A few weeks ago I went out to lunch with some co-workers to Ruby Tuesday’s in the Monmouth County Mall.
As I looked over the menu I noticed their new lunch menu that featured some low calorie and low fat options they call “Petite Plates – Fit & Trim”.
I opted for the Spaghetti Squash in Marinara. I didn’t really know what it was, it caught my eye at the last second, but I was intrigued so I went with it.
After about 35 minutes of post decision dissonance, it finally arrived.
It looks like skinnier, stiffer, more yellow spaghetti. No longer regretting my decision, I excitedly took my first bite.
Crunchy, but the good kind of crunchy. Savory. And… what’s that? The mariana tasted like more than just the classic tomato mariana I am used to, so I looked at the menu again and noticed that it is red pepper mariana. Very good! A little extra flavor makes the sauce more complex and delicious – certainly not mom’s homemade, but also no where near a NJ diner’s idea of “Italian mariana”.
It begged for salt. After seasoning it, the rest of the experience was really enjoyable. I liked the different texture and the way the flavors came together. The squash alone didn’t have a very strong flavor, so bites that had sauce seemed just like pasta other than the crunch.
I ate half of it for lunch that day and saved the other half for the next day. It was enough on both occasions, which means that it was less than 150 calories each time! And it kept and reheated very well.
This is something I would recommend, something I hope to make at some home time soon, and something I would definitely get again!
Have you ever tried spaghetti squash?
Any tips for preparing it?
Love spaghetti squash so I just had to comment! The way i’ve made it before is cut it in half, olive oil/salt/pepper it, roast face down at 350 degrees for 30 – 40 minutes. Use a fork to shred it up to get the spaghetti like pieces. For toppings in the past I’ve mixed it with pesto and roasted mushrooms and zucchini or just some olive oil and spices!
Rachel, thank you so much for your comment! This sounds so easy and WAY easier than most recipes I’ve seen. Maybe now I’ll actually try it!
My mom makes a spaghetti squash casserole that is amazing. She will cook all the inside contents of the squash in a pan along with onions,bell pepper, and tomato sauce (without sugar to make it even better for you). Then she will layer that mixture in a pan along with lots of cheese. so its like lasagna. yum!
That sounds amazing! Thank you so much for sharing, Taylor!
You can poke holes in the squash and cook it whole in a 350 oven for about 45 minutes. Let it cool a bit, cut it in half, and scrape out the squash with a fork. Easy easy easy! You will be surprised how much comes out of one squash!
I forgot to mention, once you cut it in half you will want to scoop out the seeds before you do anything else
Thank you so much~~ will prepare it today.