One of my favorite foods ever since childhood has been spaghetti. There are so many different variations on dishes you can make by just using this long pasta. Although it is delicious, spaghetti is high in carbs and calories. Once I found out that my family’s go-to dinner was not that healthy, I was determined to make a healthier spaghetti recipe that still tasted great. After searching high and low, I finally found the perfect dish: spaghetti squash with button mushrooms.

SPAGHETTI SQUASH:

Spaghetti squash is a sweet vegetable that, when pulled apart, has a delicious taste and a texture identical to spaghetti. When compared to the true spaghetti, spaghetti squash has almost five times less calories, four times less carbohydrates, and three times more calcium! Spaghetti squash is rich with important minerals and helpful fiber, a nutrient that reduces risk of cardiovascular diseases and lowers cholesterol. It is slightly sweet while still containing that hardy vegetable taste which I love.  Spaghetti squash can be found at any local farmers market; I suggest Produce Junction on Bryn Mawr Avenue.

BUTTON MUSHROOMS:

Working harmoniously with the spaghetti squash to make this meal as healthy as possible are the button mushrooms, the most consumed mushrooms in the US, which can be found at your local supermarket (I recommend going organic). Make sure you wash them well because they are normally pretty dirty when you buy them. These mushrooms can be sautéed with garlic and olive oil, eaten plain with guacamole or hummus, or added to a delicious breakfast omelet. They help strengthen the immune system and prevent against certain types of cancer, and they contain high amounts of copper, which helps produce blood cells and maintain heart health. Also, though most vegetables lose between 5 – 20% of their nutritional value when cooked, these magical mushrooms keep their nutritional content when cooked.

NOTES AND TIPS:

Before cooking this dish, you have to bake the squash for an hour, so start baking ahead of time so you do not have to wait for it to get tender. Also, I would recommend adding a little bit more olive oil (maybe a tablespoon) to the pan before adding the spaghetti squash so it does not stick to the bottom of the pan. Including the hour for baking the spaghetti squash, this recipe took me about two hours to make, but do not fret about the time commitment. The delicious taste of the meal is well worth it. Enjoy!

Spaghetti Squash with Button Mushrooms:

Ingredients:

-1 small spaghetti squash (about 3 lbs.)

-1 teaspoon of fresh thyme

-2 garlic cloves, minced

-2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil

-2 cups of button mushrooms, roughly chopped

-1/4 cup of parmesan cheese, grated

-salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 380˚ F. Put the spaghetti squash on a baking tray and bake for about an hour, until the squash can be pierced with a knife.
2. While the spaghetti squash is baking, add the olive oil, garlic, and thyme to a deep skillet. Cook that for two minutes over high heat and then add the mushrooms, cooking until golden brown. Turn off the heat and set the skillet aside.
3. Take the squash out of the oven and let it cool until it reaches room temperature. Cut the squash in half, get rid of the seeds and use a fork to scrape the squash into strings.
4. Add the squash to the skillet and turn the heat to high, quickly cooking it with the mushrooms. Sprinkle the mixture with parmesan while sautéing for a minute.
5. Turn the heat off and season with salt and pepper. Serve warm.