Spaghetti what?  Up until about 3 years ago I had no idea spaghetti squash even existed.  I had seen it many times in the produce aisle and never even gave it a consideration as it wasn’t one of my “usual” veggies.  I tried it a couple years ago and it’s become one of my favorites.  Spaghetti squash or vegetable spaghetti has become one of the constant things in my fridge that I heat up all throughout the week.

It’s color varies from an ivory to a yellow/orange color.  The more orange in color the more carotene in content.  It’s center is filled with seeds that resemble pumpkin seeds and its flesh is a bright yellow.  When it is raw the flesh is hard and solid like other squashes.  When cooked, the flesh peels away from the sides and ribbons in spaghetti-like strands.  You can cook spaghetti squash several ways:  oven roasted, microwaved, baked, boiled, or steamed.  My absolute favorite is roasted.  The seeds can also be roasted like pumpkin seeds.

I like to eat spaghetti squash as it is very nutritious and filled with great nutrients including folic acid, potassium, vitamin A, and beta carotene.  It’s also low in calories averaging about 42 calories per 1 cup serving.  It’s a great addition to my weekly meal plan and subs in nicely for me as I try to avoid having high carb kinda pasta meals.  If I’m going to have those carbs I’m saving them for a great cheat meal like pizza or my Mom’s pasta dinner!

I sometimes eat my spaghetti squash plain, and other times I use it as a spaghetti substitute with a marinara sauce and turkey meatballs.  Either way, it’s delicious!  Keep it in your fridge and heat it up for a quick, healthy snack or use it as a quick side dish when time is limited.  Enjoy!