Mediterranean Spaghetti Squash

I love spaghetti squash because it is great when you want something "pasta like" but you don't want all the calories and carbs of pasta. (A half cup of spaghetti squash has about 25 calories and it also has vitamin C, beta-carotene and anti-inflammatory properties) It is quick and easy to fix and you can find it year-round, although it is best and most plentiful in early fall through winter. You can put almost any topping that you would put on pasta on it or you can just saute it with olive oil or butter.



It is very easy to prepare and there are many different methods of preparing it. I usually bake it on a cookie sheet in the oven. You just split it in half, scoop out the seeds (easier if you use kitchen shears to cut around the edges first). Next you put it cut side down, on a baking pan in the oven. I bake mine at about 375 degrees in the oven for 30-40 minutes or until you can pierce the skin easily with a fork. Let it cool until you can comfortably handle it and run the tines of the fork over the cut side, "combing it" so the flesh separates into spaghetti-like strands. Keep "combing" and pulling out the strands until you reach the shell or skin. Top the strands anyway you like. (This squash made about 2 heaping cups of cooked spaghetti)


These pictures aren't the best and I guess I didn't take one of the cooked squash before the "combing" but you get the basic idea.

Mediterranean Spaghetti Squash

2 Tbsp olive oil
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 small, sweet onion
2 Tbsp capers
Juice of 1 lemon
8 cherry tomatoes, halved
2 cups spaghetti squash
4 oz feta cheese, crumbled
2 Tbsp flat leaf parsley, coarsely chopped
1 tsp chopped fresh rosemary
Salt and pepper to taste

Heat oil in a large saucepan; add onion and garlic and sauté until soft. Add capers, lemon juice and cherry tomatoes and cook about 4-5 minutes more. Gently mix in spaghetti squash and heat through. Place in a bowl, add crumbled feta and garnish with parsley and rosemary. Salt and pepper to taste (with the capers and feta you should not need much salt).