Spaghetti Squash with Toasted Pecans, Wild Mushrooms and Dried Cranberries

Ingredients

1 whole spaghetti squash, about 3 1/2 lbs.

1 cup dried cranberries

1 Tbsp. olive oil

2 cups mixed wild mushrooms, cleaned and quartered

1/2 tsp. kosher salt

1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp. smoked paprika, hot or sweet

1 Tbsp. unsalted butter

1 Tbsp. maple syrup

1/2 cup pecan halves, toasted and chopped

3 scallions, washed and diced

Preheat oven to 375°F. With a small, sharp knife, prick holes in the squash. Line a casserole or baking dish with foil. Place the squash in the lined dish and roast until tender, about 75 minutes. Halfway through baking, turn the squash over. Cool slightly. Cut the squash in half lengthwise, scooping out the seeds. Take a long fork and scrape the flesh from the skin of the squash. You should end up with long, string-like strands of tasty flesh.

Set aside the roasted squash. Soak the dried cranberries in warm water for 15 minutes. Drain, reserving both the water and the cranberries. In a medium sauté pan, heat the olive oil over medium high. When the oil begins to ripple, add the mushrooms and sauté until they start to become caramelized. Turn down the heat and add the cranberry water. Continue cooking until the water is almost completely evaporated. Add the roasted squash and cook through. Mix together salt, cinnamon and paprika, sprinkling the mixture into the squash. Turn off heat and add butter, maple syrup, pecans and cranberries. Place in a large serving dish and garnish with scallions.

Yield: 6 servings

Per serving: 250 calories, 12g total fat, 3.4g protein, 38.6g carbohydrate, 2.2g dietary fiber, 209mg sodium, 14.9g sugar