Searching for a one-dish meal with bold Southern flavor and low in carbs? Look no further

Cooktop Cove: Searching for a one-dish meal with bold Southern flavor and low in carbs? Look no further

By Robin Donovan

The popularity of low-carb, paleo and gluten-free eating plans has made spaghetti squash one of the vegetables du jour. Though the texture is different from pasta, the squash strands make a nice stand-in for it, creating a light, but satisfying one-dish meal. The recipe below combines the squash noodles -- squoodles? -- with spiced ground turkey studded with corn and peppers for a satisfying dish with Southern flavor.

The squash takes an hour to roast, but you can make this part a day or two ahead. If you do, you’ll be rewarded with a quick-fix, one-dish meal that's sure to satisfy. An extra sharp cheddar cheese is super tasty, but you can substitute any good melting cheese you like.

Ground Turkey Stuffed Spaghetti Squash

15 minutes, plus 30 minutes to cool squash

1 hour and 10 minutes

1 hour and 55 minutes

1 medium spaghetti squash

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

½ red onion, diced

2 garlic cloves, minced

½ pound ground turkey

1 jalapeno pepper, minced

1 red bell pepper, diced

1 ½ teaspoons ground cumin

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 tablespoon chili powder

½ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 cup frozen corn, thawed

½ cup chopped cilantro, plus additional for garnish

Juice of 1 lime

1 cup grated cheddar cheese

Preheat the oven to 375 F.

Place the squash on a baking sheet and roast for 1 hour. Remove from the oven and let cool for 30 minutes. With a serrated knife, cut the squash in half through the stem end. Scoop out and discard the seeds. Using a fork, scrape the flesh of the squash into spaghetti.

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion, garlic, jalapeno and bell pepper, and cook, stirring, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the turkey and cook, stirring and breaking up the meat with a spatula, until browned, about 5 minutes. Add the cumin, oregano, chili powder, salt and pepper. Stir to combine and cook for 1 minute more. Stir in the corn, ½ cup of cilantro, and lime juice. Stir in the spaghetti squash strands and mix well. Spoon the mixture into the squash halves and place them back on the baking sheet. Top with the cheese.

Set the oven to broil and broil the stuffed squash halves until the cheese is melted, bubbling, and lightly browned, about 2 minutes.

Serve hot, garnished with cilantro.