Yeast Free Spaghetti Squash – Candida Diet Recipe

The picture to the left may look like spaghetti but it is not, it is spaghetti squash and it is a great choice for the candida diet.  I first discovered spaghetti squash back in 2006 when I was trying to navigate through what I could actually eat on the candida diet.  I decided to give up pasta during the early stages of the diet because I did not know about the non-glutinous pasta alternatives at the time. Giving up pasta was not a huge deal but I found that I missed the taste of marinara sauce a lot more than I actually missed pasta.  I knew that I could make a yeast free marinara sauce, but what would I eat it with?  My main yeast free reference at the time was Overcoming Candida: The Ultimate Cookery Guide by Xandria Williams.  I have since misplaced this book but this is where I believe I first heard about spaghetti squash.  I did not even know what a spaghetti squash looked like so I Googled it to find a picture and then headed to the farmer’s market to find one.  My first experience with spaghetti squash was a positive but I stopped eating it when I discovered the non-glutinous pasta alternatives. 

Cooked spaghetti squash really does look like spaghetti.  It does not however taste like spaghetti, as it has it own unique kind of sweet flavor.  I don’t want to mislead you, it is not pasta but it is a great pasta substitute for the candida diet.  Lately I feel like I have been relying too heavily on brown rice pasta and that is what compelled me to put spaghetti squash on the menu.  Spaghetti squash has significantly less carbohydrates than brown rice pasta with only 5 grams of carbohydrates per 1/2 cup compared to 86 grams of carbohydrates per 1/2 cup of brown rice pasta.  That is a huge difference and that is why I believe that spaghetti squash is a great choice for the candida diet.  I do not love spaghetti squash but I can eat it and enjoy it especially with a good sauce.  My 7 year old however does love spaghetti squash and has gone as far as requesting it for dinner.  You may be worried about the taste but just give a try you have nothing to loose except a ton of yeast feeding carbohydrates.   

Yeast Free Spaghetti Squash Ingredients
1 spaghetti squash
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion chopped
2 cloves garlic minced
1 1/2 cups chopped tomatoes (I use Pomi Chopped Tomatoes which are unsweetened and contain no citric acid or other preservatives)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil

Yeast Free Spaghetti Squash Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Lightly grease a baking sheet
Cut spaghetti squash in halve lengthwise
Spoon out just the center filing to remove all seeds and discard
Place spaghetti squash cut sides down on the prepared baking sheet
Bake approximately 30 minutes in preheated oven
Spaghetti squash is ready when you can insert a sharp knife with only a little resistance
Remove spaghetti squash from oven and set aside to cool until it can be comfortably handled
While spaghetti squash is cooling heat oil in a large skillet over low heat
Saute onion until tender
Add garlic and basil and saute for 2 – 3 minutes
Stir in the tomatoes and cook until tomatoes are warm
Use a large spoon to scoop the stringy pulp from the spaghetti squash
Place in medium bowl and use a fork to separate the stringy clumps
Add tomato mixture to the bowl and serve

Recipe adapted from Spaghetti Squash I Recipe by James on All Recipes