Instant Pot Spaghetti Squash -- Sometimes Real Food Is the Whole Secret

The Local Fresh Initiative started at Hodge this week. The first delivery came Tuesday morning — a crate of sweet potatoes from a farm in Effingham County, a bushel of collard greens from a grower on Hutchinson Island, and apples from an orchard up near Augusta. I stood in my kitchen and opened that crate and the sweet potatoes were still dirty — real dirt, from a real field — and they smelled like the earth and I almost cried. These are not the uniform, waxed, warehouse sweet potatoes I've been using for thirty-three years. These are somebody's crop. Somebody grew these. Somebody cared about these. And now I get to cook them for four hundred and thirty-eight children.

I roasted those sweet potatoes for Thursday's lunch. Cut them in wedges, tossed with olive oil and salt and a little cinnamon, roasted until the edges caramelized. The children ate them like they were candy. Three kids asked for seconds who have never asked for seconds on a vegetable in their lives. LaVerne said, "Dot, what did you do different?" I said, "I used real food." That's the whole secret. Real food, cooked by someone who cares. It's not complicated. It has never been complicated. The complication is the system that made it complicated.

I also got local eggs — brown eggs from a farm near Statesboro. I made egg salad sandwiches with them and the yolks were so orange they looked like tiny suns. The children noticed. One boy said, "Miss Dot, these eggs are a different color." I said, "These eggs are from chickens who go outside and eat bugs and live a good life." He said, "The eggs taste happier." I said, "Baby, I think they do too."

Earl is having a good spell. The fall agrees with him — cooler air, better breathing, more energy. He walked around the block four times this week. Four. He came home Tuesday and said, "I went around four times." I said, "Were you counting?" He said, "Of course I was counting." He's proud. He should be. Every lap around that block is a victory against the heart that tried to quit on him fourteen years ago.

Now go on and feed somebody.

Those sweet potato wedges I roasted for Thursday were the proof I’ve been waiting thirty-three years to offer — real food, simply cooked, changes everything. When the next Local Fresh Initiative delivery brought a pile of spaghetti squash from a grower just outside Savannah, I knew exactly what I was going to do with them. The Instant Pot makes it almost effortless, which means more time standing at the window watching Earl make his laps around the block, and less time fussing. Simple food made with care. That’s the whole philosophy.

Instant Pot Spaghetti Squash

Prep Time: 5 minutes | Cook Time: 25 minutes | Total Time: 30 minutes | Servings: 4

Ingredients

• 1 medium spaghetti squash (about 3 lbs)
• 1 cup water
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder (optional)
• Fresh parsley or grated Parmesan, for serving (optional)

Instructions

1. Prep the squash. Carefully cut the spaghetti squash in half lengthwise. Use a sturdy knife and take your time — the skin is tough. Scoop out the seeds and stringy pulp with a large spoon and discard.
2. Add water to the pot. Pour 1 cup of water into the Instant Pot insert. Place the trivet inside.
3. Load and seal. Set both squash halves cut-side up on the trivet. If they don’t both fit easily, stack them cut-side down — either way works. Seal the lid and set the valve to the sealing position.
4. Pressure cook. Select Manual or Pressure Cook on High for 7 minutes for a slightly firm squash, or 9 minutes for a more tender result. Allow a natural pressure release for 10 minutes, then carefully switch the valve to venting to release any remaining pressure.
5. Shred the squash. Open the lid and transfer the halves to a cutting board. Use a fork to scrape the flesh — it will come apart into long, noodle-like strands. Work from the outside in.
6. Season and serve. Drizzle the spaghetti squash strands with olive oil, season with salt, pepper, and garlic powder if using, and toss gently. Serve as a simple side, or top with your favorite pasta sauce.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories: 120 | Protein: 2g | Fat: 7g | Carbs: 15g | Fiber: 3g | Sodium: 280mg