Unraveling Spaghetti Squash

Despite my love of winter, I must admit that the gorgeous weather this weekend was an absolute delight and I found myself spending my days outside and away from my kitchen. It's starting to get me excited for spring! I know Baxter concurs. Not only does she not enjoy being cold, but warmer days mean more walks and trips to the dog park...without me coaxing her to hurry before my hands and face freeze. She's only lived in DC with me since June, but she's really come to love city life, especially our local dog park (as long as I remain within her line of sight...the idea of being left there does not excite her). I think because most of the dogs are her size and she can let her inner herding dog come out, she always seems to have a good time. It's really quiet entertaining to watch them all in action. Plus, since I love any excuse to pet and play with dogs, it's a win for me as well! 


Nonetheless, it's largely because of the dog park and the sunny weekend that I am sharing a recipe I made a couple weeks ago but somehow never got worked into the blog. It was a lot of fun to make and a great substitute for pasta.


Spaghetti Squash

Slightly adapted from Martha Stewart

Ingredients

• 1 spaghetti squash (about 4 pounds), halved lengthwise, seeds removed
• Extra-virgin olive oil (for sautéing veggies and and brushing squash)
• Salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1-2 fresh tomatoes, diced
• 1/2 medium onion, diced
• 3-4 garlic cloves

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Brush cut sides of squash with oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. Place squash, cut sides down, on a rimmed baking sheet. Roast until tender, about 45 minutes. Let cool slightly on sheet on a wire rack, about 10 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, sauté garlic and onions in olive oil (2-3 minutes) until they begin to become tender, add tomatoes and continue to sauté until cooked through. Season to taste.
3. Scrape squash with a fork to remove flesh in long strands. Place in a large bowl. Add onion, garlic, and tomato mixture. Toss, and serve immediately. 

*This made so much that I began to experiment with other veggies after the first day and also added mushrooms and broccoli to the mixture which was equally delightful. 

This part was my favorite...I will admit that I'm easily entertained :)

Delicious use of winter veggies