Starchy or fibrous carbohydrates are tough for many IBS folks to tolerate. But carbs are necessary for healthy hormone function, a strong biome, good energy and blood sugar stability.
Spaghetti squash is one of the healthiest and safest sources of carbs for sensitive tummies. It’s low FODMAP, low on starch and nutrient dense. It’s easy to digest and doesn’t contribute to bacterial, parasitic or fungal overgrowth.
A cup of spaghetti squash has only 10 grams of carbs and is full of b vitamins like pantothenic acid, B6 and niacin. It also provides vitamin C, manganese and vital minerals like potassium and magnesium. There’s even a little bit of protein.
The type of fiber in spaghetti squash does not easily ferment in the gut to spur bloating, gas or reflux. Along with pumpkin, it’s the safest squash, and one of the best veggies to an IBS diet.
And if you want more IBS safe carb dished and gut-friendly squash recipes I’ve got spaghetti squash breakfast porridge, butternut squash Mac n’ Cheese, squash blondies and squash fudge in my Treats That Heal cookbook.
Why I love spaghetti squash
Spaghetti squash is incredibly versatile it can be used as a pasta replacement and served sweet or savory.
The latest comfort food recipe on repeat at my house is pancake-shaped spaghetti squash fritters. I mix the squash with eggs and flour of choice to make a fritter that can be used as flatbread and topped with spreads, sandwich ingredients or eaten as is.
My amazing discovery while making this recipe is that the water you need to squeeze out of the baked squash pulp is slightly sweet, yummy and full of nutrition. It makes a great, bonus “vitamin water” that can be consumed hot or cold.
I add the naturally sweet squash water to my golden milk lattes to sweeten them. It can also be added to soups, stews, smoothies or recipes that call for liquid or water.
And there’s no extra steps to get this water, because you have to squeeze the water out of the pulp anyway. So why waste anything? Enjoy this sweet, nutritious water that tastes like fall in a cup.
Making the fritters is not hard. You bake the squash whole, scoop out the seeds, put the flesh in a clean kitchen towel or nut milk bag and squeeze the water out over a bowl.
The squash pulp is then mixed with eggs and flour of choice and either fried in a pan or baked. If you don’t eat eggs, you can substitute a flax egg (tablespoon of ground flax mixed with 2 tablespoons of water) and bake it.
When the cravings for carbs hit, you can enjoy spaghetti squash fritters with a side of spaghetti squash tea or “vitamin water.” Perfect for supplementing your daily carb needs so you can avoid temptation during the holiday season.
My dietary philosophy is to find fun substitutions for foods you restrict. It takes a bit of creativity, but your body gets what it wants and your mind is distracted. This is my secret for staying compliant on a restricted diet.
We are taught that we should have solid discipline, but discipline is like a muscle that can get fatigued. Substitution is a more sustainable strategy that takes less energy.
Cooking your own food is the best way to heal your gut, and can be fun and tasty. I wrote my cookbooks to inspire people people on gut-healing diet.
Hope you enjoy this recipe as much as I do.
Spaghetti squash fritters/pancakes
Ingredients
1 medium sized spaghetti squash
1-2 eggs (depending on how big the squash is) I usually use 2
Salt to taste
1/2 cup of flour of choice (you can use chickpea, almond or gluten free flour)
Oil of choice if you are frying them
How to
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees
Roast the spaghetti squash whole or cut it in half and scoop out the seeds
Roast it for 35 to 45 minutes depending on size of the squash. It’s done when you can easily pierce though it with a knife or fork.
Remove and let cool.
If you roasted it whole, cut in half and scoop out the seeds.
Transfer flesh to a nut milk bag or clean kitchen towel and squeeze the water out over a bowl. Store the water in the fridge for a few days.
You will be left with a compact spaghetti squash ball.
In a mixing bowl scramble the eggs and mix in half a cup of flour. Fold in the spaghetti squash pulp and mix well.
You should get a thick, sticky batter.
Put oil in a pan and heat on medium heat.
Add in a scoop of dough to the pan and flatten or spread out with the spatula Repeat with a few more fritters without overcrowding the pan.
Cover the pan for a minute or two and then after a few minutes flips the pancakes over and let cook for another 3 to 5 minutes on the other side.
Exact cooking time will depend on the thickness of the pancakes/flatbread.
You can also choose to bake it instead by spreading the batter out in a large brownie or cake pan. Cook at 350 for 25 to 30 minutes.
Transfer to plate and eat immediately with or without toppings. Or stuff with sandwich ingredients and fold over.
I hope you enjoy! And if you get as obsessed me, don’t worry, it’s a healthy addiction.
Angela Privin is proof that IBS is NOT an incurable disease, but a cry for help from a gut out of balance. When the body AND mind are complaining, it’s an opportunity to examine what’s not working and change it. After solving her own IBS mystery almost two decades ago, Angela became as a health coach to help others. Angela uses root cause medicine protocols personalized to the individual to solve each IBS mystery. Her tools are lab testing, dietary changes, supplementation, subconscious mind work and nervous system rebalancing . Learn more here.