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Extreme Diabetes Management: Spaghetti Squash and Basil Pesto Sauce
Spaghetti Squash and Basil Pesto Sauce
Introduction
Welcome back to my Extreme Diabetes Management recipe series! The recipes in this series were created during a very strict detox food challenge recommended by my chiropractor as a way to potentially reverse my Type II Diabetes.My change in eating habits required that I stop eating all processed foods, sugars, dairy (except for butter and heavy whipping cream), fruits (except for avocado), starches, legumes, grains, sauces and alcohol. As a result, I reduced my A1c from 7.0 to 6.4. This has encouraged me to keep the eating habits I've developed as a result of this food challenge.
Spaghetti Squash and Pesto
This spaghetti squash "noodle" dish is packed with lots of nutrients because it features a vegetable, is naturally gluten-free and has only a third of the calories contained in pasta noodles. The squash does not convert to sugar at the same rate pasta does, so it's a good choice for those managing diabetes. Enjoy for dinner or lunch, or both.
EDM Series Introductory Article
- Extreme Diabetes Management: Healing My Body with Food and Exercise
Introduction to a series of recipes and food preparation articles about my journey through a month of detoxification. Eating from a list of limited foods brought my glucose numbers down, and from it I have emerged feeling so wonderful ...
Cook Time
Ingredients
- 1 Spaghetti Squash, Halved
- 2 Tablespoons Butter
- 2 Cups Basil leaves
- 1 Cup Parsley leaves
- 1/2 Cup Pine nuts
- 2 Garlic cloves
- 1 Green onion/scallion, chopped into 1" pcs
- 1/2 Cup Chives, fresh & chopped into 1" pcs
- 1/4 Teaspoon Sea Salt
- 1/2 Teaspoon Black Pepper
- 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
- 1 Lemon, juiced, & 1 tspn of zest
- 1/4 - 1/2 Cup Water
How to Cook Spaghetti Squash topped with Basil Pesto Sauce
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Coat a pyrex dish with butter or coconut oil.
- Cut squash in half and scoop out seeds and pulp.
- Add a tablespoon of butter to each half and roast the halves in the oven for an hour, or until the edges become golden.
- In a food processor, puree the following ingredients: basil leaves, parsley, pine nuts, garlic, green onion/scallion, chives, sea salt, black pepper, olive oil, and lemon juice. Add water a little at a time until it covers all of the solids, but not more than that. Pour pesto sauce in a bowl and set aside.
- When the spaghetti quash is well-roasted, scoop out noodles onto plates or into bowls.
- Swirl a ladle full of pesto sauce top of the squash noodles and sprinkle dried basil over it for a little extra garnish.
Nutritional Value of Spaghetti Squash Noodles topped with Basil Pesto Sauce
| Nutrition Facts | |
|---|---|
| Serving size: 1 | |
| Calories | 100 |
| Calories from Fat | 45 |
| % Daily Value * | |
| Fat 5 g | 8% |
| Saturated fat 1 g | 5% |
| Unsaturated fat 0 g | |
| Carbohydrates 20 g | 7% |
| Sugar 6 g | |
| Fiber 14 g | 56% |
| Protein 1 g | 2% |
| Cholesterol 0 mg | |
| Sodium 42 mg | 2% |
| * The Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet, so your values may change depending on your calorie needs. The values here may not be 100% accurate because the recipes have not been professionally evaluated nor have they been evaluated by the U.S. FDA. | |
Nutrition Research Notes
Comparing the nutritional values in 1 cup of spaghetti squash noodles with pasta noodles:
- Spaghetti squash contains 41 calories; pasta noodles contain 197 calories
- There is .4g fat in the squash and .9g fat in the pasta.
- Carbohydrates present in the squash amount to 10g, while the pasta has 39.7g.
Though there are good things about the pasta, the squash is packed with Calcium and also contains vitamins A and C, in addition to Iron. It is also naturally gluten-free.
Basil Pesto Sauce
I call it a sauce because its texture is more liquid than paste, though it has the same ingredients as pesto. The rest of the vitamins, minerals, protein and fiber listed for the meal are contained in the sauce. The prevailing vitamin is the C in the lemon juice.
Slide show of ingredients for preparing Spaghetti Squash noodles topped with Basil Pesto Sauce
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© 2018 Karen A Szklany
