To Prepare:
1) slice squash in half and remove seeds without taking out flesh
2) place half flesh side down in a pan with a little water, cover, and place in microwave for 15 minutes
3) remove from micorwave (be careful jot to get burned by steam) and use a fork to scrape out flesh. It'll come out in strands
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We made a vegetarian "pasta" bake that's kid approved!
-mix sauce into squash, and top with fresh herbs like basil and low-fat cheese, such as Parmesan or part-skim mozzarella.
-Bake in oven at 375 until cheese has browned.
*For additional protein, you can add organic veggie burgers or beans, as was done in the picture below.
Benefits of Spaghetti Squash:
Nutrients: Spaghetti squash supplies modest amounts of carotenoids, plant substances that the body turns into Vitamin A and that may help protect against some diseases. While not as nutrient dense as other squash, spaghetti squash provides 3 percent of the Daily Value for calcium, 5 percent of the DV for Vitamin A, 9 percent of the DV for Vitamin C and 8 percent of the DV for dietary fiber.
If you top with sauce, you will gain the added benefits of tomatoes, a nutrient-packed food with many
cancer fighting properties.
Calorie Content:Per 1 cup of cooked spaghetti squash provides 42 calories, 0.4 gram of fat, 1 g of protein, 10 g of carbohydrate (4 g as sugar) and 2.2 g of fiber
*If prepared as above, you will increase your protein amounts depending on the veggie burger/bean of your choice, increased fiber, and added calcium from the cheese. Your fat content will increase as well, depending on the cheese of your choice (go low-fat!).
-Bake in oven at 375 until cheese has browned.
*For additional protein, you can add organic veggie burgers or beans, as was done in the picture below.
Nutrients: Spaghetti squash supplies modest amounts of carotenoids, plant substances that the body turns into Vitamin A and that may help protect against some diseases. While not as nutrient dense as other squash, spaghetti squash provides 3 percent of the Daily Value for calcium, 5 percent of the DV for Vitamin A, 9 percent of the DV for Vitamin C and 8 percent of the DV for dietary fiber.
If you top with sauce, you will gain the added benefits of tomatoes, a nutrient-packed food with many
cancer fighting properties.
Pasta Comparison
One cup of cooked enriched spaghetti yields 221 calories, 1.3 g of fat, 43 g of carbohydrate and 2.5 g of fiber. Pasta does provide more B vitamins. If you have diabetes or are watching your weight and carbohydrates, you can save 179 calories and 33 g of carbohydrate by eating a cup of spaghetti squash instead of a cup of pasta.
