Spaghetti squash is one of my favorite low oxalate veggies. I especially like it as a low-carbohydrate, high nutrient substitute for pasta. I don’t often use the word “substitute” on this site because I have a history of being disappointed with low oxalate foods that I’ve substituted for medium or high oxalate foods. I believe my problem with substitutes was that I was still grieving the lost food item and wanting or expecting the substitute to taste like the original. When I stopped thinking of low oxalate foods as substitutes for high oxalate foods and started thinking of them as yummy foods in their own right with new and interesting characteristics, I began to really enjoy them! This subtle change in thinking is what helped me become a more creative cook and to have fun trying to find ways to enjoy a wide variety of yummy, nourishing foods.
Spaghetti Squash Alfredo
In the case of spaghetti squash, however, it’s hard not thinking of it as a substitute for pasta! It looks like spaghetti in shape, color and texture. It’s bland like spaghetti and has an affinity for pasta sauces. The only true difference between spaghetti squash and spaghetti is that the squash takes a little longer to cook, has more nutrition per calorie, is sweeter, is gluten-free and it doesn’t cause my blood sugar to spike then crash an hour later. I can deal with those differences!
Some people enjoy spaghetti squash with traditional tomato sauces. I do not. I believe spaghetti squash truly shines with butter, cream and olive oil-based sauces– the type of sauces that complement it’s slightly sweet, but otherwise bland flavor. My boys like it best when I serve it with butter and Parmesan cheese. I like it best tossed with olive oil and feta. We occasionally make it a meal in itself, but more often we eat it as an accompaniment to chicken or beef (find healthy Missouri grassfed meats here).
Today I’ll share how to cook a spaghetti squash and my favorite simple recipe — Spaghetti Squash Alfredo. Over the next few months I’ll add other favorites. I hope you’ll soon become a fan of spaghetti squash, too!
Spaghetti Squash Alfredo:
1/2 stick butter (4 tablespoons)
2 cups cooked spaghetti squash (about half of a large squash)
1/2 cup cream
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
A dash of pepper and salt to taste
Melt butter in a saucepan over medium to low heat. Add the squash, cream and Parmesan cheese. Stir gently to coat the squash and melt the cheese. When the mixture is thoroughly heated, add salt and pepper to taste and serve warm. Spaghetti Squash Alfredo is especially good served with roasted chicken and steamed broccoli or asparagus!
Makes four servings (recipe easily doubles or halves).
How to Cook a Spaghetti Squash: The two easiest methods for cooking a spaghetti squash that also preserve the squash’s nutrient content are boiling and baking the squash whole. I much prefer baking the squash, but boiling saves a little time and is a great way to humidify the house on a cold winter’s day.
To boil: Place the squash in a dutch oven or stew pot with enough water to cover it and boil for at about thirty minutes. Remove the squash from the water and let it cool enough to handle. (Use a towel to protect your hands if you want to start cutting early.)
To bake: Prick the squash all over with a fork or a skewer (I prick it 10-12 times), set it on a baking dish, and bake at 375 degrees for about an hour. Remove the squash from the oven and let it cool enough to handle.
When the squash is cool, cut it in half (I think an equatorial cut works best for nice long strands, but some people prefer a lengthwise cut from stem to end). Remove the seeds and the pulp (being careful not to remove too much squash with the pulp). Using a fork, remove the long spaghetti-like strands from the squash, further separating them in the serving bowl. If your squash is a little watery (mine often is), strain it in a colander just like you would spaghetti. Cooked spaghetti squash can be stored in the refrigerator for up to one week. I typically cook one each weekend, then use it over the next week for various side and main dishes. (Note: Don’t freeze spaghetti squash! It becomes spaghetti “mush” and loses its nice texture. If you’ve already made this mistake, however, don’t worry. Puree the squash in your blender, then use it like you would pumpkin in a custard, bread or soup.)
Low Oxalate Info: Spaghetti squash is a low oxalate vegetable with about 4.5 mg. oxalate per half cup. Cream, butter, Parmesan cheese, and a dash of pepper are very low or low oxalate ingredients, giving Spaghetti Squash Alfredo about 6 mg. oxalate per serving.
Picky Eater Pleaser: I’d start off serving this without the pepper unless your child happens to love black pepper. You may also want to go easy on the sauce. My boys liked this better when I used three cups of squash instead of two although I admit I like the more traditional “sitting in a pool of butter” taste of the original recipe. Alternately, your child might like to dip her squash into the Alfredo sauce. Aidan thinks this is a lot of fun and is much more likely to eat his squash with “sauce dip.” He will also dip his chicken and broccoli into the sauce, so I end up having to make more sauce this way. This is one of our go-to easy meals when left-over chicken is in the house.
Other Diets: Spaghetti Squash Alfredo may also be appropriate for vegetarian, low carbohydrate and Paleo diets.
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