Health for life

As I shared with you last week, my everyday diet is about 90% vegan. My cereal swims in almond milk; nonhydrogenated vegan margarine graces my biscuits; and tofu, flax seeds, and powdered egg replacer bind my cookies and cakes.

When I do eat dairy and eggs, I make it count with good cheese and eggs from chickens that got to run around on some dirt and grass. I am an obsessive label reader, talk to farmers at the market, and, because I’m frugal in other ways, am willing to pay a little more for animal-friendly(er) cheese and eggs.

Recently, I had the pleasure of visiting a quaint little “farm” in semirural North Carolina, run by three generations of my family. Okay, “farm” is a stretch. My parents have been raising back-yard chickens for two years, with the assistance of my sister and her three boys; and I, finally, got to try the fruits of everyone’s labor.

HL, the middle boy, is the most enthusiastic caretaker of the brood. Within minutes of my arrival—and well after dark—he offered me a tour of the coop and reassured me to not “be embarrassed if you step in chicken poop in the back yard. It’s everywhere. I do it all the time.” He’s 11.

Gingerly but confidently holding Rooster Cogburn, the tiny bantam rooster, the next morning HL showed CB and I around the coop my dad and sister built for the 12 hens and single rooster. They live in a cozy, wood coop with nesting beds and high beams for roosting. The enclosed pen keeps them safe from the hawks that frequent the nearby wood.

For several hours a day, “the girls” are let out to roam the 1/2-acre backyard. My sister is vigilant about protecting them from predators: snakes, rodents, and those pesky hawks. She once caught two blacksnakes by hand, put them in a big plastic tub with a lid, and trucked them over to her place to “keep down the copperheads.” Apparently, after a mile, snakes lose their way and won’t be back to pester the girls.

The brood consists of white Leghorns, stripey Barred (Plymouth) Rocks, black Australorps and Jersey Giants, and bantam-sized Black Breasted Reds, including Rooster Cogburn. My dad makes no bones that these chickens are more pets than farm animals. He laughs, “They all have names; they’re pets.” Among the current brood are (Chicken) Noodle, Peep, and Annakin.

My family’s reward for their hard work and TLC is fresh eggs every day, even now that its getting colder and toward the end of the season. I’d never had eggs that fresh from the farm and they were delicious. Now, I won’t pretend they were the best eggs I’ve ever eaten; I can’t tell the difference between grocery store eggs and the organic, farm-fresh I normally buy (most people can’t).

But knowing these eggs had come straight from the chicken—chickens lovingly cared for and fed (organic seed and corn) by my family—was pretty special and made me feel good about taking home a dozen.

There are times when I get lazy and buy supermarket cheese or eat an omelet at the local diner* (who knows where they get their eggs), though I think I’ll be less likely do so after witnessing my parents’ backyard farm in action. Knowing where my food comes from is important to me, and I make my best effort to live my beliefs without making myself crazy.

Thanks family and adorable chickens; in so many ways, this is the best frittata I’ve ever eaten.

*Supporting groups like Farm Sanctuary helps ease my conscience, and adopting a turkey is one of favorite my Thanksgiving traditions.

~~~

If this tickled your fancy, direct your attention to:

• Golden Delight Egg Salad
• Roasted Red Pepper, Artichoke, Parmesan, and Olive Frittata
• Shaksouka

~~~

Roasted Winter Squash Frittatta
Serves 2


Roasted Winter Squash
2 cups winter squash, peeled and cubed
1 tsp olive oil
1/2 tbsp fresh thyme, chopped
1/2 tsp salt

Frittatta
4 eggs, beaten
2 tbsp almond or soy milk
salt and fresh black pepper to tasted
1 tsp olive oil
2–3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 tbsp fresh thyme, chopped
1 – 1 1/2 cups roasted winter squash
3 cups arugula (or leafy green of your choice), torn into pieces

Instructions
For the roasted squash
1) Preheat oven to 350°. Cut squash in half and scoop out guts and seeds. (Rinse and roast seeds separately for a tasty snack.) Caully peel away skin and cut squash into 1/2-inch cubes.

2) In a medium mixing bowl, toss 2 cups of squash cubes with olive oil, fresh thyme, and salt. Pour into a baking pan and cook for about 20 minutes, until tender. Stir at the 10 minute mark. When squash is cooked through to desired consistency, remove from oven and set aside. Two cups of squash will cook down to about 1 to 1 1/2 cups.

