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I have been on a spaghetti squash kick lately. I think it is because I could not find them in South Korea. It’s also because summer is approaching and I definitely need to go low-carb/slow carb to get ready for swimsuit season. It is also really easy to make. It is not as easy as making pasta, it involves a little more work. However, you get a lot of noodles from one squash, so a little work goes a long way.
I don’t usually bake a squash to make this salad, this is a leftover inspired meal. Usually I bake the spaghetti squash the night before to use for some sort of curry dish. I often have a few cups leftover.
Don’t let the name deceive you, spaghetti squash does not taste like spaghetti. I have actually tried it with spaghetti sauce and I was very disappointed. I am hoping that if I put the sauce and the spaghetti squash noodles together in a slow cooker and keep it on low for a few hours, maybe the noodles will absorb more flavor. I will have to experiment with it.
But anyhow, back to the salad. If you don’t have any cooked spaghetti squash, then you need to bake it. Here’s how you do it.
1. Preheat the oven to 400 F.
2. While the oven is heating, cut the spaghetti squash in half and scoop out the seeds. (Save a few, they are fun to sprout with kids. My daughter and I have a spaghetti squash plant growing right now).
3. Place the squash halves face down on a baking sheet covered with chlorine-free parchment paper.
4. Bake at 400 F for 30-45 minutes, or until the squash is tender. (I bake it for 45 minutes).
5. Let the squash cool to room temperature. (This is why it is easier to do this the night before).
Summer Salmon Noodle Salad
1 can of Wild Planet Alaskan Salmon
4 tbs mayonaisse
1 cup cooked spaghetti squash
1/2 cup red onions
1/2 cup diced cucumbers
1 tsp celtic sea salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/8 tsp dried dill
In a large glass bowl, mix the salmon with the mayonnaise. Mix in the spaghetti squash, followed by the remaining ingredients. That’s it, very easy.
Notice I don’t cut back on the fat to get ready for summer. I find it much easier to lose weight when I eat the right amount of fat. Our body NEEDS fat for many biochemical processes in the body. If this is news to you, I recommend reading this book “Eat Fat Lose Fat“. It explains the reasons why fat is important, and it has some great recipes in it too.
A lot of health food bloggers make their own mayonnaise. This is something I have not done yet, so I use this one, (Wilderness Family Naturals). I like it because this company uses quality ingredients, and it does not contain soy.
The salmon I use for this recipe is not farmed salmon. There are many different canned versions available, but Wild Planet seems to be the best. The salmon is wild-caught, non-GMO and Wild Planet practices “sustainable fishing” as well. The presence of BPA is a concern for any canned products, and the “BPA free” statement on a label is something I always look for. Though the label on the can does not say “BPA free”, they are BPA free according to their website; http://www.wildplanetfoods.com/faqs/
So it is not as good as having fresh or frozen salmon, but it is better than eating the farmed salmon, (in my opinion).
This recipe is very versatile. Today I made it without the salmon and used celery instead of cucumbers, (just because I had the celery chopped up already). I have used Wild Planet Skipjack Tuna instead of the salmon, just for variety. (Skipjack Tuna is the tuna with the lowest levels of mercury in it. It is a smaller fish, less bio-accumulation). If you have a child who likes tuna but not salmon, you could mix the two together and “sneak” the salmon in. Salmon is very high in the EPA/DHA Omega 3, which is very good for a young developing brain. If you try it out please let me know what you think.
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