Turkey Taco Spaghetti Squash Boats

I am totally in love with this recipe! I’ll admit that the cook time for the squash is a little long for but you could always cook it in the microwave to speed things up. (But the prep time is just 5 minutes.) Save time by making a double batch of the taco filling and freeze half of it for a future meal on a busy day. The flavor party this brings is second only to the protein it delivers – 20 grams per serving. Your belly will be full and happy, without getting overstuffed. Another bonus – each serving is just 219 calories!

INGREDIENTS:

· 3 small spaghetti squash (~24 oz each)

· Olive oil spray

· 1 lb ground turkey breast or 99% ground turkey

· 1 tsp garlic powder

· 1 tsp cumin

· 1 tsp salt

· ½ tsp chili powder

· ½ tsp paprika

· ½ tsp oregano

· ½ small onion, minced

· 2 TBLSP bell pepper, minced (any color)

· ½ cup water

· 4 oz can no salt/sugar added tomato sauce

· ¾ cup part-skim shredded Mexican cheese blend

· Optional toppings: sour cream, fat free plain greek yogurt, avocado

DIRECTIONS:

· Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil. Cut the squash in half lengthwise, and use a spoon to scrape out the seeds and the top layer of soft yellow strands. Lightly spray the inside of the squash with olive oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place the squash cut side down on the baking sheet and bake for 50 minutes or until the flesh easily pierces with a fork and the center resembles spaghetti noodles when scraped with a fork.

· Meanwhile, brown the turkey in a large skillet, breaking into small pieces as it cooks. When no longer pink, add dry seasonings and mix well. Add the

onion, bell pepper, water and tomato sauce. Cover. Simmer on low heat for about 20 minutes.

· Once the squash is cool enough to handle, use a fork to scrape the inside so the strands (noodles!) appear. Spoon ~ ½ cup turkey mixture inside each squash bowl. Top with 2 TBLSP shredded cheese and transfer them back into the oven. Bake another 5 minutes to melt the cheese.

· Remove from oven. Top with optional toppings such as sour cream, fat free plain greek yogurt, avocado.