For the frittata
3) Meanwhile...In a small mixing bowl, beat eggs with almond or soy milk. Add a pinch of salt and black pepper if desired. Set aside.

4) Set oven to broil. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet with an oven-proof handle. A well-seasoned cast iron skillet is ideal for the job. Saute garlic for 2 minutes over medium heat, then add thyme. Cook together for 1 minute.

5) Add arugula to herbs, cooking until greens are wilted. Add squash and stir until heated through. Pour egg mixture over vegetables.

6) Allow the egg to set, about 10 seconds, then stir. Repeat: allow egg to set, stir. Let egg to cook for 2–3 minutes. Then caully move pan to the top oven rack, under the broiler, for 2–3 more minutes until top of the egg is set. Be sure to use an oven mitt or pot holder when grabbing the skillet handle from the oven. (Learn from my absentmindedness!)

7) Slide frittata onto plate and serve with salad and crusty sourdough bread for a perfect fall brunch or supper. Be prepared for kisses.

Approximate Calories, Fat, Fiber, Protein, and Price per Serving
244 calories, 13.7g fat, 3g fiber, 13.9g protein, $.85

Note: My cost is lower because I got my eggs for free (weee)! If I’d spent the usual $4.00/dozen for fresh eggs from the farmers’ market, my cost would increase to $3.01 total and $1.51 per serving.

Calculations
1 tsp olive oil: 39.6 calories, 4.6g fat, 0g fiber, 0g protein, $0.03
3 cloves garlic: 12 calories, 0g fat, 0g fiber, 0g protein, $0.04
1 tbsp fresh thyme: 1 calories, 0g fat, 0g fiber, 0g protein, $0.10
3 cups arugula: 12 calories, 0g fat, 1.5g fiber, 2.25g protein, $1.25
1 1/2 cups roasted winter squash: 134.6 calories, 2.3g fat, 4.5g fiber, 1.5g protein, $.21
4 eggs, beaten: 284 calories, 20g fat, 0g fiber, 24g protein, $0.00
2 tbsp almond or soy milk: 4.8 calories, 0.4g fat, 0.12g fiber, 0.12g protein, $0.06
TOTALS: 488 calories, 27.3g fat, 6g fiber, 27.75g protein, $1.69
PER SERVING (TOTALS/2): 244 calories, 13.7g fat, 3g fiber, 13.9g protein, $.85

Hi everyone! Before we get started, I just want to say how happy I am to be here. So, my fellow CHG-lovers, it’s so nice to meet you!

And, now that we’re on a first name basis, I have a confession to make. I am a lot of things: a wife, a small business owner, a triathlete, a skier, and an animal lover, among others. Until recently, I was not, by any stretch of the imagination, a cook.

In fact, I used to pretty much avoid cooking as much as possible, aside from maybe boiling water for pasta. My husband and I have fully remodeled two houses together, which left little time to think about what we were eating. When you’re covered from head-to-toe in some form of paint, drywall mud, tile mastic (or worse), the last thing on your mind is what goes in your mouth. Dinner came out of a box, a bag, or from a restaurant. I. Did. Not. Cook.

About a year ago, I started paying attention to the foods we eat, and, yikes! Have you ever internalized what some of those ingredients in convenience foods really are? I finally did, and had an “ah-ha” moment: I realized the meaning of that old adage, “you are what you eat.”

The past year has been an interesting journey of figuring out how to feed us things that actually qualify as food instead of chemistry, and it has been surprisingly wonderful. Among the many surprises, I found out I really like having an active role in our nutrition. I learned to make things I would have never thought I could make, with ingredients I would have never purchased (or had even heard of) before.

It’s all good.

A while back, I was on a mission to serve my husband, AKA 2ChiliBreadBowl (yes, I actually call him that) something with butternut squash in it. I was certain he wouldn’t actually eat butternut squash if it wasn’t somehow disguised, but he had mentioned he had tried butternut squash ravioli once and liked it. My ears perked up. Anytime 2Chili mentions he likes something that does not involve massive amounts of sugar, ketchup, or barbeque sauce, I take notice. I decided I would try my hand at this magical ravioli he liked.

