TURKEY (or Beef) TACO SPAGHETTI SQUASH BOATS

I'm not sure how I feel about these.  I never had spaghetti squash before this.  So D and I tried it.  While not bad, they aren't the end-all-be-all either.  They tasted like yellow squash in string form.  So I can't imagine putting spaghetti sauce and parm cheese on it and faking anyone out.  Actually, I'm kind of grossed out by that .

However, considering we have had zucchini with queso fresco, and squash and zucchini with jalapenos, adding a "Mexican" flair to spaghetti squash wasn't creepy.

The taste of the filling was very good.  However, it tasted like taco meat on top of squash.  If I want to save calories/points, I think I would just put the filling on a 1-pt tortilla and call it a day. The other thing is tacos in my mind are typically cheap.  The squash alone was over $9, so I was kind of stuck on that.

We had with black beans.  I don't think we'll have again. Not horrid, just the price point was off for me.

TURKEY (or Beef) TACO SPAGHETTI SQUASH BOATS

Photo by ALB

Yield: 6 servings, Serving Size: 1 boat (we had 4 servings)
TOTAL TIME: 1 hour
Adapted from Skinny Taste

INGREDIENTS
3 small spaghetti squash (24 oz each) (we used 2 squashes)
olive oil spray
1 lb 93% ground turkey (used 96%/4% ground beef)
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp oregano
1/2 small onion, minced
2 tbsp bell pepper, minced
1/2 cup water
4 oz can tomato sauce
3/4 cup part-skim shredded Mexican cheese blend

For the Pico De Gallo: (bought fresh from the store)
1 cup chopped tomato
1/4 cup chopped scallion
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 jalapeno, minced
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 400F degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper (or two if they don’t fit). Cut the squash in half lengthwise, and use a spoon to scrape out the seeds and soft yellow strands. Spray the inside of the squash with olive oil and sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper. Place the squash facedown on the baking sheet and bake for 50 minutes or until the flesh easily pierces with a fork.

Meanwhile, brown turkey in a large skillet breaking it into smaller pieces as it cooks. When no longer pink add dry seasoning and mix well. Add the onion, pepper, water and tomato sauce and cover. Simmer on low for about 20 minutes.

Combine the ingredients for the quick pico de gallo in a medium bowl. Set aside in the refrigerator until ready to eat.

Once the squash is cool enough to handle, use a fork to scrape the inside so the strands appear. Spoon scant 1/2 cup meat inside each squash bowl. Top each with 2 tbsp cheese and transfer them to the oven and bake another 5 minutes, until the cheese is melted. Remove from the oven, top with pico de gallo and serve immediately!

5 Smart Points (my additions/subtractions at 4 servings)