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By Jennifer Vagios, RD, APOGEE’s Dietitian

Many APOGEE members ask me how to include more vegetables in their diet. Here’s one way: I make a quick and nutritious dinner using spaghetti squash instead of pasta.

In local farmer’s markets right now you’ll find a colorful spectrum of winter squash, including spaghetti squash. Yellow, smooth, and cylindrical, it’s what’s on the inside that makes this squash so versatile: When cooked, the flesh separates into long, tender strands, perfect for topping with your favorite traditional pasta sauce.

How to prepare spaghetti squash: Heat the oven to 425 degrees. Cut the squash in half lengthwise, scrape the seeds out, then place both halves cut-side down on a baking sheet. Roast for 40 minutes, or until a fork easily pierces the squash. When done, flip it over and pull out the strands with a fork.

I top the cooked squash with my favorite tomato sauce and, for protein, vegetarian meatballs. Like grain-based pasta, spaghetti squash is a good source of carbohydrates, but because it’s a veggie, it also contains fiber, Vitamin B6, potassium, and Vitamin C.

Westchester County has many good farmer’s markets; this site may list one near you.