Weight Watchers Spaghetti Squash

Weight Watchers Spaghetti Squash

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By now, practically every woman on Instagram has whipped up a bowl of faux "pasta" using spaghetti squash—and posted a photo about how it tastes "just like the real thing." But just because it's literally named "spaghetti" doesn't mean your squash should be doomed to a life of imitating noodles.

"My husband hates spaghetti squash as a substitute for pasta. Like he refuses to eat it," says Jessica Perez, R.D. (Same, honestly.) But that doesn't mean the veggie is off-limits—it just requires a bit more creativity.

"Basically, for any recipe that asks for a type of carb side dish, swap it with spaghetti squash. This produces a much lighter side, which definitely doesn't lack in taste," says Charlene Pors, R.D.

If you're not sure how to cook a spaghetti squash, here's a basic recipe from Pors: Cut the squash in half. Then, spoon out all of the seeds and soft yellow strands. Lightly spray the inside with an olive oil spray, and place in a preheated oven at 425°F degrees for 30 to 40 minutes or until the flesh easily pierces with a fork. Once it's cooled, use a fork the squash so that individual strands appear. Then, take those strands and make something truly awesome.

With a little help from some trusted nutritionists, you can finally retire the same old spaghetti squash doused in tomato sauce. Read on for 23 different ways to eat spaghetti squash for literally any meal:

1. Breakfast boats

"To the strands, add four tablespoons of salsa, about a half cup egg whites, and some pepper. Then place the boats back in the oven for about 10 to 15 minutes, or until the egg is fully cooked. Once done remove from oven and top with one tablespoon diced avocado, and one to two tablespoons of shredded low-fat cheddar cheese. And voila—you have some delicious and easy breakfast boats." —Charlene Pors, R.D. 2. Breakfast nests

"To make spaghetti squash 'nests,' fill a muffin tin with spaghetti squash strands, and bake until crispy. Then, top it with shredded cheese, a cracked egg, and bake until egg whites are opaque. Garnish with green onion." —Jessica Perez, R.D.

3. Bacon and eggs
"Balance gluttony with greens by topping cooked spaghetti squash with a fried egg, wilted baby spinach, goat cheese, and crumbled bacon." —Kath Younger, R.D.

4. Cinnamon nut cereal

"You can make a 'cereal' by mixing cooked spaghetti squash with unsweetened vanilla almond milk (or any of your choice), ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, and a handful of slivered almonds for breakfast-meets-dessert." —Jessica Perez, R.D.

5. Egg muffins
"Put cooked spaghetti squash into an egg bake or egg muffin cups for added fiber and vitamins." —Lindsey Janeiro, R.D.N.

6. Omelet

"Scrape the squash from one half (save the rest for lunch or dinner) into four scrambled eggs, season with salt and pepper and cook in a pan with a few teaspoons of oil as you would a regular omelet. Serves two." — Karen Ansel, R.D.N.

7. Banana squash muffins

"I usually make this recipe with zucchini but found that it can easily be substituted for spaghetti squash because they're similar in texture. It's low-fat (only three tablespoons oil for the whole recipe) and protein packed with egg whites and Greek yogurt." —Jessica Perez, R.D.

8. Satisfying smoothie

"Take leftover spaghetti squash and blend it into a smoothie for an extra nutrient punch along with frozen fruit, greens, and some healthy fats like peanut butter—easy and satisfying." —Robyn Nohling, R.D

9. Harvest salad
"Toss cooked strands with grilled chicken, fresh spinach, roasted beets, diced tomatoes, carrots, slivered almonds, crumbled goat cheese, and top with a delicious balsamic vinaigrette. The result is a comforting fall salad that packs a lot of taste and nutrients." —Charlene Pors, R.D.

10. Chicken marinara boats

"Discard the seeds and soft yellow strands, and bake with ground chicken and marinara sauce in this cozy, filling recipe." —Charlene Pors, R.D.

11. Chicken lasagna

"Have to feed a crowd? Craving something comforting? Need a quick and easy weeknight meal? Looking for a recipe that freezes beautifully? This recipe checks all the boxes. While the traditional version is composed of layers of noodles, meat, and cheese, by swapping out the pasta layers for spaghetti squash not only will you amp up the vegetable intake, but the lasagna-making process will become much more effortless." —Min Kwon, R.D.

