SPAGHETTI SQUASH

There are many types of squash, which are vegetables from the gourd family. There are also a thousand different ways to eat and prepare them all. Today we will talk about spaghetti squash. I had never had it before and was very surprised by the fact that it's so aptly named. The inside of this gourd when separated with a fork is just like spaghetti and if you are looking to save calories and eat healthier you can substitute this for the actual pasta.

The original spaghetti squash is light in color, then a new variety emerged with more beta-carotene, a bit orange in color and a little sweeter inside. Either one is fine for eating, however you will probably come across the orange one most in your grocers.

When picking your squash, look for one with an even color and hard exterior. If it's green it's not mature yet and soft spots are no good. Four ounces of spaghetti squash only have about 38 calories and can be cooked in a variety of ways. You can actually drop the whole thing into boiling water and when the outside can be pierced easily with your fork it should be done inside. You can also cut in in half and cook it in a micro wave or bake it in a regular oven. You can cut it and steam it for about five minutes.

For a hearty lunch or dinner with hardly any calories, try steaming the spaghetti squash and when tender spray it with one of those no butter sprays and add your favorite Mrs. Dash! That and a small green salad would be perfect! In fact now that I'm thinking about it some salsa on the squash would be perfect too. Or try a marinara sauce, or even just plain tomato sauce seasoned with some Italian seasonings and a pinch of sugar for balance.