I’m currently working on a project where I’m testing 10 to 12 recipes per day. So this means that most days require for me to eat two bites of a chocolate chip cookie, 1/2 of a Belgian waffle, four bites of pea pesto pasta, three spoonfuls of hot fudge with strawberry ice cream and many other taste tests of foods with high calorie counts. At the end of the day I’m tired and oddly hungry but I don’t want anything remotely heavy. I want light foods. And I want it to be easy, too.

I often times will throw a spaghetti squash in the oven and roast it while I take a shower and clean up. I put anything I have in the fridge on it. I’ll add lemon and parmesan and Italian parsley. Or I’ll mix together some ground turkey and spaghetti sauce.

My latest (what is pictured) is a Mexican-inspired version where I add black beans, spices, some cheese and pico de gallo. It comes together in less than an hour with minimal work (most of that time the squash just has to roast). It’s an incredibly flexible recipe.  And it always hits the spot. It skates the line of filling and satisfying yet light enough to eat as often as I like.

Roasted Spaghetti Squash Boats

This Mexican-inspired dish comes together in under an hour with black beans, spices, some cheese and pico de gallo. (Recipe Credit: Adrianna Adarme of Fresh Tastes)

Ingredients

• 1 spaghetti squash, halved
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1/4 teaspoon ground Ancho chile powder
• Juice from 1/2 lime, plus more for the topping
• 1 cup of black beans, warmed)
• 1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
• 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
• 1/4 cup pico de gallo

Directions

1. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment and place the spaghetti squash, face-side down. Roast for 30 to 35 minutes, until tender. Flip over and remove the seeds with a pair of tongs and discard.
2. Using the tongs, shred the spaghetti squash until it’s all fluffy and the strands are separated. Sprinkle both halves of spaghetti squash with the cumin, coriander, salt and lime juice. Give it a good toss. Divide the black beans amongst the halves of spaghetti squash and give it one last toss. Top with the cheese and return to the oven to bake until the cheese has melted, about 5 to 7 minutes. Top with cilantro and pico de gallo.

Yield: 2 servings

Adrianna Adarme is a food blogger and author living in Los Angeles, California. She writes the blog A Cozy Kitchen, where she shares comforting, everyday recipes from her kitchen. She recently authored her first cookbook, PANCAKES: 72 Sweet and Savory Recipes for the Perfect Stack. She’s a lover of breakfast, pie (and sometimes even pie for breakfast), corgis and cute things. You can find her on Twitter, Instagram, or Facebook.