Health Benefits of Spaghetti Squash (and my first adventure with cooking Spaghetti Squash)

Curious about the health benefits of spaghetti squash? Check out the benefits and how my first adventure went with this lovely veggie in this post.

I purchased spaghetti squash after seeing numerous recipes on blogs using it. I had no idea what to expect. What it would taste like. Whether I would like spaghetti squash.. no idea. But no way for me to form my own opinion if not by buying it and making it, right? So I did! It sat on the counter for about a week… or maybe two… until finally, I decided to make something of it.

While I had a bunch of recipes saved and pinned that used spaghetti squash my silly brain decided not to use any of those but rather to just go with the flow. I did what I remembered from them and just went for it.

How to Cook Spaghetti Squash

First, I poked some holes in it and tried to cut it in half to cook in the microwave. It didn’t go all the way through… the knife got stuck!

Finally after getting it out, I stuck it in the microwave for 2 or 3 minutes to cook. Then I tried to cut it again and finally after a whole lot some difficulties, I managed to cut it in half. Kinda.

So I got all the seeds out and stuck it in the microwave again for another 2 minutes. Then I saw it was pretty warm and I was afraid it would explode… especially since I didn’t remember how long I was supposed to put it in for. Why didn’t I use Google for this? No idea.

So I took it out, attempted to scraped the “noodles” out  and stuck it in a preheated oven at 350F.

By the way, while I was doing the scraping, the smell of the spaghetti squash was filling the air. It made me think of pumpkin soup that my mom makes, which is the best soup like ever. It’s my favorite soup, it’s sweet and creamy and… anyway, this isn’t a post about pumpkins, oops.

So yeah, upon smelling this, I wanted to add whipped cream and eat it straight! haha yeah, weirdo. But I didn’t. So I put it in the oven at 350F to help it warm up more.

Then eventually I added sauce and baked it longer . Then it was time to eat.

Did I expect it to taste like noodles? No.

Did it taste like noodles? No.

Did I want it to taste like noodles? Actually, no, I didn’t. Because I’m not a big starch/noodle/pasta fan anyway! The spaghetti squash took the flavor of the sauce and didn’t have much of a flavor on itself because my spaghetti sauce was overpowering which was okay with me.

With Ketchup and Mustard? Why the heck not!

Will I make spaghetti squash again?

Absolutely. Even though I kind of played it by ear, I really enjoyed this as a dish, it was yummy and especially delicious microwaved the day after (all of the flavors got all soaked through, I think).

Next time though, I will follow bloggers’ recipe directions and make an actual premeditated recipe. I know there are some things I didn’t do correctly and I’m pretty sure the outcome will be a lot more satisfying once I do it the correct way. So yeah, awesome dinner, over all. Of course nutritional yeast flakes HAD to be added (they are so yummy).

Health Benefits of Spaghetti Squash

I’m going to end with some nutritional facts about spaghetti squash….

• One unsalted cup of spaghetti squash contains: 42 calories, no fat, 10g carbs, 4g sugar, 1g protein, 2.2g fiber.
• Spaghetti squash has a high water content and is not as dense in vitamins and minerals as other winter squash, such as acorn or butternut, but does provide 3 percent of the Daily Value for calcium, 5 percent of the DV for Vitamin A, 9 percent of the DV for Vitamin C and 8 percent of the DV for dietary fiber.
• Spaghetti squash supplies modest amounts of carotenoids, plant substances that the body turns into Vitamin A and that may help protect against some diseases.
• Spaghetti squash contains omega-3 essential fatty acids and omega-6 fatty acids.While the former is good for preventing heart disease, cancer and inflammation caused by arthritis, the latter promotes brain function. It contains various vitamins and minerals, which are required for proper functioning of the body. 
• Spaghetti squash is apparently also good for prostate health and it can also be used for treating benign prostate enlargement.
• It is very rich in beta carotene, which can prevent atherosclerosis and is also beneficial for people with insulin resistance.
•  Spaghetti squash is a good source of vitamin A and vitamin C that are antioxidants, which can prevent cell damage. The B vitamins in spaghetti promote proper cellular function.

(source)(source)

Kammie wants to know:

• What’s your favorite way to eat spaghetti squash? Links welcome.

• What’s your favorite squash?

Let me know in the comments below!