A surprise dinner guest on that fateful butternut squash ravioli night, which happened to be a Tuesday, gave me the idea to create Test Kitchen Tuesdays. Now, I make something completely new-to-us every Tuesday night, and have started blogging about it. 2Chili is taking it in stride. He’s the first one to admit his palate is about as diverse as your average 6-year-old’s, and watching me put effort into something new and outside my comfort zone in the kitchen has (I presume) inspired him to eat outside his box of chicken nuggets.

All that stage-setting aside, let’s get on to business. I figured since the fabulous and humble butternut squash was responsible for inspiring me to start up our weekly test recipe endeavors, it was only proper to feature a butternut squash recipe in this post.

I happen to like the ol’ butternut in a multitude of dishes, from smoothies (really!) to soup to just plain roasted. When I stumbled on a large butternut squash on the end cap at our local Trader Joe’s for only $1.59, I couldn’t resist. The result of that purchase was this creamy, savory soup that officially qualifies as autumn in a bowl. If autumn in a bowl wasn’t good enough, as an added bonus, it’s so good for you that you can gobble it down without regret!

BUTTERNUT SQUASH SOUP

Original Recipe/Inspiration: The Reluctant Vegetarian.

Recipe Makes: 8 one-cup servings, plus or minus, depending on the size of your squash


 Time Required:

• 15 minutes to prep
• 30 minutes to cook

Skill Level (out of a possible 5): 2

Chili’s Taster Rating (out of a possible 5): 4

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 onion, chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 medium butternut squash, peeled and cubed
• 4 1/4 cups low sodium vegetable broth/stock
• 1 apple, peeled, cored and chopped
• 1/2 cup apple cider

Method

• Peel and cube butternut squash, and peel/core apple and set aside
• Heat olive oil in a stock pot. Once it begins to heat up and thin out, add onion and nutmeg; Sauté until the onions soften up – 3-5 minutes
• Add squash, vegetable, apple, and apple cider; Depending on the size of your squash, you may need more broth than called for – just make sure that the apple and squash are covered by about 3/4-1 inch of broth
• Bring to boil. Then, drop heat to low or medium-low and simmer (uncovered) around 30 minutes, until both the apples and the squash are soft and tender.
• Add soup to blender with a ladle, making sure to evenly distribute enough liquid to help blend your squash/apples well. The amount of broth you add will determine the thickness of your soup. I had to blend the soup in two batches, and I have a pretty big commercial-sized blender. It’s called the Ninja, by the way. If you’re going to blend, you might as well blend like a ninja!
• Puree soup until smooth, and serve immediately

General Notes:

• The original recipe called for seasoning with sea salt and pepper – I am generally not in to adding salt and pepper. Maybe you are. If so, season to taste!
• If you don’t have apple cider, and don’t want to buy apple cider just for this, you can do what I did. Peel and chop an apple and put it in your blender. Add a couple tablespoons of water, and blend until you have applesauce consistency. Then, pour the applesauce into a sieve that is set up to drip into a bowl, pressing down on the sauce to squeeze out the juice. Let the sauce drip for about 10-15 minutes and you’ll have about 1/2 cup of homemade cider. You can use the leftover applesauce in another recipe to replace some butter. Talk about thrifty!
• I feel like this recipe would freeze well. Perhaps make up a big pot and save half in the freezer to remember the taste of autumn when we are deep into the winter doldrums.

Nutritional Profile
I used the Lose It app on my iPhone to calculate this info based on a low sodium vegetable stock. Your final results may vary, depending on the type of stock you add.

• Calories: 79
• Total Fat: 1.9g
• Saturated Fat: .3g
• Cholesterol: 0g
• Sodium: 79.3mg
• Carbohydrate: 15.9g
• Fiber: 2.7g
• Sugars: 7g
• Protein: .9g

The Verdict: Okay, I’ll admit it. 2Chili doesn’t much like soup. He has a thing against hot liquids (yes, he knows chili is technically a hot liquid). Try as I may, I have not been able to get him to overcome his hot liquid aversion. So, for him to give it a 4 star rating is a pretty big deal. You’d think I’d learn to stop trying, but I find myself channeling my mother a lot: “just try it, and if you don’t like it, you don’t have to eat it…”

Personally, I thought it was so good I would drink this soup from a mug and call it a thick latte. I guess you’re just going to have to try this one yourself and determine your own rating!

