Spaghetti squash casserole

My sister loves spaghetti squash and she has been trying to get me to try it for some time.  “It’s fantastic!” she exclaimed.  I wasn’t so convinced.  I remember trying a recipe for mashed cauliflower which people insisted tasted exactly like mashed potatoes.  Lets just say they tasted like cauliflower!  Yuck!  But, like I said, I am willing to try new things.

First of all, you need to know how to cook a squash.  It’s super hard to cut raw, so the method my sister uses is microwaving it.  Take the whole squash, pierce it several times with a knife.  Microwave for 10 to 12 minutes and let stand for 5 minutes to finish steaming.  You can also bake it for an hour at 375 degrees, or you can put it in a crock pot with a cup of water and cook for 8 hours.

After its cooked, slice lengthwise and remove the seeds.  Using a fork, scrape the inside and little strands will start to come off that look like spaghetti.  For a 1 cup serving, its only 42 calories.  It’s also low in cholesterol, a good source niacin, vitamin B6, potassium, manganese, fiber and vitamin C.  My sister makes this fantastic casserole using spaghetti squash that is healthy, filling and yummy!

Spaghetti squash casserole

• 6 ounces diced zucchini
• 18 ounces cooked spaghetti squash, chopped
• 16 ounces homemade marinara, or jarred sauce
• 3 cups chopped fresh spinach
• 1 ounce mozarella cheese
• garlic to taste
• Italian seasoning to taste
• crushed red pepper flakes

Saute the garlic in a non-stick pan.  Add vegetables to pan and saute for 2 minutes.  Add marinara sauce, Italian seasoning and crushed red pepper flakes.  Simmer another 2 minutes.  Remove from heat and stir in ricotta cheese.  Put in a casserole dish (a square one if you have it) and sprinkle with the mozarella cheese.  Bake at 375 for 20 minutes.  For 1/4 of the recipe, its only 212 calories!