Meatless Monday - Spaghetti Squash Alfredo

The winter squashes are off the vine and ready to be enjoyed. One of my favorites is spaghetti squash because it is supper easy to cook and it tastes delicious. You can prepare it as you do most spaghetti dishes but it has a lot less calories and carbohydrates which makes it better for some diets.  It’s also gluten free.

Ingredients:

1 medium-sized spaghetti squash
1 Tablespoon butter
3 cloves of garlic, minced
2 Tablespoons flour
1 cup milk
1 Tablespoon cream cheese or Neufchatel cheese (for less fat)
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus 2 Tablespoons extra for topping 
kosher salt
Crushed red pepper flakes and fresh parsley, for garnish

Directions:


First, prep the squash. Cut spaghetti squash in half lengthwise using a large sharp knife then scoop out the seeds.  Now you make the squash into a self steamer by filling the cavity where the seeds were of one half of the squash with water, put the two halves back together and place in the microwave.  Cook this for about 5 minutes.  Carefully (it will be very hot and steamy) check for doneness.  If the squash does not seem tender enough you can put it back together and cook for a few more minutes.

Once squash is cooked, use a fork to gently scrape the “spaghetti” strands into the center.

For the sauce, melt butter in a small pot over medium-low heat. Once hot, add garlic and sauté for 1-2 minutes. Whisk in flour, and continue to whisk for another minute. Whisk in milk until smooth. Let this cook for a few minutes, stirring frequently.  Add cream cheese and stir until smooth. Remove from the heat. Stir in Parmesan cheese and add salt and freshly ground pepper to taste.

Spoon sauce equally into each spaghetti squash half. Gently pull up the spaghetti strands to coat as much as possible with the sauce. Top with extra Parmesan and place on a cookies sheet.  Heat under the broiler for 2-3 minutes, or until golden and bubbly. Top each half with a pinch of red pepper flakes and fresh chopped parsley, if desired. Serve hot.


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