Expertise needed good but simple flavorful sauce for spaghetti squash. Tasty enough so will make me want more!

Lemon Caper Spaghetti Squash

Ingredients (use vegan versions):

1 small spaghetti squash

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1/4 cup non-hydrogenated, vegan margarine

2 tablespoons drained capers

1/4 cup diced zucchini (green rind mostly)

1/4 cup dice red bell pepper

4 tablespoons lemon juice (bottled works fine)

4 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley

1/4 cup chopped tomatoes, canned or fresh

salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Cut squash in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds. (Toss them out for the birds.) Rub the inside well with the olive oil, use more than 2 tablespoon if you need to. Put the squash cut side down on a pan (cookie or pizza, whatever you have) and cover with foil. You don't have to make a tight seal but you don't want it too loose. Bake the squash until the squash "flesh" (sorry to use the "f" word) is done and can be easily scrapped out with a fork. It took about 30 minutes in my oven. Scrape out the spaghetti strings and put them aside where they'll stay warm.

Melt the margarine in a large pan or cast iron pot (what I used) and add the zucchini, bell pepper and capers, cooking them until they're tender. Stir in the lemon juice, parsley and season with salt and pepper. Kosher salt if you have it but don't make it too salty! Taste sauce to see if it's OK before mixing in the squash and tomatoes. You can pan fried floured tofu slices to serve with this and it was excellent.

Serves: 2-3. If not vagan have broiled chicken.

Spaghetti Squash with Moroccan Spices

1 (3 1/2- to 4-pound) spaghetti squash

1/2 stick (4 tablespoons) unsalted butter, cut into pieces

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon ground coriander

1/8 teaspoon cayenne

3/4 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro PreparationPierce squash (about an inch deep) all over with a small sharp knife to prevent bursting. Cook in an 800-watt microwave oven on high power (100 percent) for 6 to 7 minutes. Turn squash over and microwave until squash feels slightly soft when pressed, 8 to 10 minutes more. Cool squash for 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, melt butter in a small heavy saucepan over moderately high heat. Add garlic and cook, stirring, until golden, about 1 minute. Stir in spices and salt and remove from heat. Carefully halve squash lengthwise (it will give off steam) and remove and discard seeds. Working over a bowl, scrape squash flesh with a fork, loosening and separating strands as you remove it from skin. Toss with spiced butter and cilantro.

• Alternatively, you can bake the squash in a preheated 350°F oven for 1 to 1 1/4 hours.

Spicy Spaghetti Squash

1 small spaghetti squash, halved and seeded

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/2 cup minced onion

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 green onions, minced

12 ounces ground white meat turkey

2 cups crushed tomatoes

2 tablespoons red wine

2 teaspoons capers

2 teaspoons minced fresh oregano

2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Place each squash half cut side down on a cookie sheet and bake uncovered for about 45 to 60 minutes or until a fork goes easily into the shell. Allow to cool and scoop out the strands of squash with a large spoon and set aside. Heat the oil in a skillet over medium high heat. Add the onion, garlic and scallions and saute for 2 minutes. Add the turkey and cook for 4 minutes. Add the tomatoes and wine and bring to a boil, lower the heat and simmer for 20 minutes. Add the capers, oregano, red pepper flakes and parsley; simmer for 5 minutes. If the squash has cooled too much, reheat it in the microwave, covered for 2 to 3 minutes. Top the squash with the sauce and serve.

nfd

Coming from the old school, I make my own from scratch and noticed on the jars of already made sauce it contains too much "corn syrup" to make it tasty to most people. So here is an idea if you want to make some sauce the night before it will have a richer taste the next day you serve it over your favorite pasta. I won't give amounts just ingredients since you probably know how much to make and the directions: ground beef lean pork chops mushrooms sliced parsley oregano basil garlic tomatoes tomato paste tomato sauce water wine dry red salt pepper onions pinch of sugar Brown the meats in olive oil until done then add the other ingredients and bring to a boil. Turn down the heat and simmer for 1 hour. Let cool down and place in refrigerator covered until the next day you heat it and serve. Most kids do not like too many spices so put some aside for him and jazz up the rest with hot pepper for the others. Best of luck, Mama Jazzy Geri

use the spaghetti squash as the "noodles" to your favorite spaghetti mixture. I start with prego when i am busy (i am military now so no time for a garden to grow my own like i used to)

