Cooking Spaghetti Squash

I love the fall partly because of the weather but all because I love fall fruits and vegetables like apples, pomegranates, endives, spinach, pumpkins and squash. One of my favorite forms of squash is the spaghetti squash. It is higher in beta-carotene; the orange variety is also bit sweeter than its paler counterpart, although both have a mild flavor that is easily enhanced by the food served with or on it. A foodies dream, a four-ounce serving of spaghetti squash has only 37 calories.
This is one simple recipe for spaghetti squash that I found a long time ago but changed some ingredients to make it a healthy side or a great main dish instead of using traditional noodles.

Ingredients
1 spaghetti squash, halved lengthwise and seeded
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 1/2 cups chopped tomatoes
3/4 cup crumbled Goat Cheese or Feta
3 tablespoons sliced black olives
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a baking sheet with olive oil.
2. Place spaghetti squash cut sides down on the prepared baking sheet, and bake 30 minutes in the preheated oven, or until a sharp knife can be inserted with only a little resistance. Remove squash from oven, and set aside to cool enough to be easily handled.
3. Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Sauté onion in the oil until tender. Add garlic, and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes, and cook only until tomatoes are warm.
Use a large spoon to scoop the stringy pulp from the squash, and place in a medium bowl. Toss with the sautéed vegetables, cheese, olives, and basil. Serve warm.

Sarah Kuretzky, MA, CPT, HHC