SPAGHETTI SQUASH BOATS WITH SPICY SAUSAGE

SPAGHETTI SQUASH BOATS WITH SPICY SAUSAGE

I love spaghetti as much as the next person, but ohh do I hate those carbs. The first time I ever tried spaghetti squash I was sooo skeptical (and I tend to be super picky) – I mean how in the world would squash taste as good as pasta?? Well clearly vegetables have been surprising me lately and YES, this is another winner folks. Creating the “noodles” from this squash is so incredibly easy. Seriously – if you can boil water, you can make spaghetti squash. Plain. and. simple. All you have to do is cut the squash in half, scoop out the seeds, bake them {cut side down} for about 45 minutes in the oven then start scraping with a fork!

Boom spaghetti.

I seriously can’t believe it’s now officially Fall, I feel like summer flew by just like that! Trust me I’m not complaining, I’m all about the pumpkin spiced lattes, cozy sweaters, boots with leggings and admiring all the pretty foliage, but when I left work yesterday it was over 80 degrees! Mother nature what the heck is up?? All my scarves are out and ready to be worn, but this weather has me like ready to lay back out by the pool.

Well even though the heat is still pretty high for mid-September, I’m still excited about sharing Fall recipes! Let me know what recipes YOU would like to see this season and I’d be happy to share!

INGREDIENTS

• 2 ripe spaghetti squash
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 yellow onion, diced
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 lb. ground hot turkey sausage (I used Jennie-O)
• 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 (10 oz) can Rotel tomatoes
• ¼ cup half and half

Pinch red pepper flakes

• ½ tsp. salt
• ½ tsp. pepper
• ½ cup part skim Mozzarella cheese, shredded and divided
• 2 Tbsp basil, thinly sliced

INSTRUCTIONS

1. To make the spaghetti squash, preheat oven to 350 degrees F and cut squash right down the middle. Scoop out all the seeds and place cut side down on a baking sheet lightly sprayed with oil. DO NOT PIERCE WITH A FORK!! Many recipes say to do this, but we are using these cuts of squash later as bowls so you want them to remain intact.
2. Bake squash in the oven for 45 minutes until tender.
3. Meanwhile, drizzle oil into a large skillet and saute onion and garlic until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add turkey sausage and cook until crumbled and lightly brown, draining if necessary, then add chicken broth, tomatoes, half and half, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper. Bring everything to a boil then cover and allow flavors to simmer on low to medium heat until spaghetti squash is ready.
4. Remove squash from the oven and scrape out all the strands of spaghetti using a fork. Add all the spaghetti squash to your skillet along with a ¼ cup of cheese. Toss well until cheese is melted and squash is fully coated with sauce.
5. Transfer squash mixture into your now scraped out squash bowls and top with the rest of your cheese. Place them back in the oven for about 3 to 4 minutes until cheese is melted and squash is heated through.
6. Top with basil, serve and enjoy!

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION

Serving Size: 1 squash boat • Calories: 278 • Fat: 13.5 g • Saturated Fat: 1.9 g • Carbs: 16.8 g • Fiber: 2.4 g • Protein: 21.9 g • Sugars: 8.9 g • WW Points+: 7 • Smart Points: 8

Recipe Source:eatyourselfskinny.com