Spaghetti Squash Cups.

Guys! This may be news to you, for which I am excited to share this with you…

BUT, spaghetti squash is a VEGGIE.

It contains SOME carbs, but on a relative basis very little!

Spaghetti squash pops up this time of year as a “sub” for pasta, leading many to believe that it is an effective swap. Spoiler alert…this is diet culture trying to keep you away from carbs again. I wrote an article on this once, when I was very entrenched in diet culture for a really big magazine and I called it a pasta swap…WAHHHH, for this I am sorry.

But, I am here today to tell you is this, this veggie can be added in to any dish you want, but it will not replace the carbs you need at your meal. 1 cup of this veggie provides ~10g carb. FOR MANY, a minimum of 45-55g per meal is more what we are aiming for! THIS IS NOT ADVICE just a general statement to show how little is really in this veg!

We teach our clients the importance of consistent fuel intake. This includes noticing how you feel after meals with multiple food groups vs. meals without them. Diet culture wants us to believe that a “meal” is just protein + veggies and we should feel ok with that. I STRONGLY DISAGREE. Your body may feel unsatisfied after a meal without carbs, you may feel like you are searching for something sweet, you may feel unfulfilled, you may be HUNGRY. And these feelings would all be very normal.

I talked about this in greater detail in my IG post this week, find it here:

REPEAT 👏🏼AFTER 👏🏼ME. ⁣ 🗣SPAGHETTI 🗣SQUASH 🗣IS 🗣NOT🗣 A 🗣CARB.⁣ ⁣ Spaghetti squash is DELISH. It is one of my favorite veggies but please please please know, it is not the same as spaghetti even though it may look similar. This time of year I see a lot of subs and swaps happening and many try to use this veggie as an alt for the real deal (or even the bean or lentil or alternative version!) but it is not. ⁣ ⁣ It is AMAZING to add to your pasta dish to bump up volume, add satisfaction and especially flavor if you enjoy it. ⁣ ⁣ BUT. 1 cup of these little noodles from this VEGGIE clocks in at about 7-10g grams of carbohydrates, so YES you are right (don't come at me yet), it does contain SOME carbs but not nearly enough to provide what your body needs at a meal time. ⁣ ⁣ Carbohydrates provide your body and brain (like ~120g/day is needed just for that brain 🧠) with its PREFERRED energy source. Carbs are needed for more than just fitness, and in fact some research shows us that those who "skip" carbs are the ones experiencing the greatest "sweet tooth 🦷 " because your body is so smart that it will find a way to to get what it needs no matter how! ⁣ ⁣ So moral of the story, if you haven't had carbs in a while, start by adding some in today - go slow, stay consistent and see how you feel!⁣ ⁣ And if you have been eating spaghetti squash without carbs for a while now + wondering why it doesn't fill you up, try adding some pasta to it and lmk how you feel! ⁣ -⁣ -⁣ -⁣ #happystronghealthy​ ​#foodisfun​ #ditchthediet​ #wellnessforeverybody​ #carbs​ #antidiet #healthypregnancy​​ #eatbetternotless​ #mentalhealthmatters #fuckdiets​ #healthylifestyle #rd2be #disorderedeatingrecovery​ #mentalhealth​ #caloriecounting​ #foodfreedomforever #macros #disorderedeating​ #recoveryispossible​ #dieting​ #dietculturedropout​ #nobodysperfect #bodyrespect #bodyacceptance #selflove

ANYWAYS.

This veggie is one of my favorites of the season. It is so easy to cook with (PS I heat mine in the microwave with some fork marks in it instead of baking to save time!) and can be added to so many delicious dishes!

This recipe is so easy to make and make in bulk to keep for the week and so fun to customize to meet your needs however you want!

These little spaghetti squash cups are the perfect side dish for your meal and with the holidays coming up, these are also a great app or side to have on the table! The COVID table may look different this year but these can still be fun and festive too!

Like I said, these are totally customizable, basically I am just giving you the outline for these and you can add in any veggies or combos you like! And honestly now that I am typing this out, the next time I make them I think I will put some bacon in them!!! So play around with them and tag me on instagram to show me your fave combos!!!

Don't even think twice about trying these little cuties. 

Sorry I dont have a pic of them, but picture a little muffin tray filled with deliciousness, that’s what these are!

Ingredients:

  • 1 medium spaghetti squash, cooked and spaghetti tendrils scooped out into bowl

  • 3 cups chopped spinach or kale or chopped veggie blend (really any veggies you want!) 

  • 1 small onion diced

  • salt, pepper, garlic, red pepper flakes

  • 2-4 eggs

  • 1/2 cup or more, shredded mozzarella cheese

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees

  2. Grease 12 cup muffin tray 

  3. Mix all veggies with spaghetti squash strands in bowl then add cheese.

  4. Add spices to desired preference

  5. Depending on the size of squash add 2-4 eggs (beaten) to veggie mixture and mix to combine - for a small squash aim for 2, larger squashes up to 4 - you dont want the mixture to be tooooo wet but use your best judgement here. 

  6. Scoop mixture evenly into 12 cups - you want the muffin cups to be full!

  7. Bake for about 25 minutes until the tops are totally crispy

  8. Scoop out, pair with protein, a CARB side of your choice & more veggies if you wish, and ENJOY :)

XO,

J

 

 
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Written by Jenna Werner

Hey there, I’m Jenna! I'm a Registered Dietitian, online nutrition coach and serious food lover. I'm ready to help you quit dieting forever and fall in love with the way food makes you feel.

Learn more about me and the HSH offerings here.

 
 
 
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