Spaghetti Squash Boats
INGREDIENTS
1 spaghetti squash, halved and seeds removed
Olive oil
Garlic powder
Onion powder
Sea salt
Pepper
1 small yellow onion, diced
2 cloves of garlic, minced
Red chili flakes
Handful of fresh basil, chopped
1 pound ground chicken/turkey/beef (or sub with crumbled tofu, cooked lentils, or cooked beans)
Marinara sauce*** (I like Rao’s)
1-2 handfuls of spinach or kale
Shredded mozzarella cheese (optional)
Grated parmesan cheese (optional)
METHOD
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Drizzle the inside of the spaghetti squash with olive oil and season with garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper. Use your hands to rub the oil and spices into the squash.
Turn the squash halves over so they are cut side down and roast in the oven for about 45 minutes or until the skin has softened and the flesh is tender (cook time also depends on strength of your oven and squash size).
While the squash bakes, prepare the bolognese. Heat up 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet. Add onion. Sauté until lightly golden. Then, add the garlic and chili flakes and season with salt and pepper. Add more oil if necessary. Sauté until onions are golden and tender.
Add half of chopped basil to the pan and sauté for a minute. Then, add ground meat. Season with salt and pepper. Use a wooden spatula to break the meat into small pieces.
Once meat is almost cooked through, add in the spinach and saute is almost wilted. If you would like some of the chicken without marinara, reserve as much as. you like in a bowl. Then, pour in as much marinara sauce as you like into the pan. Add in the rest of the basil and cook for another couple of minutes or until meat is fully cooked through. Taste and adjust.
Spoon bolognese into squash halves and top with mozzarella and parmesan.
Bake for 10-12 min or until cheese is melted and golden. Enjoy!
***After I cooked the meat with the onions and spinach, I reserved about half of the mixture into a bowl before adding the tomato sauce to the remaining meat so I could fill one spaghetti squash half with bolognese and the other with just the chicken, onion, and spinach mixture.
