Turkey Bolognese Stuffed Spaghetti Squash

This delicious and healthy “pasta” is a great dish to serve as the cooler weather starts to set in.

✿Spaghetti squash is a great low carbohydrate alternative to pasta and it contains a high amount of potassium, which helps regulate your heart beats and helps with muscle contractions. After cooking the squash and scraping a fork against the flesh, the squash produces spaghetti-like strands – that’s where the name comes from! The turkey bolognese turns this dish into total healthy comfort food.

Ingredients:

• 2 spaghetti squash
• 1 pound ground turkey
• 28 oz can of crushed tomatoes
• 1/2 large yellow onion
• 4 cloves of garlic
• Mozzarella cheese (I used whole mozzarella cheese, but you can also use shredded mozzarella)
• Olive Oil
• Fresh basil
• Rosemary (you can use fresh or dried), dried oregano, paprika, cayenne pepper, salt, and pepper to taste

Directions:

Pre-heat your oven to 375ºF. Cut the ends of the spaghetti squash off and cut the squash in half length wise. The rind of the squash is very thick so, use a sharp knife and be very careful! Once your squash are cut in half, use a spoon to scoop out the seeds. Rub the flesh of the squash (the part not covered in rind) with olive oil and a pinch of salt and pepper. Take a baking sheet and line it with foil for easy clean up. Lay the spaghetti squash flesh down on the baking sheet so that they are flat. Place in the oven for 30-45 minutes. When they are done, take them out of the oven and lay them on their rinds to cool.

While your squash is baking, dice the onion and chop the garlic. Place a dash of olive oil in a large skillet on medium heat. Add the onions and cook for about 5-8 minutes, until they are slightly translucent and are letting out a nice aroma. Add ground turkey, garlic, all of your herbs and seasonings (rosemary, dried oregano, paprika, cayenne pepper, salt, and pepper) and stir. Cook until turkey is lightly browned, but not cooked all the way through. Add the crushed tomatoes and bring to a slight boil, cover the pan, and bring the heat down to a simmer. Remove the lid after 10 minutes and allow the bolognese to continue to simmer for another 20 minutes.

While your bolognese is simmering, cut slices of mozzarella cheese and chop your basil. Set aside.

When the bolognese is finished, scoop hearty portions into the “bowls” of the squash. Sprinkle the basil on top of the sauce and lay slices of mozzarella on the very top.

If you have a broiler, turn your oven to broil and place the squash back in the oven to brown the cheese. If you do not have a broiler setting, up the heat on your oven to 475ºF and leave the squash in for 5-10 minutes, or until the cheese is nice and gooey.

When the squash is ready, serve whole with a fork. As you dig into the squash you’ll see that the inside starts to break apart like spaghetti. Enjoy!

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