A funny thing happened while I was making French Onion Soup for the first time: I discovered that onions sautéed in butter made a wonderful base for a vegetable broth. I extended that thought by adding carrots, celery, mushrooms and thyme after the onions had browned a bit (10-15 minutes), cooked for a few more minutes, and then added water. From that point, I could make any number of soups and they would have been incredibly rich.

The first time I made it, I added two cups of lentils with about 12 cups of water and some more thyme. I brought it to a boil and then lowered to simmer for an hour. It was awesome! I have always loved lentil soup and still have fond memories of eating canned Progresso as a child. This soup beat the pants off Progresso.

This weekend I was charged with making butternut squash soup for my Best Friend’s 40th birthday dinner. The complicating factor was her wonderful new boyfriend, who is a vegetarian. I always used chicken broth in the past and had a batch of chicken broth itching to be used in my freezer. Fortunately, before I offended the guest of honor and her honored guest I remembered the Lentil Soup vegetable broth base. I also decided to roast the squash with sage and olive oil to add a layer of depth. Once the squash was nicely roasted, browned and mushy, I added it to the soup base. I used my handy dandy hand blender and voila - rich yummy, vegetarian, squash soup.

Just for fun, because I don’t have enough to do with my husband, two children under five, full-time job out of the house and three cats, I decided to make sage toasted croutons out of homemade bread. I used my new go-to no knead bread recipe and then tossed crouton-sized chunks with sage and olive oil and toasted in the oven at 350 degrees until crunchy. You could save some time by toasting the croutons while you roast the squash.

If 20 cups of soup seems like too much, both soups freeze well or make great party favors. We left some with our hosts and gave some to the guest of honor to take home.

~~~

If these look good, youll surely enjoy:

• Gingered Carrot Soup with Lime and Cilantro
• Hot and Sour Cabbage Soup
• Italian White Bean and Spinach Soup

~~~

Vegetable Stock Base


 4 TB salted butter
1 large onion (I used yellow)
3 large carrots diced (about two cups)
3 large celery sticks diced (about two cups)
1/2 pint mushrooms diced (about two cups)
1 tsp fresh thyme leaves
1/4 tsp fresh ground pepper
2-3 sprigs of fresh thyme
1 tsp salt
12 cups water

1) Melt butter in large stock pot

2) Cook onions in butter on medium heat until they brown, about 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

3) Add carrots, celery, mushrooms, thyme leaves and pepper and cook for another 10 minutes stirring occasionally.

4) Add water, salt and thyme sprigs. Bring to a boil and then lower to simmer for a half hour.

~~~

Squash Soup with Sage Croutons
Makes about 20 cups of soup


1 recipe vegetable stock base
1 large butternut squash peeled and cubed
30 fresh sage leaves chopped
1/2 loaf hearty bread cut into cubes
4 TB olive oil split
Salt and pepper to taste

1) Pre-heat the oven to 400 degrees.

2) Toss squash with 2 TB of olive oil, 1/2 the sage leaves, salt and pepper.

3) Toss bread cubes with 2 TB of olive oil and the other 1/2 of the sage leaves.

4) Roast the squash on the bottom half of the over for 40 minutes stirring at 20 minutes.

5) Toast the bread cubes on the top half of the oven until you reach your perred level of crunchiness. I like mine crunchy and it took about 20 minutes.

6) Add the squash to the vegetable stock base. Bring to a boil and then simmer for 10 minutes.

7) Puree soup with a stick hand blender if you have one. Alternately you can use a regular blender but be very caul!

~~~

Bonus Lentil Soup
Makes about 20 cups of soup
1 recipe vegetable stock base
2 cups lentils
Salt and pepper to taste

1) Add two cups of lentils to vegetable stock base. Bring to a boil and then lower to simmer for an hour or until the lentils are soft.

2) Add salt and pepper to taste.

