Spaghetti Squash

This was my first spaghetti squash to buy. It sat on the counter for about a week before I got the courage to crack into it and figure out what to do with it.  The squash seemed small, so my big question was how much is it going to make.  There was a lot of squash in that little guy, enough for 4 servings at least.

The first thing you do is cut it down the center.  Use your sharpest knife for this part and be careful. 

Then you want to scoop out the center part with the seeds and pulp. This was the part I was unsure about.  I thought the strands in the middle were the actual squash, but they are not.  It is like cutting a canteloupe.  You know how you take a spoon and scoop the middle part out, seeds and all?  Same concept here.  The part of the squash you'll be eating is that smooth looking outer layer.

Then place the halves in a 9x13 pan, cut sides facing up (like in the above picture). Pour about an inch of water in the bottom of the pan and cover tightly with foil. You can put a little butter, salt and pepper on the squash before you bake it if you want to, I did not do that step because of my diet lifestyle change and what not.  Bake at 375 for 30-45 minutes (I cooked mine 45 minutes).

Then the magic happens.  You take a fork and scoop the spaghetti like strands out onto your plate.  It is so stinkin' cool!  And unlike pasta which is 5 WW points, this is 0 points!

Top with your favorite pasta sauce and you have yourself a fantastic dinner.