| I recommend avoiding pasta and other refined | | | | sauce, vinegar, garlic, brown sugar and hot chile in a |
| carbohydrates if you are diabetic or are trying to lose | | | | small dish and mix well. Stir it into the spaghetti squash |
| weight. You'll find a perfect substitute in in the produce | | | | and add the other ingredients -- steamed shrimp, red |
| department of your supermarket: spaghetti squash! | | | | pepper, green onions, bean sprouts and basil or cilantro. |
| You can use it with any of your favorite pasta sauces, | | | | Stir in the peanut sauce and sprinkle with the peanuts. |
| in salads or soups. Diana tells you how to prepare it | | | | Serve at room temperature or chilled. |
| and gives you three easy recipes to get you started. | | | | 6-8 servings |
| Enjoy this fun vegetable even if you're not dieting (kids | | | | Note: Fish sauce and peanut sauce can be found in |
| love it, too.) | | | | the Asian section of many supermarkets or in any |
| How to Prepare Spaghetti Squash | | | | Asian market. |
| Method 1 (My way): | | | | Spaghetti Squash with Ratatouille Sauce |
| Puncture the skin of a spaghetti squash with a knife in | | | | 1 spaghetti squash, cooked |
| 3-4 places. Cook it in the microwave for three minutes, | | | | 1 onion, chopped |
| or until it is soft enough to cut easily. Allow it to cool so | | | | 1 green pepper, chopped |
| you can handle it comfortably. Cut the squash in half, | | | | 4 cloves garlic, minced |
| scoop out the seeds and discard them. | | | | 1/2 cup bouillon |
| Place squash halves cut-side down on a plate and | | | | 1 eggplant, cubed |
| return them to the microwave for another 8-10 | | | | 1 can (28 ounces) plum tomatoes, undrained, chopped |
| minutes, or bake in a conventional oven at 350 | | | | 1 tablespoon dried oreganopinch cayenne, or to taste |
| degrees for 1 hour. Cool. Run a fork over the flesh to | | | | 4 small zucchini squash, sliced |
| separate it into spaghetti-like strands and scoop them | | | | 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves (optional)juice of 1 |
| out of the shells. | | | | lemon |
| Method 2 (Squash label instructions): | | | | Prepare the spaghetti squash. Meanwhile, prepare the |
| Preheat oven to 350 degrees. | | | | ratatouille sauce: In a large pot, cook the onion, peppers |
| Puncture the spaghetti squash with a knife in 3-4 | | | | and garlic in the bouillon to soften, about 5 minutes. Add |
| places. Place it on a baking sheet and cook for 1 hour. | | | | the eggplant, tomatoes and spices. Bring to a boil, |
| Allow it to cool so you can handle it comfortably. Cut it | | | | reduce the heat and simmer 20 minutes or until the |
| in half and scoop out the seeds. Run a fork over the | | | | eggplant is tender, stirring occasionally and adding more |
| flesh to separate it into spaghetti-like strands and | | | | bouillon if necessary. Add the zucchini, basil and lemon |
| scoop them out of the shells. | | | | juice and simmer another 5 minutes, or until the zucchini |
| *************** | | | | is tender but still bright green. |
| Your "spaghetti" is now ready to use. Top it with any | | | | Place some of the cooked spaghetti squash strands in |
| spaghetti sauce or use it in place of pasta in salads or | | | | each serving bowl and top with the ratatouille sauce. |
| soups. Or try it in these favorite recipes: | | | | 6-8 servings |
| Spaghetti Squash Pad Thai | | | | Confetti Salad |
| 1 spaghetti squash, cooked (follow the instructions | | | | 1 spaghetti squash, cooked |
| above) | | | | 1 large green pepper, cut in 1/2" pieces |
| 1/2 pound shrimp | | | | 1 large red bell pepper, cut in 1/2" pieces |
| 3 tablespoons fish sauce (optional, see note) | | | | 1 bunch green onions, sliced |
| 3 tablespoons rice vinegar | | | | 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds |
| 1 garlic clove, minced | | | | For the dressing, mix together: |
| 1 tablespoon brown sugar | | | | 1/4 cup seasoned rice wine vinegar |
| 1 small hot chile, seeded and sliced very thin | | | | 1 teaspoon hot Chinese mustard or 1 tablespoon Dijon |
| 1 red bell pepper, cut into matchstick slivers | | | | mustard |
| 1 bunch green onions, sliced thin | | | | 1 tablespoon grated fresh gingerroot |
| 1 cup bean sprouts | | | | 1 tablespoon sugar or equivalent sweetener of your |
| Chopped fresh basil or cilantro (optional) | | | | choice (optional)dash Tabasco or other hot pepper |
| 2 tablespoons bottled peanut sauce (optional, see | | | | sauce, to taste |
| note) | | | | OR use 1/4 cup low fat honey-mustard dressing |
| 1 tablespoon chopped peanuts (optional) | | | | Prepare the spaghetti squash. Combine with the |
| Prepare the spaghetti squash. Meanwhile, steam the | | | | remaining ingredients and toss with dressing. Chill or |
| shrimp (15 minutes in the steamer or 2 minutes in boiling | | | | seerve at room temperature. |
| water.) Rinse in cold water and peel. Combine the fish | | | | |