| I recommend avoiding pasta and other refined | | | | ingredients -- steamed shrimp, red pepper, green |
| carbohydrates if you are diabetic or are trying to | | | | onions, bean sprouts and basil or cilantro. Stir in |
| lose weight. You'll find a perfect substitute in in the | | | | the peanut sauce and sprinkle with the peanuts. |
| produce department of your supermarket: | | | | Serve at room temperature or chilled.6-8 |
| spaghetti squash! You can use it with any of your | | | | servingsNote: Fish sauce and peanut sauce can be |
| favorite pasta sauces, in salads or soups. Diana | | | | found in the Asian section of many supermarkets |
| tells you how to prepare it and gives you three | | | | or in any Asian market.Spaghetti Squash with |
| easy recipes to get you started. Enjoy this fun | | | | Ratatouille Sauce |
| vegetable even if you're not dieting (kids love it, | | | | 1 spaghetti squash, cooked |
| too.)How to Prepare Spaghetti Squash | | | | 1 onion, chopped |
| Method 1 (My way): | | | | 1 green pepper, chopped |
| Puncture the skin of a spaghetti squash with a | | | | 4 cloves garlic, minced |
| knife in 3-4 places. Cook it in the microwave for | | | | 1/2 cup bouillon |
| three minutes, or until it is soft enough to cut | | | | 1 eggplant, cubed |
| easily. Allow it to cool so you can handle it | | | | 1 can (28 ounces) plum tomatoes, undrained, |
| comfortably. Cut the squash in half, scoop out the | | | | chopped |
| seeds and discard them.Place squash halves | | | | 1 tablespoon dried oregano |
| cut-side down on a plate and return them to the | | | | pinch cayenne, or to taste |
| microwave for another 8-10 minutes, or bake in a | | | | 4 small zucchini squash, sliced |
| conventional oven at 350 degrees for 1 hour. Cool. | | | | 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves (optional) |
| Run a fork over the flesh to separate it into | | | | juice of 1 lemonPrepare the spaghetti squash. |
| spaghetti-like strands and scoop them out of the | | | | Meanwhile, prepare the ratatouille sauce: In a large |
| shells.Method 2 (Squash label instructions): | | | | pot, cook the onion, peppers and garlic in the |
| Preheat oven to 350 degrees. | | | | bouillon to soften, about 5 minutes. Add the |
| Puncture the spaghetti squash with a knife in 3-4 | | | | eggplant, tomatoes and spices. Bring to a boil, |
| places. Place it on a baking sheet and cook for 1 | | | | reduce the heat and simmer 20 minutes or until |
| hour. Allow it to cool so you can handle it | | | | the eggplant is tender, stirring occasionally and |
| comfortably. Cut it in half and scoop out the | | | | adding more bouillon if necessary. Add the |
| seeds. Run a fork over the flesh to separate it | | | | zucchini, basil and lemon juice and simmer another |
| into spaghetti-like strands and scoop them out of | | | | 5 minutes, or until the zucchini is tender but still |
| the shells.***************Your "spaghetti" is now | | | | bright green.Place some of the cooked spaghetti |
| ready to use. Top it with any spaghetti sauce or | | | | squash strands in each serving bowl and top with |
| use it in place of pasta in salads or soups. Or try | | | | the ratatouille sauce.6-8 servings Confetti Salad |
| it in these favorite recipes:Spaghetti Squash Pad | | | | 1 spaghetti squash, cooked |
| Thai | | | | 1 large green pepper, cut in 1/2" pieces |
| 1 spaghetti squash, cooked (follow the | | | | 1 large red bell pepper, cut in 1/2" pieces |
| instructions above) | | | | 1 bunch green onions, sliced |
| 1/2 pound shrimp | | | | 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seedsFor the |
| 3 tablespoons fish sauce (optional, see note) | | | | dressing, mix together: |
| 3 tablespoons rice vinegar | | | | 1/4 cup seasoned rice wine vinegar |
| 1 garlic clove, minced | | | | 1 teaspoon hot Chinese mustard or 1 tablespoon |
| 1 tablespoon brown sugar | | | | Dijon mustard |
| 1 small hot chile, seeded and sliced very thin | | | | 1 tablespoon grated fresh gingerroot |
| 1 red bell pepper, cut into matchstick slivers | | | | 1 tablespoon sugar or equivalent sweetener of |
| 1 bunch green onions, sliced thin | | | | your choice (optional) |
| 1 cup bean sprouts | | | | dash Tabasco or other hot pepper sauce, to |
| Chopped fresh basil or cilantro (optional) | | | | tasteOR use 1/4 cup low fat honey-mustard |
| 2 tablespoons bottled peanut sauce (optional, see | | | | dressingPrepare the spaghetti squash. Combine |
| note) | | | | with the remaining ingredients and toss with |
| 1 tablespoon chopped peanuts (optional)Prepare | | | | dressing. Chill or seerve at room temperature.4-6 |
| the spaghetti squash. Meanwhile, steam the | | | | servingsFor more spaghetti squash recipes, |
| shrimp (15 minutes in the steamer or 2 minutes in | | | | hundreds of other healthful recipes and weight |
| boiling water.) Rinse in cold water and peel. | | | | loss tips, visit Gabe Mirkin has been a radio talk |
| Combine the fish sauce, vinegar, garlic, brown | | | | show host for 25 years and practicing physician |
| sugar and hot chile in a small dish and mix well. Stir | | | | for more than 40 years; he is board certified in |
| it into the spaghetti squash and add the other | | | | four specialties, including sports medicine. |