Approximate Calories, Fat, and Price per Serving
191 calories, 6.4 g fat, $0.63

Calculations
4 tablespoons butter: 400 calories, 44 g fat
1 large onion: 67 calories, 0.13 g fat
1 medium butternut squash: 410 calories, 1.0 g fat
3 carrots: 164 calories, 0.62 g fat
3 celery stalks: 18 calories, 0.21 g fat
½ pint mushrooms: 30 calories, 0.48 g fat
4 TB olive oil: 476 calories, 54 g fat
1 tsp thyme: negligible fat and calories
30 sage leaves: negligible fat and calories
Salt, freshly ground black pepper: negligible fat and calories
½ loaf whole wheat bread: 540 calories, 6.00 g fat
TOTAL: 1705 calories, 62.44 g fat
PER SERVING (TOTAL/20): 85.25 calories, 3.12 g fat

Come autumn, they crowd the produce aisle like so many tough-skinned soldiers, boasting their seasonal orange and green hues like a silent, immovable army. Thrown at an enemy, they will wreak havoc untold. Made into soup, they will be your best friends forever. Or even foreva.

What I’m saying is: You may fear them. You may love them. Either way, winter squash should be in your kitchen, and eventually your stomach.

So let’s learn a little more, shall we?

HEALTH QUOTIENT

Often overshadowed nutritionally by leafy greens and cruciferae, gourds pack some impressive wholesomeness of their own. Pumpkins and butternut squash are astronomically high in vitamin A, while acorn squash is a good source of fiber, vitamin C, potassium, and thiamin. All varieties are virtually fat-free and comparatively low in calories, with spaghetti squash being particularly lean.

COST

If you’ve ever purchased them pre-cubed or in the depths of summer, winter squash may seem prohibitively expensive. Happily, it is not always thus. Bought whole and in season, they’re pound-for-pound one of the most economical vegetables, ever. My local supermarket often hocks them at $0.69/lb., and will go even cheaper if they don’t think anyone is buying.

CULINARY USES

Soups, purees, risottos, quickbreads, chilis, stews, casseroles, roasted sides – oh, where to begin? There are so many wonderful options for cooking winter squash, it’s tough to choose any one to lect upon. So here are some general notes:

• Acorn squash, butternut squash, and pumpkin take particularly well to warm, autumn-y flavors and spices. You’ll frequently find them in recipes using maple syrup, cinnamon, nutmeg, apples, and pears, among other October-like foods.
• Since these kinds of dishes tend to be sweet, I find kids and picky eaters tend to dig ‘em.
• This doesn’t mean gourds don’t pair with other ingredients. You’ll find meals where they mix with ricotta, kale, pork, curry, and tomatoes, just to name a few non-fall foods.

We go into specific recipes in just a minute, but first, a word about…

PREPARATION

Here’s the rub. While almost everything else about winter squash is praiseworthy, they can be a hideous nightmare to break down. Last night, I had to beat a sugar pumpkin ON MY KITCHEN FLOOR to get it open. Forget peeling it. After a few college tries, my brand new OXO stainless steel y-shaped peeler crumbled like the mid-‘90s Knicks.

Okay, maybe I’m being a little harsh. Slicing up a spaghetti squash isn’t all that bad. And you can buy almost any gourd pre-cubed. Heck – most recipes even ask for canned pumpkin puree, which eliminates the whole hacking process.

But if you still want to buy the pretty in-store gourds, there are a few things you can do to make the cleaving process way, way easier:

• Halve your squash lengthwise, seed it, and roast it until the insides are easily scoopable. (50 – 90 minutes)
• Halve your squash lengthwise, seed it, and microwave it until the insides are easily scoopable. (10-30 minutes)
• Poke a bunch of holes in your squash, and microwave it until easily pierced with a fork. (If you should attempt this, MAKE SURE to poke many deep holes in your gourd and remain in the kitchen as it cooks. If the squash starts making noise, you risk explosion. Also, I’m not sure I would try this with a pumpkin.)

Obligatory warning: Though you’re still very much encouraged to try it, be super caul when chopping winter squash. Use a sharp knife and keep your eyes on your work at all times.

That done, let’s get to the food. Each of the following recipes has been cooked, loved, and featured on Cheap Healthy Good or in my column at Serious Eats. Enjoy!

VARIETIES & RECIPES

Butternut Squash

Everyone needs more orange in their diets. And if youve ever sipped a stellar Butternut Squash Soup (like the ones listed here), you know that its namesake gourd is the way to get it. Shaped like a 70s lamp base and delicious almost any way its prepared, butternut squash also make an excellent cudgel for defending against invading vikings.

