While I wouldn't call myself "The World's Greatest Cook", I feel that I can hold my own in the kitchen. However, as many of you may relate, I get stuck in my rut of the same five or six dinners from time to time. Recently I have added several new recipes to my repertoire by using just one new ingredient: Spaghetti squash!

Not only is this winter vegetable very versatile in its uses, it is also quite nutritious to its counterpart of traditional pasta.

Calories: Spaghetti squash is significantly lower in calories than regular pasta. One cup serving of cooked spaghetti squash has 42 calories, while one cup of cooked pasta has 221 calories. A whopping 180 calories difference per cup! And in my opinion after adding a low fat sauce/veggies/and or lean protein you will not notice the difference (I actually prefer the taste) and have yourself a low-cal and extremely nutritious meal.

Carbohydrates: Unlike many, I am not a "carb hater". We all need them and active people even more so. However, most of us get enough or more likely too much of them, so if you are looking to cut back, spaghetti squash has only 10 grams of carbs per cup as opposed to 42 grams of pasta.

Nutrients: Pasta has an edge over spaghetti squash in the protein department with 8 grams as opposed to 1 gram. However, they both have about 2.5 grams of fiber, which is vital for regular digestion. Spaghetti squash has an impressive 143 grams of water per cup which can help in daily water intake. It also contains about 457 percent of the recommended daily intake of vitamin A and 52 percent of vitamin C, which can help prevent free radical damage to cells.

Spaghetti squash is also rich in the B vitamins, folate, potassium, calcium, iron and zinc. This vegetable clearly has a lot going for it!

I think what keeps many from trying this versatile squash is in its preparation. But I ASSURE you that if I can do it anyone can. Its honestly so easy that I love making it more than just about anything else.

To make spaghetti squash, halve a squash lengthwise. Scrape out the seeds, place face down on a baking sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 30 to 40 minutes. Once the squash is cool enough to handle, run a fork through the flesh to create spaghetti strands. They will literally fall right out of the shell!

For something even more creative, try playing around with recipes that use the actual shell as a bowl. Here is one of my favorites from ifoodreal.com. Not only is it delicious, it is vegetarian and gluten free.

Ingredients:

Prepare spaghetti squash as listed above for 30 minutes. Remove from heat and let it cool for about 10 minutes. Increase oven temperature to 425. Using a fork separate the strands and leave them in the shells add in the salsa and avocado and press lightly to make the inside as even as possible. Then break one egg into each shell and bake it for 15-20 minutes depending on runniness preferences. Eat this meal straight out of the shell. . .

DELICIOUS!

Calories: 269, Fat: 16g, Carbs, 25g, Fiber 6g, Protein 9g

If you make this recipe I would love for you to email me with your review and even a picture 😄

There are literally hundreds of recipes that you can find online to add variety to your palette.

Have a great couple of weeks and SQUASH those calories!!