Can I let you in on a little secret? I don’t really like squash. There. I said it. It’s okaaayy but I find the texture is a bit too mushy and sweet for my liking, especially for a vegetable. I prefer my veggies to have a bit of crunch and squash just doesn’t do it for me. Why else would it be called SQUASH?

HOWEVER… there is one out of the squash family that I just can’t get enough of. That is the illustrious spaghetti squash. Aptly named because of its stringy, spaghetti noodle-like texture when it’s cooked. It is simply delicious. And it’s a great alternative to spaghetti noodles, rice, or starch in just about any dish.

Bonus points — it’s incredibly easy to cook as well.

Prep time: 5 minutes
Cooking time: 40 minutes
Servings: 4-6

Ingredients:

• 1 (or more) spaghetti squash
• 2 tsp grapeseed oil
• salt
• pepper

Instructions:

• Preheat oven to 400F
• Split the squash in half. Be careful with your knife skills as this squash has a tough exterior and won’t play along easily.
• Scoop out the seeds from each half
• Place both halves on baking sheet, cut side up
• Pour 1 tsp of oil in the middle of each half and brush all over
• Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper
• Roast in the oven for 40 minutes. (I like my squash on the crunchier side — you can roast yours a bit longer if you like)
• Let the squash sit for a few minutes to cool and then carefully take a fork and start scraping at the flesh.
• Put all of the stringy flesh in a bowl, mix, and top with whatever suits your fancy!

Recipe keynotes: Deliciously crunchy noodle-like alternative for a healthy meal.

Nutritional info: 

Per serving (100g or 3.5oz)

• Calories: 31kcal
• Carbohydrates: 6.9g (sugars 2.8g; fiber 1.5g)
• Fat: 0.6g
• Protein: 0.6g

Reference: USDA National Nutrient Database