Butternut Squash Apple Cranberry Bake
Butternut Squash Gnocchi
Butternut Squash Lasagna with Raisins and Pine Nuts
Butternut Squash and Pear Soup
Butternut Squash Risotto
Roasted Butternut Squash with Moroccan Spices
Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

Acorn Squash

Classically prepared with maple syrup in rings or slices, acorn squash is a squat, deep-green vegetable that resembles a particularly verdant pumpkin. Clocking in at one or two pounds, they also make excellent free weights.

Classic Baked Acorn Squash
Curried Apples and Acorn Squash

Spaghetti Squash

Confession: I used to hate this stuff, believing it was merely a poor substitute for actual spaghetti. Oh, what a dummy I was. Adaptable to a plethora of different cuisines, the oblong, yellowish squashs versatility has made it a welcome meal base. Its a bit different from other winter varieties in that the flesh doesn’t come out in chunks, but as slim, pasta-like strings, making it much more fun to play with.

Spaghetti Squash Casserole
Spaghetti Squash Puttanesca
Spaghetti Squash with Ricotta, Sage, and Pine Nuts

Pumpkins

Ah, pumpkins. Nature’s ottomans. Bright orange, ridged, and ranging in size from a few ounces to half a ton, pumpkins are sometimes dismissed by Americans as mere Halloween decorations. But anyone who’s seen one decomposing on the neighbor’s lawn knows: there’s more to pumpkins than their nigh-impenetrable exteriors. These recipes all use canned pumpkin, but roasted, pureed fresh pumpkin would substitute nicely. (Check in Monday for a Pumpkin Butter recipe, too.)

Pumpkin Bread
Pumpkin Orzo with Sage (Vegan / non-vegan)
Pumpkin Turkey Chili

Other Squashes (Buttercup, Delicata, Kabocha, etc.)

Though we only hit on a few types here, there are dozens - maybe hundreds - of winter squash varietals available in grocery stores, farmers markets, and pick-your-owns worldwide. Kabocha and Delicata are more common gourds, but I encourage you to experiment with whats available. Roasted with olive oil, salt, and pepper is always a good way to start out.

Roasted Delicata Squash with Thyme
Roasted Winter Squash and Kale
Savory Buttercup Squash Pie