boil or steam the spaghetti squash (make sure it has time to drain or it will be soggy

next take lean or extra lean ground beef or even ground turkey. cook it with crushed pepper or other spicy seasons if you can take it (i love tony chacheres creole seasoning) then add mushrooms, spinach (fresh), and prego (there is a heart healthy version with less sodium and i can't tell a taste difference and i'm picky) if you want you can even incorporate oats and egg whites and make a funky spaghetti meatloaf out of the whole thing that would probably be interesting....i want to go get some spaghetti squash now lol. I loved it as a noodle substitute and you can look up a few foods that help

also try garlic powder and or garlic salt with some butter spray on it. we'd use that on acorn or butternut squash and my grams used to brown sugar and butter the butternut too. let me know if you need more recipe research help:)

Butternut Squash in coconut milk broth:

3/4 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth

1 1/2 teaspoon brown sugar

1 teaspoons kosher salt

2 teaspoons tomato paste

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper (optional)

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 (14oz) can light coconut milk

2 cups (3/4inch) cubed peeled butternut squash or whatever

1 cup (1inch) red bell pepper strips

Mix them all up and simmer for 10 minutes. To make the sauce thicker, use cornstarch.

SPAGHETTI SQUASH WITH MUSHROOM SAUCE

1 med. spaghetti squash, halved lengthwise and seeded

1 tbsp. butter

3 green onions, chopped fine

1/2 lb. sm. mushrooms, quartered

1/2 tsp. each thyme and marjoram

1/8 tsp. pepper

1/2 c. beef or chicken broth

1 tbsp. minced parsley

Cook squash until tender in boiling water (about 20 minutes). Cook green onions in butter until soft. Add mushrooms, thyme and marjoram, and pepper. Cover and cook 5 minutes. Add broth and cook uncovered until most of broth has evaporated (about 5 minutes). Scrape squash from the shell onto a serving dish and spoon the mushroom sauce on top. Sprinkle with parsley.

OR

SPAGHETTI SQUASH WITH VEGETABLE SAUCE

2 tomatoes, seeded & diced

1 c. celery stalks, diced

1/2 c. sweet red pepper, diced

1/2 c. yellow pepper, diced

1 c. cucumber, peeled, seeded & diced

3 tbsp. capers

1 shallot, diced

1/8 tsp. ground black pepper

2 1/2 tbsp. balsamic vinegar

1 tbsp. hot mustard

2 tbsp. minced fresh herbs

4 c. cooked spaghetti squash

In a large bowl, combine the tomatoes, celery, red pepper, yellow pepper, cucumber, capers, shallot and black pepper. In a small bowl, whisk 2 tablespoons vinegar, mustard and herbs. Pour over vegetables and toss gently to combine. Marinate 1 hour.

Taste and add more vinegar if desired. Measure 1 cup squash per serving and toss each serving with 1 cup marinated vegetable. Single serving = 1 cup starch, 1 cup vegetable.

OR

ASPARAGUS SAUCE OVER SPAGHETTI SQUASH

1 1/2 lb. asparagus

8 c. water

1 bunch scallions, chopped

1 c. green beans

1 bay leaf

3 parsley sprigs

1/2 tsp. dried basil

1/3 c. lemon juice

1 tbsp. grated lemon rind

Cooked spaghetti squash (1 c. per serving)

1/4 c. minced fresh herbs

Trim the tough ends from the asparagus. Cut half of the asparagus into 1 inch pieces, set aside. Chop the remainder. In 3 quart saucepan, bring the water to a boil. Add the chopped asparagus, scallions, beans, bay leaf, parsley and basil. Simmer until the asparagus is tender, about 7 to 10 minutes. Discard the bay leaf. Remove the vegetables from the pan with a slotted spoon and transfer them to a food processor or blender.

Make sure you reserve the cooking liquid. Puree the vegetables, gradually adding about 1/2 cup of reserved liquid to obtain a sauce consistency. Place mixture in a 1 quart saucepan. Add the lemon juice and rind, set aside. Cook the sliced asparagus in a large pot of boiling water until tender, about 7 to 10 minutes. Remove asparagus sauce. Pour 3/4 cup sauce over 1 cup squash, toss to combine, with 1/4 cup asparagus and herbs. Single serving = 1 serving starch, 1 serving vegetable

JM

Good luck with your weight loss

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