spagetti squash

[Carolina Cooking]

what does it really taste like? If you can describe it lol

 

[Phiddlechik]

Like zucchini or summer squash, not the strong butternut or acorn style. It really has a light taste, so works well with other flavors. I use it in place of spaghetti (noodles), it's also good in a frittata, and stirfry dishes.

 

[Carolina Cooking]

oh good..

It is really really low carb. I have several recipes for it too. one with a Alfredo sauce I make.

Hope my store has it.

looks like meatballs & tomato sauce soon

Frittata sounds great. Thanks..

 

[lilbopeep]

I have never had it. How do you cook it?

 

[Phiddlechik]

Cut it in half, take the seeds out, turn it upside down in a pan with a little water, bake or microwave. Sometimes they come with a little sticker that tells how to cook it.
Then when done, turn it over, take a fork and pull/scrape the strands out. Then use the strands in your recipe, as is, or saute with a bit of olive oil and seasonings.

 

[Carolina Cooking]

I never had it either lol thats why I asked . But I sure as heck am going to try it.
from what I gather , you can cut slits in the skin, nuke it, then remove the guts & fork it lol

Or cut it half then put it in covered bowl nuke it. Or cut it in half & bakeit.

I tried those Shirataki Noodles lousy.
rubbery, slimmy, they even smell fishy. couldn't dump them down the diposal fast enough.

Don' t like dreamfields at all & it has to many carbs even tho its supposed to be low carb. It spiked me.. Not worth it to me.

 

[Phiddlechik]

yep, the spaghetti squash is a real food, not engineered to resemble a real food. I don't like the blended pastas, either. They don't hold up to sauce when mixed together and stored as leftovers.

 

[Carolina Cooking]

http://www.kalynskitchen.com/2009/10/recipe-for-spaghetti-squash-and-chard.html

I go to this site/blog all the time. her recipes are great. I do Atkins not South Beach so I re work some of the recipes.
I am going to make this with spinach..

 

[CaliforniaCook]

It tastes slightly nutty & has a crunch - unlike pasta/noodles. I stab it & nuke it for about 10 minutes, turning it halfway through cooking, then let it rest before cutting in half. One way I like to serve it is to add cooked vermicelli, melted butter, s&p, & grated Parmesan cheese. Sometimes I add peas and/or ham.

 

[Phiddlechik]

I just call that crunch, "al dente!"

 

[CaliforniaCook]

The first time I made spaghetti squash (years ago), I expected it to taste like spaghetti/pasta. It definiately tastes like the vegetable it is. The only similarity between spaghetti & spaghetti squash, are the spaghetti-like strands. Mostly I treated it as a vegetable, or turned it into a main dish by adding other ingredients; but no heavy or extra cheesy sauces. It will mask the flavor of the vegetable. However, if you are a chili fan, the combo of the chili & crunchy squash strands, make an interesting combo. I stopped buying it because the weight/price per pound was high. I could make a pasta-like/veggie dish w/ less fuss. If you've never made it before, it's a unique, fun experience - forking the strands.

 

[lifesaver91958]

I poke a few holes in in and boil it in a pot of water until tender. Once tender I remove the squast to a large bowl where I cut it in half and remove all seeds and them scrape out all spaghetti. I love to then fry it with butter until golden. Delicious!

 

[Carolina Cooking]

I stopped buying it because the weight/price per pound was high. I could make a pasta-like/veggie dish w/ less fuss


It was a bargin compared to other veggies I buy. $1.25lb I got one for $2.78.
To many high carbs in reg pasta. I can't eat it.

 

[CaliforniaCook]

I try to cut down on fatty & deep-fried foods. It can be a challenge. I adapt where I can.

Here are two dishes I saved that sound good to me. If you need the #s, let me know, as I save recipes to my MasterCook Program. It gives me the total breakdown.

Spaghetti Squash Casserole With Ricotta, Spinach & Mozzarella


http://www.realsimple.com/food-recipes/browse-all-recipes/spaghetti-squash-casserole-ricotta-spinach-00000000048458/index.html


Lemon-Garlic Broccoli over Spaghetti Squash

http://recipes.howstuffworks.com/lemon-garlic-broccoli-over-spaghetti-squash-recipe.htm

(Ten cloves of garlic sounds like a bit much for me. I would take it down to 3-5. You can always adapt it to your taste.)

Enjoy !