Chris has been out of work for a little while due to back troubles, but while he's been home he's really been cooking up a storm in the kitchen, I love it! We are trying to eat better and part of that is eliminating carbs after lunchtime. This recipe he made last night was delicious AND lower in carbs than a normal lasagna. Neither one of us has ever cooked with spaghetti squash before, but I can assure you, we are now big fans. This recipe is a bit time consuming but a big hit!
Ingredients
- 2-3 small to medium spaghetti squash
- salt and fresh pepper, to taste
- 2/3 c. part skim ricotta cheese
- 4 Tbsp. grated parmesan cheese
- 2 Tbsp. chopped parsley (or basil)(we can use dried basil which we have)
- 3/4 c. mozzarella cheese, shredded
- 1 tsp olive oil
- 1/2 onion, finely chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- Ground Turkey or Beef
- 14 oz (1/2 can) crushed tomatoes
- salt and fresh pepper, to taste
- A few dashes of italian seasoning
For the sauce:
- Preheat oven to 400º. Cut spaghetti squash in half lengthwise and scoop out seeds and membrane. Season lightly with salt and black pepper; bake about 1 hour, or longer if needed on a baking sheet, cut side down.
- If you prefer the microwave, cut squash in half lengthwise, scoop out seeds and fibers and place on a microwave safe dish and cover. Microwave 8-9 minutes or until soft.
- In a small bowl combine the ricotta cheese, parmesan cheese and parsley.
- In a large deep sauté pan, heat oil and add onions and garlic; sauté on medium-low for about 3 to 4 minutes, until soft. Add the meat and cook until browned. Once cooked, add the crushed tomatoes and add salt and pepper to taste. Reduce heat to low and simmer 20 to 30 minutes, adding fresh basil at the very end.
- When spaghetti squash is cooked, let it cool for about 10 minutes keeping the oven on. If you microwaved this, preheat the oven to 400°.
- When the spaghetti squash is cool enough to handle, use a fork to remove flesh, which will come out in spaghetti looking strands reserving the shells. Drain the squash on a paper towel to soak up any excess liquid, then toss with half of the sauce. Place the spaghetti squash back into the 6 shells and place on a baking sheet.
- Top each with remaining sauce, 1 scoop ricotta cheese mixture, and a little mozzarella cheese.
- Bake in the oven for 20 - 30 minutes or until everything is hot and the cheese is melted.
This recipe serves 4 or 8 if you halve the squash once complete.
The squash shells serve as a perfect individual serving dish. This is definitely a meal that not only tastes great (without the guilt), but also pretty enough to serve company!
(Original recipe found here)
