A healthy Italian alternative

I am dying to share this easy/cheap meal idea with you! A couple of months ago I read a blog post about how awesome spaghetti squash is and how similar it is to pasta. I mean who doesn't love a giant bowl of spaghetti for dinner?? But as we get older, we realize-dang that's a lot of carb intake (especially when you add that thick, buttery Texas sized garlic toast). Don't be afraid to try this simple recipe, I promise your belly will thank you!

You can buy spaghetti squash in the produce section of any grocery store. I didn't get a picture before we cut it up but it's about the size of a football and bright yellow. It is usually less than a $1 a pound and I try to get the smallest one I can find since it is just me and Jon for dinner (usually between $3-$4). So here is how you can get a delicious, low carb, inexpensive meal with minimal preparation:

1. Cut the squash in half long ways and remove and throw away the "guts" (it is kind of like scraping a pumpkin clean at Halloween)

2. Place each half of the squash face down in a baking dish with about 1/4 inch water in the bottom. (Jon was stressed about me using this picture since we had just got back from a jog/walk....silly boys)

3. Cook the squash for 40 minutes at 375 degrees (when it is ready, the skin will be soft to the touch)

4. Let the squash cool after you take it out because it will be super hot! Turn each half over, grab a fork and start removing the insides...they will look like yellow angel hair pasta. A fork is the easiest at the beginning but we use a spoon at the end to get the last little bits and pieces

5. Enjoy!! We topped our spaghetti squash with spinach marinara sauce, garlic salt, and ground turkey (we always keep cooked ground turkey in the fridge to add to different meals for additional protein). Excluding the few carbs in the tomato sauce, this meal was carb free! And delicious!

I hope you try this great meal!