Recipe: Spaghetti Squash Spaghetti

Meaty low-carb spaghetti sauce over spaghetti squash

Making a wholesale switch from the Standard American Diet or most diabetic diets to a very low-carbohydrate diet can be difficult for some under the best of circumstances. For those used to eating carb-heavy pasta, I thought it might be comforting to offer something similar to pasta but with a lower carb count. Hence, spaghetti pasta. The tomatoes in the sauce are an additional source of blood glucose-elevating carbohydrates. So I’ve tried to minimize them by creating a meat-heavy sauce. Nevertheless, a reasonable portion size—two cups 0f squash—tipped me over my usual “20 grams of carbohydrate per meal” limit. In contrast, a single cup of cooked spaghetti pasta by itself—no sauce—has 40 grams of digestible carbohydrate and 220 calories. Add some sauce and the combo could wreck your blood sugar control for a few hours. 

Cooked spaghetti squash partially teased apart with a fork

Ingredients:

3/4 cup (240 ml) low-carb spaghetti sauce

2 cups (480 ml) cooked spaghetti squash

Instructions:

Prepare the ingredients after clicking on links above. Assemble as in the photo. Enjoy.

Number of Servings: 1

Nutritional Analysis: 

52% fat

33% carbohydrate

15% protein

408 calories

36 g carbohydrate

7 g fiber

29 g digestible carbohydrate

1,398 mg sodium

1,201 mg potassium

Prominent features: Rich in B12, copper, iron, niacin, thiamin, B6

I think you’ll find the two cups of spaghetti squash filling and satisfying. If that’s not enough calories for you, munch on some leftover high-protein food such as chicken or steak.