Spaghetti Squash is an Awesome Low-Cal, Low-Carb Pasta Alternative

If you’re looking for a great low-carb pasta alternative, you may be surprised to discover that you don’t need to go any further than your produce aisle at the grocery store.  Yes, you may already have had spiralized zucchini and that can be a great option depending on the flavor you’re looking for. Sheets of it can even work as lasagna noodles if you get your thickness and cooking time just right not to turn them into mush. That said, there’s another option you may never have tried before and that is absolutely incredible.

Low-Carb Pasta Alternative Made by Mother Nature

If you’ve never tried spaghetti squash, you’re in for an incredible treat.  This squash is affordable, delicious, and really does provide you with a spaghetti-like food that can easily replace the noodles you’re used to.  Moreover, they provide you with a ton of nutrients, ranging from a hit of beta carotene that is great for your eyes, to a ton of fiber that is great for your digestive system.

Moreover, there’s no longer any need to scramble to try to figure out how to get enough veggies into your meal when you’re using this low-carb pasta alternative instead of wheat-based noodles.  You’ll fill up on a delicious and filling meal that will also provide you with several servings of veggies, depending on how much you have.

Low-Cal Noodles

If you have a big appetite, then you’ll love how this low-carb pasta alternative is also low in calories! Spaghetti squash comes with a tiny fraction of the calories that you’d be getting from linguine or fettuccini of the traditional sort.  For every cup of spaghetti squash, you’ll get only 31 calories! That means you can essentially have as much of it on your plate as you want, without having to worry about maxing out your meal’s calorie limit. It would be difficult to overeat this option!

Fun to Prepare

If you’re hesitant to give this low-carb pasta option a try because your kids have rejected all your attempts to sneak veggies into their diets in the past, then get ready for success.  To prepare this food, cut the squash in half, scoop out the seeds (which you can roast in the oven like pumpkin seeds and eat them as a crunchy snack!).  Place the squash halves cut side down on a baking sheet with a silicon mat so they won’t stick (or a touch of olive oil will do) and stab the rinds a few times with a fork to let the steam out.  Bake for a half hour or until you can stab them very easily with a fork, right through the rind.

Take them out of the oven and let them cool sightly so you can handle them without burning your fingers. Here’s where the magic begins. Use your fork to gently scrape the flesh of the squash away from the rind. It automatically forms strings like spaghetti!!! Your kids will adore this, so let them watch or even take part if they’re old enough. This will help to build their enthusiasm to eat it this time and again in the future.  Enjoy your low-calorie, low-carb pasta alternative!