potassium, manganese, fiber and vitamin C.  My sister makes this fantastic casserole using spaghetti squash that is healthy, filling and yummy!

Spaghetti squash casserole

• 6 ounces diced zucchini
• 18 ounces cooked spaghetti squash, chopped
• 16 ounces homemade marinara, or jarred sauce
• 3 cups chopped fresh spinach
• 1 ounce mozarella cheese
• garlic to taste
• Italian seasoning to taste
• crushed red pepper flakes

Saute the garlic in a non-stick pan.  Add vegetables to pan and saute for 2 minutes.  Add marinara sauce, Italian seasoning and crushed red pepper flakes.  Simmer another 2 minutes.  Remove from heat and stir in ricotta cheese.  Put in a casserole dish (a square one if you have it) and sprinkle with the mozarella cheese.  Bake at 375 for 20 minutes.  For 1/4 of the recipe, its only 212 calories!