Thursdays. The hardest day of my week. Dinner has to be easy and has to be prepped in no time. Spaghetti squash is often on the menu on a day like this as the prep takes about 40 seconds and any can be served so many different ways. I have served this with bolognese, roasted vegetables with pesto( pesto can always be found in my freezer – made in advance, frozen in ice cube trays, and then stored), as well as over a bed of sauteed spinach topped with marinara. There are no rules and any which way you choose to serve it, it’s a winner.
Because I had spent the past Sunday prepping, I had cooked lentils, chopped carrots, celery, and onions already stored in the fridge. Whipping up this bolognese was a snap. Spaghetti squash is a healthy alternative to pasta and it is so affordable. I often pick up a couple of these at my weekly trip to the farmers market and save them for nights like these. If I do end up prepping them in the morning, I will scrape the meat away from the skin and store at room temperature. When it’s time to serve, I will saute the meat in a little brown butter and sage. Really – so good! Next time you are craving a bowl of pasta, make this instead. And be creative, again, there really are no rules.
Whole Roasted Spaghetti Squash
ingredients:
2 whole spaghetti squash
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Celtic sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 cups lentil bolognese
fresh, shaved Parmesan
fresh parsley, chopped
instructions:
• preheat the oven to 450*. line a rimmed sheet pan with foil. brush a bit of olive oil on the foil. set aside.
• split the squash in half and scrape out seeds. rub the squash with olive oil and sprinkle with salt, and pepper.
• place flesh side down and roast for about 40 minutes or until fully cooked.
• remove from the oven and let rest for a few minutes. when cool enough to handle, using a fork, remove “spaghetti” from the skin.
• serve over warmed lentil bolognese. sprinkle with fresh, shaved Parmesan and chopped parsley