Happy Saturday! I am still in my PJ’s, just as I had wished! I don’t know that I’ll make it until 6pm or later – I want to get in some lesson planning and a good workout before the day is done 😉
This meal started out in a humorous way.
Mr P: What’s for dinner?
Me: Spaghetti squash alfredo.
Mr. P: What is spaghetti squash?
Me: Spaghetti squash is spaghetti squash.
Mr. P: Well what is it then, spaghetti or squash?
Me: Both! Squash that looks like spaghetti.
Mr. P: Okay, whatever.
Clearly even those who are married to dietitians are not always well-versed on the varieties of fruits and vegetables out there. And it’s not like I haven’t made spaghetti squash before…Mr. P just probably took a pass at the dinner table! His loss!
Spaghetti Squash Shrimp Alfredo adapted from Healthy Food for Living
1 small large spaghetti squash
1/2 2 Tbsp 50/50 Smart Balance Butter Blend
1 4 small shallots, minced
1 4 large cloves garlic, minced
1/2 2 Tbsp flour
1/2 2 cups milk (I used organic 1%)
1 4 oz (2 Tbsp 1/2 cup) neufchatel 1/3-less-fat cream cheese
2 Tbsp 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 lb shrimp, peeled and deveined
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Directions:
Preheat oven to 400° F. Slice squash in half length-wise. Scrape out seeds and place cut-side down in a 9×13 pan lined with tin foil that has been sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. Cook 1 hour. Once cooked, use a fork to pull the stringy, spaghetti-like squash from the skin. Place into a large bowl and cover with foil to keep warm.
In a small saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the shallots and saute until soft, about 2 minutes. Add in the garlic and saute for 30 seconds, until fragrant. Add in the flour and whisk it into the butter for 30 seconds, or until the mixture is well-combined and foamy.
Pour in the milk, whisking constantly until the mixture thickens, about 1-2 minutes. Add shrimp and cook until pink and cooked through. Remove pan from the heat and whisk in the neufchatel and Parmesan cheeses until the sauce is thick and smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Top spaghetti squash with alfredo sauce. Yield: 4 servings (approx. 1 1/2 cups spaghetti squash with 4 ounces shrimp and 3/4 cup sauce).
Nutrition Information (per serving): 409 calories; 20.3 g. fat; 213 mg. cholesterol; 720 mg. sodium; 30 g. carbohydrate; 3.3 g. fiber; 32.3 g. protein
Result: I really liked this! Even if you’re not into spaghetti squash, the sauce is well worth making for a traditional pasta. Mr. Prevention said it was very light, and liked the sauce and shrimp — he’s not spaghetti squash’s #1 fan. Be sure to add a bit of salt and pepper to the sauce — it really does need it. Enjoy a lighter shrimp alfredo!
Question: Have you ever had spaghetti squash? Do you like it?
Happy weekend, folks! Off to the coffee shop to lesson plan!
This looks awesome Nicole! So want to make this asap!
ha! Okay, that makes me feel better because I had NO idea was SS was until about 2 years ago. 🙂 I LOVE it. I need to make it more often, but am a little scared since it exploded in the microwave last time. I’ve made a SS bake that is SO GOOD, too!
Yum! I’ve made the same thing using laughing cow cheese instead. So good!!
This alfredo dish looks delicious. I love alfredo pasta so I will definitely have to try this.
I should make this for my husband. He is not a big spaghetti squash fan, but I think he’d like this. Bookmarking it.
The first time I had spaghetti squash was in college in my food class. We used the Betty Crocker cookbook as a textbook and each person in class made a dish and then we all sat down for a big meal and taste test. I was assigned the spaghetti squash. I love it and think it is so much fun. Ryan had never heard of it either until I made it. I was on the phone with my sister one night and she was making an acorn squash, when I said I had not had a good squash in a while, so as I was passing a grocery store I pulled in and happily grabbed a spaghetti squash. Ryan came home just in time to see me scoop (or shred) it out. I wish I could get it at our commissary now, but they rarely have it in stock. Have a great weekend.
This sounds so good! I just made a spaghetti squash the other night with a sauteed mushroom and garlic sauce. I’m a huge fan. I like that it’s so light and doesn’t leave you feeling so heavy after eating a huge plate like a typical pasta would.
ahh i LOVE shrimp and i love alfredo- i have yet to try spaghetti squash so I am excited about this!
I just had spaghetti squash for dinner! I had mine with salmon actually…strange, right?? This recipe sounds awesome, it’s been forever since I’ve had shrimp. Nick hates spaghetti squash too, so it must be a “guy married to RD” thing (I know, we aren’t married, but whatever).
Hope you got your workout in 🙂 Have a lovely weekend! I’ll be working in Cleveland, joy.
I LOVE spaghetti squash. My mom used to eat it instead of pasta all the time and I thought she was crazy. Of course, I really thought she was crazy because she was doing the no carb thing. I still think thats crazy, but Ive come around to the squash. 🙂
looks yummy!!
This looks sooo delicious. I have half a spagetti squash in the fridge that is needing to be dealt with – I may give this recipe a go. Thanks for posting!!!
This dialog is hilarious. That’s totally what my hubs would ask. I love this use of spaghetti squash, though. It’s a veggie people have no clue about… but it’s actually so versatile!
I may try this using our Tomato-Basil Cheddar. It’s not one of our Red Fat varieties, but like the Parm you used, has so much flavor a little goes a long way. Glad I found your blog. Congrats on all your wt loss success!
~Regan
Just printed the recipe and will try tonight! Sounds DELISH!
Ooh I absolutely love spaghetti squash. I will definitely try this recipe after I get my wisdom teeth pulled tomorrow and I can only eat applesauce and yogurt for a couple of days!
I made this tonight and it was AWESOME! Dave actually ate the spaghetti squash and said I could make this dish again. Wanted to tell you that I made this with skim milk and I added a bunch of mushrooms to the sauce. It never really got thick and I ended up with a ton more sauce than 3 cups somehow (maybe it’s an illusion b/c I added the mushrooms). But I’m not complaining!