1.      Preheat the oven to 425°F and line a rimmed sheet pan with unbleached parchment paper.

1.      Cut the squash: Remove the stem so the squash will stand up straight. Stand it upright on a cutting board and slice it in half lengthwise, pressing the blade down firmly with both hands. If your knife gets stuck halfway through, gently tap the whole squash on the cutting board to help it split. Scoop out the seeds with a spoon.

2.     Prepare the squash: Slather both the inner flesh and skin with the avocado oil. Sprinkle a large pinch of the salt over the flesh and place each half, cut side down, on the baking sheet to trap steam inside. This keeps the squash moist while speeding up the cooking process.

3.     Roast until the squash is fork-tender, but not mushy, about 25-30 minutes. While the squash roasts, prepare a sauce and protein of choice if desired.

4.    Cool for 5-10 minutes before handling. Use tongs to hold each half in place while you scrape the flesh with a fork to create spaghetti-like strands. Scrape the squash widthwise to follow the natural direction of the strands. Discard the skin.

5.     Season with the remaining salt and pepper to taste and serve as a side dish, or add your favorite sauce and a protein of choice for a full meal.

6.    Store leftovers in a sealed glass container in the fridge for up to 5 days.