Of LSD, George Harrison* said, “The first time I took it, it just blew everything away. I had such an incredible feeling of well-being… It changed me and there was no way back to what I was before.”

Sing it George.  I know that feeling.  I experience it every time I consume a substance that is, arguably, even more addictive than LSD.  You know it as “spaghetti.” I know it as nirvana.  It also happens to be the most satisfyingly delicious way to eradicate hanger.

Unfortunately, spaghetti is also the most satisfying delicious way to pack on pounds.  As much as I love it and wish to roll around in it like Mena Suvari on a bed of rose petals, I’d rather not look like a competitor on “America’s Next Top Sumo Wrestler.”

That’s why it excites me to no end to emerge from my hangry chicks hiatus with news (to me) of a superfood so exquisite that I could barely put my fork down long enough to write this post: spaghetti squash (cue the choir of angels).  This gourd is God’s gift to carb junkies: its flesh is long and thin like spaghetti, and its taste is strongly reminiscent of its higher calorie rival.  That’s where the similarities end.  Check out the differences:

As the numbers show, you could eat spaghetti squash until it’s oozing from your ears without feeling a) guilty or b) fatter than Honey Boo Boo.

I know, I know – if you haven’t experienced spaghetti squash, it sounds ridiculous that you could legitimately replace spaghetti made from semolina with spaghetti made from a vegetable.  I thought it was preposterous… until I tasted it.

Here me now and believe me later: Do yourself and your body a huge favor and follow this recipe before you tell me that I’m full of sh*t.

Give this gourd a shot.  And if you disagree with me about its ability to satisfy your spaghetti craving, then I’ll reimburse you for your squash.  No questions asked.

I need to end with a note of caution: Because this dish takes almost an hour to prepare and bake, I highly recommend preparing it long before you start getting hangry.  It keeps well in the refrigerator and can be reheated in the microwave in a matter of seconds.  For the safety of you and your loved ones, never try preparing this dish when your hanger is a 5 or more.

Bon appetit!

*Millennial readers, George Harrison was in a little band called The Beatles.