Southwest Spaghetti Squash

When someone first told me about spaghetti squash, I felt confused. WTF. There's no way a squash can do that. And that confusion festered over the next year or so and prevented me from ever really acknowledging the squash's existence.  Then I was eating at True Food Kitchen a few weeks ago and ordered the spaghetti squash casserole. And guess what? SQUASH CAN DO THAT. AND IT DOES IT WELL. And now I've been making something with spaghetti squash at least once a week. As it turns out, there's not much that spaghetti squash CAN'T do.

This has been my favorite to date - a southwestern twist complements the flavor and texture of the squash perfectly.  

Recipe

• 1 large spaghetti squash
• 1/2 cup diced sweet onion
• 1/2 jalapeno, diced and seeds removed (or more jalapeno for added heat)
• 2/3 cup black beans
• 1 cup corn
• Tad minced garlic (jar)
• 1 can diced tomatoes, drained
• 1.5-2 tsp chili powder
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1/2 tsp ground oregano
• 1/2 tsp salt
• Dash hot sauce
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• ~3/4 cup shredded cheese (I used a combination of cheddar and mozzarella)
• Avocado and sour cream, for topping

Start by roasting the squash.  Preheat the oven to 400 degrees, and cut the squash in half lengthwise.  Remove the seeds, drizzle with a bit of olive oil and salt, then place face down (skin side up) on a baking dish.  Roast for 35-40 minutes, until it can easily be poked with a fork.  Let cool.

In a large pan, saute the onions and jalapeno in a bit of olive oil - about 5-10 minutes. Add the garlic, beans, corn, and tomatoes.  Stir in the seasonings and turn off the heat.  

Scrape out the spaghetti squash using a fork (YES - it really is that easy) into a large colander and let the excess liquid drain out.  Then, mix the corn mixture with the spaghetti, and add the hot sauce and  sour cream if you like (I liked the creaminess).  Pour the mixture back into the squash halves, top with cheese, and broil until warm and slightly browned.  Serve with avocado and sour cream.