12. Winter salad

"If it's not over-cooked, spaghetti squash has a great, unique texture that works well in hearty winter salads. One of my favorite combos is spaghetti squash, arugula, walnuts, roast mushrooms, and rosemary. For me, the trick to getting the texture just right is rinsing the squash after it's cooked. So cut in half, roast, pull with a fork then rinse it thoroughly to drain the starch and you're left with the toothsome crisp strands." —Daniel Holzman, chef, culinary expert, Project Foodie co-founder

Related: 9 Things You Should Never Eat For Lunch

13. Asian slaw

"Mix the cooked squash strands with purple cabbage, carrots, green onion, and sesame seeds. Toss with a homemade honey ginger vinaigrette, then top with cooked chicken." —Jessica Perez, R.D.

14. Spaghetti squash with pesto, chickpeas and pine nuts

"Scrape the cooked flesh of the squash into a large serving bowl. Add one-third cup pesto and one cup rinsed, drained chickpeas to the bowl and toss well. If pesto is too thick, thin it with a couple tablespoons of water. Top with two tablespoons pine nuts and serve. —Karen Ansel, R.D.N.

15. Stuffed spaghetti squash with pecans, kale, and dried cranberries

"In this recipe, the spaghetti squash is nature's bowl. Pecans are a nutritional powerhouse and their natural sweetness makes them a perfect addition to the tender spaghetti squash in this dish." — Ellie Krieger, R.D

16. Taco bowls

"For a low-carb fiesta, add lean beef to squash halves, along with taco seasoning, veggies, and beans." —Charlene Pors, R.D.

17. Stir-fry

"Mix spaghetti squash with sauteed veggies and grilled chicken in a pan, and stir-fry in teriyaki sauce." —Charlene Pors, R.D.

18. Broccoli chicken Alfredo bake

"For this recipe, combine shredded spaghetti squash with cooked chicken and broccoli in a large dish, topping with cheese and then baking until the cheese melts. Pair it with a side salad or crusty bread." —Lindsey Janeiro, R.D.N.

19. Shrimp or chicken "pasta"

"Sauté at least four ounces of shrimp or chicken in a pan with a tablespoon of olive oil. Season the chicken or shrimp with salt, pepper, and any other desired herbs. Add tomatoes, olives, and oregano. Continue to sauté until mixture is hot and chicken or shrimp is cooked through. Place the chicken or shrimp and tomato mixture on top of the spaghetti squash. Serve the dish with a side of sautéed or steamed vegetables as well as a side salad with low-fat oil-based dressing for a full-on yet fully healthy Italian meal at home." —Gabbi Berkow, R.D

20. Buffalo chicken

"In my recipe, the squash is used to cut through some of the buffalo flavor and add texture. The subtle squash flavor and crisp crunch of the 'noodles' really put the flavors of the buffalo chicken on a whole new level." —Felicia Berger, chef

21. Squash with spinach and garam masala

"Prepare spaghetti squash with ghee and garam masala for an Indian-inspired flair. Garam masala balances that overly 'squashy' taste, and using ghee is an easy way to make the recipe Whole30-approved—no need for butter or oil. It adds a subtle, almost nutty flavor that goes great with squash." — Felicia Berger, chef

22. Veggie Casserole

"Layer a small casserole dish with cooked squash, fresh tomato sauce, sautéed veggies (I love mushrooms, zuchinni, and onions) and cover with some low-fat mozzarella cheese and bake at 400 for another 10 to 15 minutes until cheese is golden brown." —Deanna Wolfe, R.D.N.

23. "Cheesy" spaghetti with vegan chickpea meatballs

"Curb your Alfredo cravings with squash and veggies. Blend one Japanese sweet potato, one steamed carrot, three tablespoons nutritional yeast, half cup almond milk, lemon juice, garlic and salt, and pour over cooked spaghetti squash. To round out the meal, try topping with my vegan meatballs." —Lindsey Morse, R.D.N

Marissa Miller Marissa Miller has spent a decade editing and reporting on women's health issues from an intersectional lens with a focus on peer-reviewed nutrition, fitness trends, mental health, skincare, reproductive rights and beyond, and currently holds a certificate in plant-based nutrition from Cornell.

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Weight Watchers Spaghetti Squash

Source: https://www.womenshealthmag.com/food/g17533939/how-to-cook-a-spaghetti-squash/

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