Looking to warm up this fall without the extra calories of traditional comfort food? Hy-Vee Savage Registered Dietitian Melissa Jaeger, RD, LD will show how to create the perfect meal using spaghetti squash.
Forget the brown sugar and butter – spaghetti squash is loaded with vitamins and minerals and can be topped with your family’s favorite protein and desired toppings for the perfect fall meal. To help you maintain a healthy lifestyle, Hy-Vee dietitians offers a variety of health services including store nutrition tours and our 10-week Begin™ program. For additional information, reach out to your local Hy-Vee dietitian.
For more recipes, visit www.hy-vee.com
All you need:
1 small spaghetti squash (about 1.5 lbs)
Pasta Topping:
4 – 5 thin slices soft mozzarella cheese or mozzarella pearls
½ cup fresh baby spinach
¼ cup Gustare Vita pasta sauce
Crushed red pepper flakes, to your taste
OR:
Pesto Chicken Topping:
4 – 5 slices chicken breast, cooked
¼ cup basil pesto
3 – 4 fresh basil leaves, shredded or thinly sliced
1 tbsp pine nuts (toasted or raw)
2 tbsp grated parmesan cheese
Olive oil, drizzled on top
All you do:
1. Preheat oven to 350° F.
2. Cut squash in half lengthwise and remove seeds. Place squash halves, cut side down, on a cooking spray-coated shallow roasting pan or baking sheet. Pro tip: Add a small amount of water to the pan and create an aluminum foil tent over the squash to promote steam to allow the squash to tenderize.
3. Roast for 40 to 50 minutes or until tender. Let stand for 10 minutes. Turn squash halves cut side up.
4. Loosen the squash with a fork to form spaghetti-like strands. Pro tip: Get the kids involved and let them pull apart the squash strands!
5. Add desired toppings or your favorite protein and toppings. Roast 10 minutes more or until toppings are heated through.
Pro tip: Serve in its shell and skip the extra dishes making clean-up a breeze with this simple meal.