This semester has been completely virtual and online for me, so I'm currently living at home with my family. There are pros and cons to that, of course, but one of the pros is access to my tiny herb garden:
You can grow herbs in a dorm room, too, or in a small apartment (see this post for ideas) - don't underestimate a little windowsill garden! It's so nice to have fresh herbs on hand and I love being able to curate my own kitchen garden. I planted these herbs a few months ago, and my whole family has been using them in meals all summer. If you're thinking about planting an herb garden (whether indoor or outdoor), I'd recommend basil (good on sandwiches and pasta), thyme and rosemary (for roasted dishes), and mint (for tea). My garden also has parsley, oregano, sage, and savory herbs, although I don't use those ones as often.
Another nice thing about living at home is being surprised with food by my wonderful mother! I walked into the kitchen the other day to see a spaghetti squash sitting on the counter, and my mom asked if I wanted to roast it for dinner that night. Of course I agreed, and I ended up using some fresh-picked herbs to give it a great flavor. Keep reading for the recipe, and make sure to save our printable recipe card at the end of the post!
First I washed the outside of the squash, then cut the top off and chopped it in half. After scooping out the seeds, I laid it on a baking sheet with parchment paper and brushed it with olive oil:
Next, I seasoned the squash with salt, pepper, and fresh rosemary and sage. It's pretty basic, but sometimes that's all you need! This is a good recipe to make at school, because it doesn't call for many ingredients and it's super easy to substitute fresh herbs for dried ones.
Flip it upside down, and roast in a 425°F preheated oven for about an hour. Some of the herbs might fall off, but they'll still release their flavors and act as aromatics. Pull the squash from the oven when the outside starts to turn golden brown - you can test if it's done by pushing a fork through the skin. If the fork goes all the way through, it's done!
When you're ready to serve the squash, flip it over again and use a fork to pull the "noodles" away from the skin and onto a bowl or plate. Serve hot, and enjoy!
❤️ Juliana
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