Chicken Parmesan - Spaghetti Squash Style

Well, it looks like Winter's back... in Spring no less!! !  Perfect time to make a new recipe filled with heart-warming flavours using my new favourite veg... the Spaghetti Squash!

It's a version of the Chicken Parmesan stuffed Spaghetti Squash you see on social media... you know.... the movies.  I decided to give it a try,  and I was not disappointed.  It was delicious- and no pasta involved, just the squash that looks like pasta.

You just need to bake your squash in the oven (see recipe below) and in the meantime, cook your chicken in a pan. You'll be amazed at how little ingredients you'll need.

Then you just assemble it- marinara sauce, chicken, more marinara sauce and then a little cheese on top.

Here's how you do it:

Chicken Parmesan stuffed Spaghetti Sauce (adapted from http://goddessinthehouse.com/2015/02/chicken-parmesan-stuffed-spaghetti-squash/)

Ingredients

• Spaghetti Squash
• 1 jar Marinara Sauce
• Mozzarella cheese
• 2 Breaded Chicken Breast, cooked (I hand breaded with the trio flour/egg/breadcrumbs)
• Salt
• Pepper
• Garlic Powder
• 1/2 tsp Olive Oil

Directions

1. Preheat your oven to 375°. Prepare a baking sheet with foil.
2. Cut your spaghetti squash in half, lengthwise. Take the 1/2 tsp of olive oil and put 1/4 tsp on each half of the spaghetti squash. 
3. Using your salt, pepper and garlic powder, sprinkle all over each half of the spaghetti squash. 
4. Place the spaghetti squash face down on the baking sheet and bake for 50 minutes. 
5. Using a fork, gently pull the strands of squash away from the sides of the squash.
6. Cut up your cooked chicken breast and place the chicken breast on top of the spaghetti squash.
7. Either make your own marinara sauce or use your favorite jarred sauce. Spoon the sauce over top of the chicken and spaghetti squash. 
8. Sprinkle your desired amount of Mozzarella cheese on each half and bake in the oven for about 15 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and bubbly!

There you have it! So delicious served with a side of broccoli- that's right- more nutrient filled veggies! It's really a new family favourite!

Spaghetti Squash- Asian Style

It's soooooo cold outside- forecast for the weekend is -30 with the windchill, so what better way to warm up than with a steamy bowl of Asian inspired, nutritious and tasty Spaghetti Squash Stir Fry.

As you know, I have been trying to add more vegetables to our dinner table, and let me tell you... I think I finally found a way to enjoy this stringy squash!

You start off by cutting your squash in half, removing the seeds and baking it at 400F for about 45 minutes.

Now, this is the most fun... flip them over and using a fork, scrape the inside and see the magic happen! It all comes out like stringy spaghetti- hence the name!

Look at this amazing pile of golden nutrition! Now put aside and gather your other ingredients and ask Siri about the nutritional content of this delicious squash.

Seriously, that's what I did!

And look at the proof, Siri knows!

• 1 cup of spaghetti 491 calories

• 1 cup of Spaghetti Summer Squash, as she calls it, is 14 calories. unbelievable!!!! 

Now don't even start comparing the vitamin C content (15 times more)!

Now off to the Stir Fry pan. 

I assembled my choice ingredients. The original recipe this was inspired from had mushrooms (yuk for me), so I substituted with some sweet peppers and added some chicken breast for added protein. 

So here's how I did it.

Asian Inspired Spaghetti Squash 

(inspired by http://www.pickledplum.com/yakisoba-spaghetti-squash-recipe)

Ingredients:

• 1 small spaghetti squash 

• 1 sweet pepper chopped in strips
• 2 cooked chicken breasts, sliced

• 2 scallions, finely chopped

• 2 cup coleslaw mix of carrots and cabbage
• 1 cup bean sprouts

• 1 tbsp vegetable oil

• 1 tsp dried red chili, chopped (optional)

• 1 tbsp chopped peanuts
• 1 tbsp cilantro

• For the sauce:

• 2 tbsp soy sauce

• 2 tbsp hoisin sauce

• ½ tbsp hot thai chili garlic sauce

• Salt and white pepper to taste

Instructions:

1. Cut spaghetti squash in half, scrape off the seeds with a spoon, place open side down and bake in the oven at 400Fº for 40-50 minutes.
2. Use a fork and scrape the flesh into strings.
3. In a large pan over high heat, add vegetable oil and cook the peppers, add coleslaw mix and red chile and cook for two minutes.
4. Add chicken and cook for another two minutes.
5. Add spaghetti squash, bean sprouts, scallions and sauce, and mix well until the sauce has evenly coated all the vegetables. Cook for two minutes and turn the heat off.
6. Transfer to a bowl, top with cilantro, peanuts and serve.