Never worked with spaghetti squash before? Don't even be a little afraid: cooking with one is more intuitive than you'd think. And with a texture reminiscent of pasta, this vegetable is the perfect vehicle for a light olive oil and cheese dressing or any traditional pasta sauce. Watch the video to enjoy a "spaghetti" dish that's nutritious, wholesome, and gluten-free.
Even if you're not going low-carb in the new year, you should be plating up some spaghetti squash. For a simple way to increase the amount of fruit and veg in your diet, skip the pasta and use this unique squash instead. We don't want you to avoid this spaghetti squash because you don't know how to prepare it. Here are some recipe ideas to inspire you get cooking.
To see the other three recipe ideas read more.
If you can't have gluten, you can still enjoy this cheesy pasta dish. It's not made with gluten-free pasta — oh no! It's made with spaghetti squash and other veggies, which means you can load on the cheese and still enjoy a low-calorie (around 200), ooey-gooey, cheesy bowl of steamy pasta. You'll never even realize it's gluten-free!
To see this easy pasta bake recipe, keep reading.
Get ready to eat! FitSugar reader Sprint2theTable shared this recipe for vegetarian "spaghetti and meatballs" in our Healthy Recipe group.
Spaghetti squash. It blew my mind. Who knew you could make a vegetable act like a pasta?! The best part is that you can make it in the microwave in under 10 minutes.
Tofu-lentil "meatballs" are the vegetarian's (or the person-who-recently-watched-Forks-Over-Knives) answer to meatballs. These aren't a perfect match for the red meat version, but they are good! I used plenty of red pepper flakes, fresh parsley, and garlic to make it feel more Italian. The addition of liquid smoke (found at Whole Foods) was awesome too.
Read the recipe after the break.
It's hard to escape the gluttonous nature of holiday celebrations, so if you have a night off from yuletide revelry, detox with a simple, home-cooked meal that counterbalances December's rich, heavy party foods.
Take advantage of spaghetti squash's seasonal peak by using it in place of high-carb pasta in a "spaghetti" dish with roasted vegetables. Slow-roast bite-size tomatoes and zucchini (or any other vegetable, if you'd like) in a mixture of garlic, high-quality olive oil, and seasonings. You'll find yourself looking forward to a comforting meal that, on top of being delicate, is low-calorie, gluten-free, and vegetarian.
To make it vegan, simply skip the parmesan cheese. Want the recipe? Then read on.
If you've never cooked with spaghetti squash, I highly recommend you give it a try. Once it's roasted in the oven, the flesh comes off in strands that resemble spaghetti. Treat it as you would pasta and toss with a simple vegetable saute and you've got a carb-free, vegetarian-friendly meal. This recipe is highly versatile, so sub in whatever veggies you have on hand; mushrooms, peppers, even a green like kale would be delicious. Check it out now.
If you are trying to eat less carbs, or up your intake of veggies, you need to try spaghetti squash. The flesh of this squash has a firm and stringy consistency so it holds up nicely when mixed with tomatoes, roasted veggies and pesto. Plus a cup of spaghetti contains only 10 grams of carbs, compared to 43 grams of carbs found in regular old spaghetti. It is also a low calorie food; one cup contains only 42 calories, where as the spaghetti pasta has 221 calories per cup.
Have I piqued your interest?
To learn how to cook spaghetti squash, just read more
I am always trying to get more fruits and veggies in my diet, and while I am not quite sure which category spaghetti squash falls into I will freely admit I love it. Since it is National Spaghetti Day, I thought I'd pay a little tribute to this very unique squash.
When you first cut it open, the flesh looks like any other squash, but after it is cooked the flesh tears into ribbons resembling spaghetti. Don't be deceived by its looks - it tastes nothing like spaghetti. It is slightly sweet and, if not overcooked, is crunchy and watery, like cucumber.
Spaghetti squash is versatile and can be baked, boiled or steamed. Serve it with pasta sauce or use it as a vegetable base for macaroni and cheese. I like it with a little garlic sauteed in olive oil, a little fresh grated Parmesan cheese and roasted walnuts.
Nutritionally speaking spaghetti squash contains: folic acid, potassium, vitamin A, and beta carotene. Plus it's a low calorie food, averaging 75 calories in 8 cooked ounces. One more factual tidbit of note - it is a New World veggie, native to the Americas.
If you are interested in eating some, check out Cooks.com. The site has a bunch of recipes for spaghetti squash.
