It’s that time of year again when we all take inventory of the things in our lives that need a bit of tweaking, pursuing, and accomplishing.  For many of us weight loss has made the new year resolution list for too many years to count.  This year… You got this!

Abs are made in the kitchen, not the gym.  Pasta is usually a huge “no, no” for weight loss, but this recipe puts a new twist on an old favorite that adds flavor, nutrition, and most importantly, cuts carbs.  If you’re a big gardener and still have spaghetti squash from last fall, this is a great way to use it up while giving a boost to your new years weight loss goals.

Spaghetti Squash Spaghetti

Start the sauce first,

Sauce

• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 onion chopped
• 2 grated carrots
• 1 lb lean ground beef or turkey
• 2 or 3 cloves garlic minced
• 2 tsp beef bouillon (for vegetarian just leave this out)
• 3 lbs fresh tomatoes scalded, peeled, and roughly chopped
• 1 cup chopped fresh basil
• plenty of fresh Parmesan  cheese

Heat oil in a large  pot.  Saute onion, carrot, and meat if using until onion is translucent and meat is cooked through.  Add garlic and saute for about 2 minutes, until fragrant. Add bouillon and stir to combine. Add tomatoes, salt and pepper to taste.  Bring to a simmer and cook for about 2 hours, until thickened.

Prepare the Squash

About an hour before the sauce is done heat the oven to 350°.  Pierce the spaghetti squash (about 1-1 1⁄2 lbs) 3 or 4 times and bake it on a cookie sheet for about 45 min to 1 hour, until fairly soft when poked with a knife.

When the squash is done, cut it in half and scoop out the seeds.  Then scoop the meat/noodles into a ovenproof dish.  Stir in some sauce, the basil, and Parmesan cheese.  Put it back into the oven for another 15-20 min.  Baking it again helps the noodles absorb some of the sauce.  You can eat it like this, or cover it with a little bonus topping.

Bonus topping

Chop up any delicious veggies you have in your fridge.  For this one I used asparagus, mushrooms, and zucchini.  You could also use cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, egg plant, really… anything.  Saute them for about 3 or 4 minutes in some olive oil and a clove or two of minced garlic.

Give each plate a little bonus topping, some more fresh basil, and Parmesan cheese.  Enjoy!

p.s.
Try this bonus topping on all kinds of stuff.  It’s great on everything from eggs to meatloaf.

p.s.s  Don’t tell your kids you’re having squash for dinner.  Just add a little extra cheese to theirs.  They’ll never know the difference.