If you haven’t noticed, I have a heck of a sweet tooth, so I try and find healthy meals that will buffer my occasional sugar coma inducing indulgences. This, my friends, is one of those meals. I had never had spaghetti squash, honestly it didn’t sound so great; I was thinking bland and spongy, but I was pleasantly surprised with the outcome. It was light and fresh, and I really didn’t miss the starchy pasta.
Unlike a lot of the spaghetti squash recipes I found, this one only calls for a little bit of butter for flavor instead of being saturated in it. This recipe is a great jumping off point too, you could do a red sauce instead of the herb sauce or even add your favorite protein or some mixed veggies. It’s so quick to make after you cook the squash, and you can use whatever herbs you have on hand. Get creative and have some fun in the kitchen! Enjoy!
Spaghetti Squash with Herbs (Print Me)
Yield: 4 servings
Instructions:
1 small spaghetti squash (about 2 1/4 pounds)
2 1/2 Tablespoons butter
2 1/2 Tablespoons finely chopped mixed soft herbs (i.e. basil, chives, chervil, parsley, sage)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
Directions:
Preheat your oven to 375º. Using a sharp knife, cut the squash in half lengthwise and place, cut side down, in a baking dish. Add enough water to come 1/2 inch up the sides of the dish and cover with aluminum foil. Bake for 45 minutes, until the squash is easily pierced with a fork. Turn squash over and cover with foil again and continue to cook another 15 minutes, until the squash is very tender. Remove from the oven, uncover, and allow to cool slightly. Using a spoon, remove the seeds and discard. Using a fork, gently pull the strands of squash away from the peel and place the squash strands into a mixing bowl.
Heat a large skillet over medium high heat. Add the butter, spaghetti squash, herbs, salt and pepper and toss thoroughly but gently to heat and combine. Serve immediately or cover and keep warm until ready to serve.
Source: Emeril Lagasse
Nutrition* (1 serving): 144 calories, 9 grams fat, 2 grams protein, 18 grams carbs, 0 grams sugar, 19 milligrams cholesterol, 336 milligrams sodium
*All nutrition information is approximate
