I don’t know why it took me so long to try spaghetti squash, but now that I have…I’m hooked!!

I won’t lie and tell you that it tastes like pasta, or that you will never crave pasta again, but…it’s a great healthy alternative, and a great way to get your kiddos to eat veggies!

I’m pretty lucky that Maya will eat just about everything.  She will even sit down with a bowl of raw veggies as a snack!  The teenage boys are another matter.  I have to figure out ways to hide veggies in things.  The first few times I made this, I added about half a box of veggie pasta, and they devoured it!!  I made this version when it was just me and Maya.  She devoured it, and I think I might actually try it out on the boys!   Or…add some quinoa?  Really, you can add whatever you want or eat as is!

The avocado adds a creamy healthy fat.  I mean…what isn’t better with avocado on top??! What you need…

• 1 spaghetti squash
• 4-5 Pre-cooked Chicken Sausages (I used True Story Organic Italian Chicken Sausages)
• 1/2 a large yellow onion (or one small) diced
• 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
• 1/4 Teaspoon crushed garlic (not necessary)
• Large Handful of baby carrots sliced 4 ways lengthwise (use pre-shredded to save time!)
• 1 Jar of your favorite Pasta Sauce (check labels if you are strict on paleo or whole 30)
• 1 Large Avocado

What you do…

• Preheat your oven to 450 degrees.
• Cut the ends off your spaghetti squash, cut lengthwise, and scoop out the seeds.
• Place it flesh side down in a pan that has about 1/4 of water.  I like to sprinkle sea salt and thyme in the water, because I swear the squash absorbs some of it!  You could use any kind of herb!  Cover with tin foil and bake for 35-40 minutes or until flesh is soft.
• While the spaghetti squash is cooking, dice up your onions, and add it to a large pan with a little bit of olive oil and crushed garlic.
• While the onions are cooking cut up your baby carrots, or add the shredded carrots in after the onions have been cooking for about 5 minutes.
• While the onions and carrots are cooking, dice up your chicken sausage.
• Add the chicken sausage into the mix and stir until hot.
• Add the jar of pasta sauce and let it simmer until the spaghetti squash is done.
• Once spaghetti squash is done, take it out and let it cool for about 5 minutes.  I usually am too impatient and just hold it with an oven mitt haha 🙂
• Scrape the insides of the squash out into your pan.  You can get almost ALL the flesh out, leaving only a thin skin.
• Toss it all together, and top with diced avocado!

It’s been so cold and blustery here in Seattle.  2 bowls of this, and a cozy blanket just sounded like heaven.  And..it was 🙂 Ps- Don’t be afraid to let your children help you.  Maya wanted to help me stir, and at first I thought about all the different ways she could make a mess-PASTA SAUCE!  Then…I put an apron on her and let her.  Her exact words.

“Oh BOY!  This is AWESOME!!!”

(taken with my phone)  And the hand behind her back??  LOVE!!!

Enjoy!