One of my most difficult times to be on the GAPS diet is when I am fixing a pasta dish for my family and I can’t have any – until now! I have found the joys of spaghetti squash. Have you ever found joy in a vegetable? Well, I have and it is a wonderful substitute for spaghetti. After cooking, the noodles magically appear! Add some tomato sauce or just smother those noodles with butter and you have a wonderful meal! This wonder of a vegetable is actually a winter squash, like pumpkin. It varies in color from yellow to dark orange and is a good source of vitamin A, folic acid, potassium and beta carotene. Plus, it so easy to prepare! You need one or more spaghetti squash. Cooking time will depend upon the size but normally 45 minutes to one hour is all that is needed. First, rub olive oil on the skin and place the spaghetti squash in a pan – don’t even bother cutting it up. Bake for 30 minutes at 350F.
After 30 minutes, remove from the oven and pierce the skin of the squash with a fork in several places. This allows steam to escape. Continue cooking for another 20 – 30 minutes or until tender.
When tender, remove from the oven and allow to cool until you can work with it. Then, cut the spaghetti squash in half.
Scoop out the seeds and discard. The seeds are large and much like a pumpkin’s seeds.
Fluff the pulp inside the squash shell with a fork or spoon.
Place the “noodles” in a serving dish and top as desired with sauce or just add butter and salt (where to buy REAL salt) to taste.
Enjoy!
This post is part of: Sunday School, Weekend Gourmet, Gluten Free Monday, Marvelous Monday, Melt in Your Mouth Monday, Monday Mania, Make Your Own Monday, Fat Tuesday, Slightly Indulgent Tuesday, Traditional Tuesdays, Allergy Free Wednesday, Homemaking LinkUp, Mommy Club, Real Food Wednesday, Whole Foods Wednesday, Eat Make Grow, Full Plate Thursday, Pennywise Platter, Simple Lives Thursday, Fill Those Jars Friday, GAPS Friendly Friday, Fight Back Friday, Fresh Bites Friday, Gluten Free Fridays, Whole Foods Friday
Yum… spaghetti squash is one of my family favorite as well.. My kids grew up eating them & they’re easy to grow as well. I had one squash last in my basement for 2 years and was still edible & tasty. They are indeed a fantastic vegetable!
Kim, it is amazing that it lasted that long – I had no idea that they would!
I eat about 14 to 15 pounds of spaghetti squash in 3 to 4 days!! How nuts am I? LOL! I am totally obsessed, TOTALLY!
WOW! that is a lot of spaghetti squash! I understand though, it is great!
discard the seeds??? why? they’re the best part! roasted squash seeds are so crispy and delicious!
Claire, I am sure they are – we love pumpkin seeds! It just seems like too much trouble for the few seeds in them but I’ll have to try it – thanks for the encouragment!
Thank you so much for sharing your awesome recipe with Full Plate Thursday. Hope you have a great weekend and come back soon!
Miz Helen
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