Spaghetti Squash with Thyme and Mushroom

LEVEL: easy Total: 02:00 4

Spaghetti Squash with Thyme and Mushroom

Post by Mala Machado

BOOKMARK

DELICIOUS

Description

Spaghetti squash is an answer to the pasta conundrum. Not THE answer…but it’s a great crutch.

Lots of people remove meat from their diets and suddenly find themselves surviving on cheese and pasta alone. That is not healthy. I realize that it’s difficult to become a vegetarian on your own, without family support and/or as an adult, after you have a lifetime of eating habits behind you, so I give major credit to those who try. However it is very important to realize that your whole style of eating and viewing meals has to change before you can be a healthy vegetarian.

Funny story, I was chatting with someone about this recipe and she was so curious about what I used to cut the squash into spaghetti strands. She was so cute. She actually thought I went through all the work of grating so much squash. No, honey…no.

So I’m going to make this super clear to y’all. When you go to the grocery store, make sure you actually buy the type of squash called SPAGHETTI SQUASH. The fibers of this squash allow it to be pulled into long strands…other kinds of squash won’t work.

Anyway, you can treat spaghetti squash kind of the way you might treat pasta. Even if you don’t need the crutch, it’s a wonderful lower carb, vegetable alternative to pastas. In this recipe, I mix it in with mushrooms and garlic infused olive oil for a yummy dinner.

Nutrition Facts

4 servings per container

Serving size

Amount per serving

Calories 262

% Daily Value*

Total Fat 7.8g 10%

Saturated Fat 3.9g 20%

Trans Fat g

Cholesterol 15mg 5%

Sodium 201mg 9%

Total Carbohydrate 157g 53%

Dietary Fiber 9.4g 32%

Total Sugars 7.4g

Includes g Added Sugars 0%

Protein 16g

Calcium 17.4mg 2%

Iron 58.5mg 325%

Copper 56.9%

Niacin 60%

Riboflavin 40%

Thiamin 12%

Manganese 20%

Selenium 5%

Zinc 5%

Magnesium 7.5%

Folate 4.5%

Phosphorus 11%

Not a significant source of vitamin D, or potassium.

The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

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Nutritions

Ingredients

1 large Spaghetti Squash

3 cloves Garlic, minced

2 Shallots, minced

1 tbs Butter or Ghee (omit or use dairy free fat if you're going for vegan)

1 cup Parmesan, thinly sliced (omit if preparing vegan)

1/2 cup Dry White Wine

~12-16 oz mixed exotic mushroom blend (make sure it includes porcini & shiitaki mushrooms)

1.5 tbs fresh Thyme, chopped

1 tbs Extra Virgin Olive Oil to brush on squash.

* Click to ingredient to choose one

Directions

1: Arrange rack in the middle and preheat oven to 375 F.
2: Using a sharp knife, put a few cuts into the rind of the squash. Make sure to pierce through to the middle.
3: Microwave squash for 2 minutes on high to soften rind enough to cut more easily.
4: Split squash in half. Scrape out the seeds.
5: Brush open sides with olive oil. Place the squash, halved side up, on to a baking sheet and bake until fork tender (about 50-60 minutes).
6: Remove squash from oven and let it cool.
7: Meanwhile, heat the butter in a large pan over medium heat.
8: Add minced garlic and shallot. Saute until softened and lightly browned (about 3 minutes).
9: Add sliced mushrooms and toss.
10: Sprinkle with a dash of salt and pepper and continue sauteing for 5 minutes. A lot of fluid will be released. This is normal.
11: Add wine and raise the heat to medium-high. Cook until almost all the fluid is evaporated.
12: Stir in thyme and remove pan from heat.
13: By this time, the squash should be cooled enough to handle. Using a fork, scrape the flesh to make long strands. That's your spaghetti!
14: Add this "spaghetti" to the pan. Toss with tongs to coat and mix thoroughly.
15: Return pan to medium heat and cook until heated thoroughly (about 3 minutes).
16: Remove from heat and add cheese by the handful as you toss the spaghetti to evenly coat.
17: Serve, topped with freshly ground black pepper.