Side Dishes
1 medium spaghetti squash
1 1⁄2 cups part skim ricotta cheese
1⁄2 cup tomato sauce
2 rounded teaspoons minced garlic
2 rounded teaspoons fresh chopped basil
1⁄4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
salt and pepper
1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Slice spaghetti squash in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds with a spoon as you would a pumpkin.
2. Completely submerge squash halves in the pot of boiling water and cook for about 20 minutes, or until the inside is just tender to a fork and pulls apart in strands.
3. As the squash is cooking, place a sauce pot over medium heat and add the ricotta cheese, tomato sauce, minced garlic, and basil. Bring up to a simmer, stirring frequently. Add the Parmesan cheese and then salt and pepper to taste. Turn heat to low until ready to serve, stirring occasionally.
4. Once the spaghetti squash is cooked, drain and run under warm water, just until the temperature has lowered enough to handle it. Use a large spoon to scoop the flesh from the squash in large chunks, then a fork to separate the chunks into spaghetti like strands. (It is best to do this into your serving dish.)
5. Serve squash topped with the ricotta sauce, hot off the stove.
George’s Tips | It is better to undercook the spaghetti squash than overcook it. If the squash is a little crunchy or “al dente” (or if it has cooled down too much for the sauce to heat back up), transfer the strands (after step 4) to a microwave safe dish, add a few tablespoons of water, cover, and microwave in 1 minute increments until hot and crisp-tender.
Variation | Add 2 tablespoons trans-fat free margarine, 1 fresh chopped tomato, and 1⁄4 cup of crumbled bacon in step 3 to make an even richer, chunkier sauce.
calories: 115 | fat: 6g | protein: 9g | fiber: 1g | net carbs: 5g