While the summer veggies are heading out-of-season, fall and winter veggies are about to steal the show. Enter: squash!
After baking, the flesh of spaghetti squash turns into thin noodles that pair well with a variety of flavors. Used in the place of your standard pasta noodles, spaghetti squash offers significantly less calories with significantly more nutrients. A cup of spaghetti squash has just 30 calories compared to about 200 calories in a typical grain-based noodle. This is why squash is so weight-management friendly. You can eat a LOT and feel SUPER full with minimal calories.
Spaghetti squash can be found in the produce section. Pick one that is firm, pale yellow and free of soft spots or cracks. Make sure the stem is still attached (but it’s okay if it’s short). If they’re on sale, feel free to stock up. They will last for 2-3 months if stored in a cool and dry place!
South-of-the-Border Spaghetti Squash
Ingredients
- 1 spaghetti squash
- 4 garlic cloves
- 1/2 cup red onion, diced
- 1/2 bell pepper, diced
- 1 cup black beans, rinsed
- 1/2 cup frozen corn, thawed
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
Optional toppings
- avocado
- salsa
- guacamole
- nutritional yeast
- hot sauce
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
- Slice spaghetti squash in half length-wise. Using a metal spoon, scoop seeds out. Lay face down on a parchment-line baking sheet. Cook for 30 minutes, or until soft.
- While squash is cooking, add minced garlic and 2 T water to a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Cook for 2 minutes. Add diced onion and let cook for 4 more minutes, adding 1 T of water at a time, if needed.
- Add diced peppers, beans, corn, cumin, chili powder, salt, and red pepper flakes (if using) and cook for 5 minutes.
- Once squash is cooked, carefully flip so it is face up. Run a fork along the inside of each squash to loosen some of the noodles. Add half of black bean and veggie mixture to each squash.
- Return to the oven for 10 minutes.
- Remove from oven. Serve with toppings of choice.