Pierce the squash with a knife in at least 3 places. Then it’s less likely that it will explode in the microwave. There’s still a slight chance….but less likely. After piercing, put the squash in the microwave and cook at high power for 5 minutes. Turn the squash over and cook for 5 more minutes.

Place your leeks or other onions in a pan with two tablespoons of olive oil. Cook until they start to brown.

Mince the garlic clove and add that and the mushrooms into the pan. Any type of mushrooms will do. I used a mix of mushrooms already cleaned and sliced. Cook with the onion/leeks until they are wilted.

After cooking in the microwave for 10 minutes (5 minutes per side) slice the squash open. Next remove the seeds and inside fibers, using a fork or spoon. After taking those away, if it seems like the squash isn’t quite cooked – that is, if the “spaghetti” doesn’t come up easily from the shell, you can put these halves back into the microwave for three to five more minutes. The timing all depends on the size of the squash, the temperature of the squash (has it been in the fridge?) and the power of your microwave. In this case I saw that the squash wasn’t quite done so I put these back for four minutes.

This is how the squash looked when it was fully cooked. When you scoop a large spoon between the shell and the main part of the squash, the threads easily pop up and out.

I added some frozen kale flakes that I’d preserved from last year’s garden. Drizzle about two tablespoons of olive oil and combine the mushroom/leek mix with the other veggies or herbs of your choice. Add salt and pepper to taste and top with the grated cheese.