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Healthy Recipes: Baked Spaghetti Squash with Baby Spinach and Cheese
Healthy Lifestyles
Are you on a quest to lose weight or are you changing your unhealthy lifestyle for a better quality of life? Trying to get your family to eat healthy?
Avoid fad diets and dive right into a happy, longer life by eating right and following healthy recipes like this one.
Baked Spaghetti Squash
My family has just discovered the tasty goodness of spaghetti squash. It is super delicious and nutritious! It doesn't taste quite like real spaghetti noodles, but it makes a decent healthy substitute if you are craving pasta dishes.
The first time we tried baked spaghetti squash we just tossed it with a light dashing of mozzarella cheese, salt and pepper, garlic salt, and onion powder but we have since extended our picky eating habits out to try new varieties.
Baked Spaghetti Squash with Baby Spinach and Cheese
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Baked Spaghetti Squash with Baby Spinach and Cheese
This savory meal brings together a large baked spaghetti squash, baby spinach, and melted mozzarella cheese that will make your mouth water.
Cook Time
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 1 hour 30 min
Ready in: 2 hours
Yields: 7 servings
Ingredients
- 5-6 cups cooked spaghetti squash
- 4 cups baby spinach
- 2 cups 1% milk
- 1 cup fat free, low sodium chicken broth
- 1/4 cup flour
- 1 tbsp butter
- 1/4 cup onion, minced
- 1 tbsp canola oil
- 1-2 cups reduced fat (or partially skimmed milk variety) mozzarella cheese, shredded
- 1/8 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
- salt and pepper, to taste
Have you ever eaten spaghetti squash?
Optional Ingredient Substitutions
- Use vegetable broth instead of low sodium, fat free chicken broth if you want a vegetarian dinner recipe.
- Instead of flour, use 2 tablespoons of cornstarch to make it a gluten free dinner recipe.
- Use Kraft or Sargento reduced fat, mild cheddar cheese if you want the kick of cheddar instead of mozzarella cheese.
Pyrex Baking Dishes for Recipe
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375ºF.
- Cut spaghetti squash lengthwise into two halves. Remove the seed s and pulp with an ice cream scoop or large tablespoon; discard them or save seeds for roasting later.
- Brush the interior of the squash with oil and sprinkle lightly with garlic powder. Place spaghetti squash halves on a greased baking sheet, half side down.
- Bake about an 1 hour (to tender - rind can be pierced with fork). Remove from oven once tender; leave oven on at temperature.
- Scrape the strands of "spaghetti" from the inside of the squash until completely separated from the rind. Leave in the husk for now. Set aside.
- In a large saucepan at medium heat, melt butter and heat oil. Add minced onion and cook.
- After roughly 3 minutes, stir in flour. Lower heat to low and allow to cook, stirring consistently forming a pasty looking substance; about 2-3 minutes.
- Raise the heat to medium high and pour the fat free, low sodium chicken broth, and milk (I prefer 1% Neilson milk) into the saucepan and cook until it comes to a boil. Stir for about 3-4 minutes as the mixture thickens and becomes smooth; salt and pepper to taste.
- Removed the now thickened mixture from the heat and add in the mozzarella cheese; mix until melted. Add a little more salt and pepper if necessary.
- Mix in the cooked spaghetti squash and baby spinach thoroughly into the cheese mixture.
- Pour your creamy, cheesy mixture into a 9" x13" baking dish (Preferred brand: Pyrex baking dish) and sprinkle a dash of the mozzarella cheese over the top, followed by the Parmesan cheese.
- Bake for 25 to 30 minutes until the top forms a light golden tone and the mixture is bubbly and hot. Enjoy!
All Warm and Bubbly! Time to Eat!
| Nutrition Facts | |
|---|---|
| Serving size: 1 cup | |
| Calories | 165 |
| Calories from Fat | 72 |
| % Daily Value * | |
| Fat 8 g | 12% |
| Carbohydrates 16 g | 5% |
| Sugar 7 g | |
| Fiber 2 g | 8% |
| Protein 10 g | 20% |
| Sodium 278 mg | 12% |
| * The Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet, so your values may change depending on your calorie needs. The values here may not be 100% accurate because the recipes have not been professionally evaluated nor have they been evaluated by the U.S. FDA. | |
Main Dish or Full Meal? You Decide!
Pair this awesome dish with a honey glazed chicken breast, and a corn on the cob or have it as a stand alone vegetarian dish; it is entirely up to you!
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