Alison's Recipes: Spaghetti squash with mushroom cream sauce

       After starting a low-carb diet I seriously needed to find alternatives to pasta. I didn't know what else to eat with my Alfredo sauce! Most of the recipes I discovered called for spaghetti squash. I was intimidated because I'd never eaten it and I didn't know how to make it. I turned to Martha Stewart, my go-to on all things domestic, to find the best way. I found out how easy it was and decided it was worth a try. It ended up being a lifesaver! It made my pasta-free lifestyle bearable. I've had many people say they've heard great things about spaghetti squash but don't know how to make it; I'm here to change that. I took step by step pictures to show just how painless it is. I didn't want to serve it plain so I paired it with my favorite mushroom cream sauce, also low-carb. It's worth trying anything once, especially because it's great for the kids, too. They can't even tell that they're eating squash! It's a deceptively perfect addition to your recipe repertoire.

Spaghetti Squash

They can range anywhere from 4-10 lbs. in the supermarket. The one I used was 5 lbs. The squash needs to be cut in half from the stem down. It's a little tough to get through so use a sharp knife and it may be useful to put a dish towel down so it doesn't slide.

Preheat the oven to 350 F.

There will be seeds inside so you should take a spoon and scoop them out into the garbage.

Place the squash on a pan with foil, face up so you can salt and pepper the inside.

Flip the squash over so that the rind is facing up and drizzle olive oil over the top. This helps the inside scrape out easily when it's all done.

Bake for 45-50 minutes. If you like pasta al dente and you like a crunchier texture I would bake it about 40 minutes. If you like it softer then bake it longer than 50 minutes.

When it's all done you should flip it over to check the texture of the squash.

Take a fork and start to gently pull the inside of the squash away from the rind. It should come off very easily.

When you pull it off, it should look something like this. Voila! You've made spaghetti squash!

While the squash bakes for 45 minutes, I like to start on the sauce that will go over it so I can throw it in while it's hot. So, here is the recipe for my super easy and delicious mushroom cream sauce. This recipe is great because it's only 4 ingredients and easy to pull out when you're not in the mood to cook something complicated and time consuming.

Mushroom Cream Sauce

Ingredients:

• 1-2 packages of Baby Bella mushrooms,cleaned and sliced( I like lots of mushrooms so I use 2 but you can use less if you prefer)
• 1 medium shallot, minced
• 2 Tbsp butter
• 2 cups heavy cream

Directions:

  

Step 1: Clean the mushrooms. I've learned that you can actually clean mushrooms in a bowl of water and that its not actually going to compromise the mushroom (thanks Martha!) Give those babies a nice bath.

Place the mushrooms onto a paper towel to dry. As you can see, the dirt has sunk to the bottom of the bowl. Better than when I used to wipe each one individually. What a time-saving tip!

Step 2: Slice 'em!

Step 3: In a large saute pan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the mushrooms and stir them around to coat them with the butter. Place a lid on them for about 8 minutes.

Step 4: While the mushrooms cook, start mincing the shallots. I like mine chunky so I chop them but you can keep going.

Step 5: Add shallots to the mushrooms and turn the heat to high. Saute them until soft, about 5 minutes.

Step 6: Add the Heavy Cream and bring to a boil.

Step 7: Turn heat down to medium and let simmer for about 10 minutes until the sauce is this beautiful light brown color.

Step 8: Add the cooked spaghetti squash right to the pan and let it soak up the sauce.

  

Here is the delicious outcome! My ideal replacement to pasta.

      I hope this gets you motivated to try something new. It's just in time for people who are looking for something healthier to eat. This is also great for tricking your children into eating something nutritious. You can use any kind of sauce for the spaghetti squash like tomato sauce, garlic and oil, and even cheese to make a healthier substitute for mac and cheese. If you totally love the cream sauce like I do, then you can use it for lots of dishes as well. I put it over baked chicken or even switch it up by putting lemon juice in it. Even if you're not a fan of spaghetti squash, the sauce is great over pasta as well. There is nothing I love more than a versatile recipe that can make my life easier and my family happier and healthier.

What new things are you cooking in the new year? What are your favorite recipes?