You can’t trust everything you read. That’s how I ended up with this Spaghetti Squash Crunch recipe. Let me backtrack. About a month ago one of the blogs I visit on occasion stated that all the canned pumpkin is actually squash – just read the ingredient list on the can. I didn’t like the sound of that – the tradition of making pumpkin pie, pumpkin pancakes is a long one in our family. My first thought was, “I’ve been using an impostor this whole time!” If it looks like a pumpkin and tastes like a pumpkin, is it actually a pumpkin? I went on a search, tracking various pumpkin cans at different stores. For someone who diligently reads labels, this was truly a shocker. What I found, however, that, while many brands do use squash, organic pumpkin puree cans I found at Whole Foods actually include pumpkin as one and only ingredient. The weight has been lifted off my shoulders! Following my excitement, I started thinking about how delicious spaghetti squash deserves the credit of being a good chameleon. I typically miss a bit of saltiness, to balance out the sweetness of this fall vegetable, but this recipe accomplishes this by a simple technique of roasting the seeds, flavored with a great mix of seasonings. Read on for the full recipe. And you can trust this one! Try it this Thanksgiving!
Ingredients:
1 large spaghetti squash
1 tbsp paprika
1 tbsp garlic powder
1 tbsp cumin
1 tbsp turmeric
1 tbsp kosher salt
2 tbsp olive oil
Directions
1. Wash and scrub your spaghetti squash. Cut it in half lengthwise. Set the oven to 400F.
2. Scoop the seeds out of each half and place them in a colander.
3. Place the squash halves skin side up on a sprayed cooking pan. Add a half cup of water to the pan. Cover the pan with tinfoil. Get it in the oven for 40 minutes.
4. Rinse the seeds under cold running water until there is no pulp left. Dry on paper towels or linen thoroughly. Soggy seeds will not roast.
5. Coat the seeds with oil and spices (paprika, turmeric, cumin, salt, garlic). Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray and pour the seeds on.
6. Add the seeds to the 400F oven, bottom shelf with 20 minutes to go. Toss occasionally, don’t let them burn. It may take just 10 minutes. If you have the luxury of another oven, or the gift of time, roast them in a 300F oven for 20 minutes instead. I like to cut corners save time when I can, so I simply add the seeds to the bottom tray of the oven towards the end of my squash roast.
7. Once your squash is done, remove the tinfoil off and carefully turn each half over. Using a fork or spoon, scrape the strings out into a bowl, moving lengthwise. Add a tbsp of olive oil.
8. Toss with the toasted squash seeds. Enjoy!