And that’s a wrap. Readers, what are your favorite ways to prepare winter squash? Do you know any other ways to ease the prep process? Why is the sky blue? The comment section is ready for your good words.

~~~

If you enjoyed this, you might also give big props to:

• A Beginner’s Guide to Beans, Plus 42 Recipes
• Cheap, Healthy Leafy Greens: 246 Recipes for Cabbage, Kale, Spinach, Swiss Chard, and Beyond
• Cheap, Healthy, Sick: 10 Easy, Nutritious Foods for When You’ve Contracted the Plague

I’m turning 30 tomorrow. It’s the kind of age that brings up a lot of questions. Were my 20s spent wisely? Am I where I expected to be at this age? Why, after 90,000 days on this planet, do I still suck at buying bras? (Has Oprah taught me NOTHING?)

Being a food blogger/freak, I’ve also wondered (a LOT) how much my tastes will continue to change. Will my palate dull over time? Will I hate candy at 40? Love anise at 55? Will Werther’s Originals ever, ever appeal to me, even when I’m old enough to call Methuselah a punk kid? (“Get off mah lawn, old man!”)

My diet has become markedly different over the last decade alone, especially in the produce department. Man-oh-MAN, I did not like vegetables as a kid. But once I hit 20, they magically became somewhat appetizing. Except for spaghetti squash. That took a few more years, and here’s why...

When my brother, sister and I were growing up, Ma made us dinner nearly every night. On the rare evenings she was whisked away for work, Pa would sub in. Most of the time, he was pretty good at producing a meal for three ravenous kidlings. Burgers, pizza, pasta – the guy could handle it, no sweat.

Occasionally, he would get creative. And while most meals went over well (Chicken and Broccoli, sucka!), one blindsided us completely: Texas Chainsaw Chili and Spaghetti Squash, a.k.a. Two Terrible Tastes That Tasted Like Evil Together.

Being pale, spice-free, Swedish-Irish types, my siblings and I recoiled at the chili’s red pepper and obscene beanery. It looked like roadkill, and the flavor was about the same. The spaghetti squash was equally (and possibly actively) malevolent, possibly because we were tricked by the name into believing it would be real spaghetti. Alas, it was not. And as food was not wasted in our household, Pa made each of us sit at the dinner table until our plates were licked clean. Three hours later, I hadn’t eaten a bite, so I was sent to bed sans dinner.

Thanks to that comparatively-not-really-traumatic experience, I loathed spaghetti squash for nearly two decades. (Chili for only one.) Then, earlier this year a few friends and I traveled to Victoria BC, where we were served Spaghetti Squash Casserole. Not wanting to insult my hosts, I took a bite. And then another. And then had some wine. And then took 12 more bites. And then … you get the picture.

Was spaghetti squash always really good and I just didn’t know it, or have my tastes changed that wildly over the years? The reality of 30 is pushing me towards explanation #2, but I probably won’t be positive for another decade or so. I’ll continue to analyze and let y’all know in 2017. (Lucky you.)

Aaaaanyway, back to the food. I got this recipe from a friend, who got it from a friend, who may have read it in a cookbook. I do not know the name of the cookbook (if it exists), or I would type it right here. Instead (especially after the Jessica Seinfeld brouhaha), I will just say – THIS IS NOT MY RECIPE. But it IS good. And healthy. And cheap. And it will make you like spaghetti squash, no matter how old you are.

(SIDE NOTES: This is a good, filling main dish for company, and much tastier if you use a heavy hand with the herbs/spices. High reheat potential, too.)

Spaghetti Squash Casserole
5 servings
Adapted from a wonderful, albeit unknown source.

1 spaghetti squash (about 4 lbs.)
¼ - ½ cup seasoned breadcrumbs (or a regular breadcrumbs and many dried herbs)
1/3 cup pignoli (pine) nuts
Salt and pepper to taste
1 cup marinara sauce
1 cup shredded low-fat mozzarella

(Instructions provided by Rachel, the Cheap Healthy Gourmet)

1) Preheat oven to 400. Cover a rimmed baking sheet with tin foil and cooking spray.

2) Take a paring knife, and poke a million holes in the exterior of the squash.

3) Bake the squash until the outside is beginning to brown, and hull gets mushy. This usually took about 45 minutes or so for me (90 minutes for me - Kris), and Id flip the squash once or twice during the process. Depending on the thickness of the shell and the size of the bugger, it may take more or less time. Id start keeping an intermittent eye on it after about 30 minutes.

4) When brownness has been achieved, take the squash out of the oven, and allow it to cool. When its cool enough to touch, split the beast in two lengthwise, and de-seed it; toss seeds in the trash. Then, scrape the meat out of it with a fork, dragging your utensil down lengthwise. As you scrape down, the strands should separate from the shell, so that youre just left with the hull. Put the warm strands in a bowl, and the hull in the trash.

5) While the squash is baking, toast 1/3 cup of pignoli (pine) nuts, and measure out 1/4-1/2 cup of seasoned breadcrumbs. (If you dont-a-gotta da seasoned stuff, just throw in a lot of dried parsley, basil and oregano, or whatever you like that youve got lying around.)

6) Combine squash with the pignolis, bread crumbs, and salt and pepper to taste. Put in a shallow 8"x8" (or approximate) baking dish that youve sprayed a little cooking spray on.

7) Take about 1 cup of marinara sauce, and spread like frosting across the top. Sprinkle mozzarella on top.

8) Cover with tin foil, and bake for about 10 minutes, or until bubbly. Remove tin foil, and bake for another 5. Serve and go yum.

Approximate Calories, Fat, and Price per Serving
287 calories, 12 g fat, $1.38

Calculations
1 spaghetti squash: 491 calories, 4.7 g fat, $2.84
¼ - ½ cup seasoned breadcrumbs: 142 calories, 1.9 g fat, $0.18
1/3 cup pignoli (pine) nuts: 270 calories, 23.7 g fat, $2.09
Salt and pepper to taste: negligible calories and fat, $0.02
1 cup marinara sauce: 172 calories, 10 g fat, $0.70
1 cup shredded low-fat mozzarella: 360 calories, 20 g fat, $1.09
TOTAL: 1435 calories, 60.3 g fat, $6.92
PER SERVING: 287 calories, 12 g fat, $1.38