Pasta That Works

Pasta raises your insulin levels. And today we know, in any kind of weight management program, you need to manage your insulin levels.

There are two solutions. Either you make whole grain pasta, such as whole wheat, brown rice or spelt pasta or you stay with the vegetable pasta made from spaghetti squash.

Yuck, you think!

I admit, I tried many times, yet I did not like it. Spaghetti squash tasted very bland to me and I did not like the texture. Till this past weekend. One of the house guests told the story about his mother, making spaghetti squash with tomato sauce. What a great idea, I thought and we did it.

This is how I made it.

Tomato sauce
1 large red onion
5 minced gloves of garlic
5 medium size tomatoes
½ tsp sea salt
½ tsp thyme [I used dried yet fresh would be better]
½ tsp cumin
1 tsp extra virgin olive oil

Dice the red onion, mince the garlic, cut the tomatoes and heat the oil in a large omelet pan. When the oil is hot, add on the onion and garlic and roast till golden brown. Add the sea salt, thyme, cumin and tomatoes. Cover the pan and let it simmer for 20 minutes on medium heat.

Spaghetti squash
2 spaghetti squash

There are 3 ways to cook the spaghetti squash. Bake it, boil it or nuke it. Micro waving goes really fast and this is how you are going to do it.

Cut the spaghetti squash in half, clean out the seeds and place both sides upside down on a microwave plate. Nuke it on high for 14 minutes and test for tenderness with a fork. Or bake it on 350 degrees for 45 minutes. If it is not done yet, add additional 2 minutes to it.

Then take the squash and a fork and start lengthwise scraping the squash out. The typical pasta-like form will emerge. Place it in a bowl.

Lastly, poor the tomato sauce over the spaghetti squash and voila, ready to serve.

This is so far the only way that I really, really enjoyed spaghetti squash.

And if it worked for me, I am confident it will work for you.

Also, spaghetti squash has only 37 calories in a 4-ounce serving.

Stefan Aschan is a leading expert on lifestyle, health and fitness who has helped more than 30,000 people get fit through advice on nutrition, fitness and lifestyle changes. For your free "How to live 100 years in perfect health" report and the must read "updates and solution" newsletter on how to have 10 times more success, stay on top of your goals, and accomplish the change of body and appearance, go here.

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Comments

[RMankovitz]

I am surprised that "a leading expert on lifestyle, health and fitness" would recommend using a microwave oven to cook food.

A Switzerland study found microwave heating damaged the nutritional quality of food and caused pathological changes in the blood of volunteers who ate the food. Soviet Union studies uncovered serious health problems associated with the consumption of microwaved food and led them to ban microwave ovens in 1976.They found that microwaving meats, dairy, grains, fruits, and vegetables all formed known cancer-causing chemicals.

Other studies have found that the nutritional quality of microwaved food decreased by 60 to 90%, including decreased bioavailability of minerals, B vitamins, and vitamins C and E. Hormonal abnormalities were also observed, especially in the production and balancing of male and female hormones. Continual eating of microwaved food appeared to have caused permanent brain damage resulting in memory loss, inability to concentrate, emotional upsets, and a decrease in intelligence.

Of course, all of this can be dismissed as just a bunch of anecdotal studies. On the other hand, why take a risk when, other than time convenience, it is a trivial matter to cook food in glass containers in a conventional oven.

For a general overview, see the following:

http://www.vsan.org/rok-az/misc/HazardsOfMicrowaveCooking.pdf

Want more? Ask your librarian for a copy of my book" "The Wellness Project."

Roy Mankovitz, Director
http://www.MontecitoWellness.com

[Stefan Aschan - Huffpost Blogger]

Hi Roy,

Thank you for your post. I am glad you did write.

This blog entry is giving you an idea what to do with spaghetti squash and how to do prepare it. Three options where given for preparation options. The choice is yours.

Yes, I agree, and I am aware of the studies. Thank you for elaborating and sharing it with the Huffington Post readers. There is a lot to cover regarding nutrition, exercise and lifestyle choices and you took the time to educate readers further.

Thank you.

Stefan