Tag: taco

This week I challenged myself to create three recipes using only 1 pound of meat. This was one of my creations and it is by far my favorite out of the three. This recipe can be created on it’s own or from leftover taco meat. Each serving is 330 calories (23g carbs, 21g protein). I use more cheese than I probably should in this dish, so if you want to cut down the amount of cheese, that can be customized! 

Not everyone is comfortable working with spaghetti squash, but it is one of my favorite squashes to work with! You may be wondering how I cut my spaghetti squash, I’ve shared my tips in the directions below. By following my suggestions, you will be able to cut your spaghetti squash with ease! 

Here’s what you’ll need to get started:

Ingredients

1 spaghetti squash (approx. 2.5-2.75 pounds)
1 cup Mexican style shredded cheese
1/2 pound ground turkey
1/2 gluten free taco seasoning packet
3/4 cup black beans
3/4 cup whole kernel sweet corn
1/2 cup cooked white rice
1/4 cup red onion chopped
1/4 tomato diced
1/2 cup water
1 jalapeño or 1/4 bell pepper chopped
2 tbsp olive oil
1-2 pinches of salt
1-2 pinches of black pepper
Optional: chopped cilantro for garnish

Directions

1. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. 
2. With a sharp knife or a fork, make slits or poke holes in the spaghetti squash. You just need a couple on each side. This will prevent the spaghetti squash from essentially exploding in the next step. 
3. Microwave your spaghetti squash for 4-5 minutes. 
4. Using a towel or oven mits, carefully remove the spaghetti squash from the microwave and place on a cutting board. Carefully cut the spaghetti squash in half. I opted to cut “hamburger style,” because it creates longer stringy pieces once cooked. Cutting it long ways will create short strings. 
5. Using a brush, coat the inside of the spaghetti squash and the rim with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper to taste. 
6. Place the spaghetti squash on a sheet pan upside down and cook for approx. 40 minutes. 
7. Prepare your white rice and measure out 1/2 cup. Set to side. 
8. Brown your ground turkey over medium heat. Once browned, add the taco seasoning and 1/4 cup of water. Let cook for 5 minutes. 
9. Remove the turkey meat from heat until the spaghetti squash is done. 
10. Measure out your black beans, corn, red onion, tomato and jalapeño or bell pepper and place in a bowl. Set to side. 
11. Measure out shredded cheese and set to side separately from mixture of veggies. 
12. Carefully remove the spaghetti squash from the oven and let cool for 5-10 minutes. Use a spatula to help flip the cooked squash onto a heat safe plate or cutting board. Using a heat barrier, like a towel, use a fork to begin scooping out the “spaghetti” strands of the squash. Place in separate bowl and put to the side. 
13. Place the pan with the taco meat back on the burner with medium heat. Add the bowl containing the mixture of beans and veggies and 1/4 cup of water. DO NOT add cheese or spaghetti squash yet. 
14. Once your veggies are heated through (you will hear sizzling), Add the spaghetti squash to the mixture. I recommend using tongs for this step since it doesn’t mix well. Add the shredded cheese. 
15. The spaghetti squash and cheese should only be over heat for 3 minutes. Mix all ingredients together so that the cheese and seasonings are evenly spread throughout the dish. 
16. Remove from heat and serve with chopped cilantro garnish. 

This recipe makes 4 servings.