Monday, December 7, 2009

Spaghetti squash ain't foolin' my kids

If you ask either of my girls what their favorite food is, they will say without hesitation: NOODLES!

Macaroni, rotini, spaghetti, penne, egg noodles...you name it, if it's a noodle, they will devour it. So I was really excited to try out spaghetti squash, which--as its name suggests--is basically a squash version of a noodle. I thought this would be a fantastic way to introduce a new veggie while capitalizing on the girls' favorite food.

"Mom, what's that?" Sydney asked as she watched me spend 5 minutes trying to sever the spaghetti squash with the biggest, sharpest knife we own (those suckers are hard to cut).

"It's a spaghetti squash. It has noodles inside."

"Mom, I don't like squash."

"You've never had this kind of squash before. This kind has noodles in it!! It's super yummy!!!!" I said in the fake-est cheeriest voice ever.

After cooking the squash as directed by the little sticker that was affixed to it when I bought it, I mixed it with some pasta sauce. I put it on my girls' plates, slid it over to them, and then watched their faces turn into a grimace within five seconds of the first bite. Almost in unison, they both shoved their plates toward me and exclaimed "Yuck!"

I tried some myself. While I wouldn't label it as "yuck," it definitely wasn't interchangeable with a noodle. It's crunchier and, well, squash-ier. I'm sure some parmesan cheese would have improved it a little, but I left it off so that Sydney could eat it. If anyone has tips on better ways to enjoy spaghetti squash, I'd love to hear them! I almost think it would have been a better idea not to compare it to a noodle and instead, just call a squash a squash.


5 comments:

  1. I remember when I tried it...I went in with the same ideas....just like pasta, but healthier(?).

    It was good, if I remember, and sweet. I think you are right to just call it a squash. Thinking back, if I had just served it as a side with whatever else I was having I probably would have liked it better. Sorry no tips! :)

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  2. Britt makes that all the time, but the way she prepares it is indistinguishable (almost) from normal spaghetti. I don't like pasta either way.

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  3. Kelly, I agree it would be better as a side dish. Adam, do you know what Britt does to it? Maybe I just didn't cook it long enough...

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  4. Alyssa,

    Hmmm... well, I microwave it, first of all. You have to poke holes in it (with a butcher knife) before you do that.

    Then I cut it in half and scoop out the noodles. Then I put spray butter or olive oil or something on it.

    My kids LOVE it, and they insist that they hate squash. I usually serve it with alfredo sauce and shrimp.

    You could also try zuchinni pasta, which you make by peeling with a ribbon peeler or something.

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  5. My son had a severe dairy allergy too...he's now 8 and finally outgrown it in the last year...hooray! Here's hoping your daughter has the same outcome!
    Anyway, If I mix spaghetti squash in with the sauce AND noodles, they didn't notice it as much....but you need the noodles there for cover. Good luck!

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