Spaghetti Squash with Protein

Ingredients:

• Spaghetti Squash
• Avocado or olive oil
• Minced garlic
• Italian seasoning
• Pepper

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
2. Poke holes in spaghetti squash and microwave for 10 minutes. Let cool.
3. Slice squash in half. Scoop out the seeds and ribbing. 
4. Drizzle/rub the inside with avocado oil or olive oil. Season with minced garlic, Italian blend, and pepper.
5. Fill the bottom of a roasting pan with water and place squash face down on the pan. Cover with aluminum foil. Bake for 20-30 minutes until the top dents. Cool and fluff with a fork, scrape out.

Finish the dish with any protein: shrimp, turkey, chicken, beef, Canadian bacon. The options are endless with sauces, veggies, and PROTEIN.

Tips:

• Turn it into Shrimp Scampi -   Season 1.5 pounds of shrimp with smoked paprika, salt and pepper. In a pan, add 3 small slices of butter, 3 tsp of minced garlic,and  one chopped shallot. Cook shrimp 2-3 minutes. Cook in 3 cups of spinach until wilted. Mix in 1 Tbsp of lemon juice and sprinkle fresh basil. Pour on spaghetti squash. Garnish with parmesan cheese on top.
• Turn it into Carbonara - In a bowl mix 6 oz of ⅓ less fat cream cheese and 6 oz of plain non-fat Greek yogurt. Using a colander thaw 1 cup of frozen green peas under warm water. Slice 6 oz of Canadian Bacon and quickly brown in the pan. Place spaghetti squash in a pan and mix: cream cheese mixture, peas, and canadian bacon. Top with parmesan.