I keep coming across recipes online which use this strange ingredient, so when I saw a spaghetti squash for the first time in my local supermarket I grabbed it! Then spent ages searching for tips on how the hell to cook the stuff.

It turns out that spaghetti squash is just like normal squash, but when cooked it shreds into these amazing spaghetti-like strings and the flavour mellows to a gentle nutty sort of pumpkin taste.

So, armed with this knowledge, I cut my newly purchased spaghetti squash into quarters, seasoned it with olive oil, salt and pepper, and baked it at 200 degrees for about 40 minutes. Once it had cooled down to a manageable temperature, I held my breath and dug into the flesh with a fork. And it really worked! Gorgeous pumpkin strings materialized and within minutes I had a bowl full of perfectly formed squash strands.

So what to cook with it? I guess any sauce that goes well with pasta would work with spaghetti squash-and I fully intend to test that theory! For tonight’s nervous debut though I played it safe with sauteed garlic and shallot, mushrooms, shredded spinach, fresh basil, cherry tomatoes, feta, kalamata olives and a good grating of parmesan to top it off. The verdict? Well, not everyone in the family was completely sold, but everyone’s bowl was licked clean at the end of the meal…so I’m going to give it a tick. Spaghetti squash is never going to pass for the real thing, but that’s not the point. It’s a tasty low calorie vegetable base for meals with such a low GI that it won’t give you cloudy brain half an hour after eating it. It’s full of great nutrients like folic acid, potassium, Vitamin A, and beta carotene, and is an easy way to get one of your 5+ servings of vegetables. It is perfect for vegans and people who eat gluten free. And it’s really filling! Are you sold yet?

I’d love to hear about other people’s experiences with spaghetti squash and welcome any recipe ideas. Sorry family, I think this ingredient is here to stay…