ESBS: Italian Seasoned Spaghetti Squash
My body works in VERY mysterious ways.
As in, I gain weight during the summertime and lose it during the winter. I know, makes complete sense, right? No. When most everyone else is hoarding weight during the holiday season, I’m dropping it like a bad habit. Then when the sun comes out and the temperatures rise, the weight piles back on faster than an ice cream cone melts in July. (I’m on FIRE with these metaphors today, aren’t I?) Regardless, it’s a bad problem to have. When I need a hot body for my bathing suit, I’m left with ripples, bumps and massive extra poundage. Then, when it’s completely normal and acceptable to hide behind sweaters and hoodies, I have a tight, toned body to flaunt. I wish I understood this ridiculous cycle, but it makes as much sense to me as an algebra equation. HIGH FIVE, HIGH FIVE. Okay, I’m done with those. I promise. But in all reality, I have got to find a way to make these extra pounds leave so I can walk around in my two piece without any tears (from myself and onlookers). So in addition to stepping up my workout, I’m completely re-evaluating my diet. Which means… veggies > carbs. However, if you know me well enough, that’s not a hard thing to accomplish 🙂
With all of that said, I’ve been trying to substitute vegetables wherever I can in my everyday diet, which brings me to dinner a few nights ago. I wanted pasta but instead decided to switch it with spaghetti squash. Spaghetti squash is one interesting vegetable. On the outside, it looks like a regular vegetable.
Then on the inside (once you manage to cut through this beast), you see that it’s made up of hundreds of small, string like “noodles”, hence the name spaghetti squash.
This vegetable, which is harvested between September – October, is most often served in stir fries or with marinara sauce. Like it’s name, it’s a perfect substitution for the real noodle if you are watching your carb intake. Since I’m trying to watch my carbs, this has become a staple for me when I’m craving pasta, pad thai or stir fry. Like the title says, my favorite way to eat it is mixed with Italian spices and served like the original. You get the texture of real noodles without the calories and carbohydrates! A win win in my book!
Italian Seasoned Spaghetti Squash
What You’ll Need:
- 1 large spaghetti squash
- 1 can of diced tomatoes
- 1 1/2 tablespoons of Italian seasoning
- 4 fresh chives, chopped
- 2 1/2 tablespoons butter
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- Parmesan cheese, to taste
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
- Cut spaghetti squash in half and remove seeds.
- Place cut side down on a jelly roll pan. Add enough water to come 1/2-inch up the sides of the dish and cover with aluminum foil. Bake for 45 minutes, until the squash is easily pierced with a paring knife. Turn squash over and cover with foil again and continue to cook another 15 minutes, until the squash is very tender.
- Remove from pan and allow to cool for a minute. Then, using a fork, gently remove the spaghetti squash and set aside.
- In a medium saucepan, heat butter. Add chives, squash and herbs, heat slightly.
- Add tomatoes. Heat for about 5 minutes until mixture is warmed and thoroughly mixed together.
I love all the veggie-filled recipes you have here. Delish!