I’m not a noodle hater by any means. You gotta put Sunday Sauce on something, right? And spaghetti is my favorite. Unfortunately, pasta isn’t exactly a conquering hero for the department of nutrition. But I fret not. Finally after all these years of twirling my fork full of empty carbs, I found a healthier substitute that meets my fancy. Not quite the same consistency as pasta but holding just as much water in a battle of culinary delight, the Spaghetti Squash has won a seat at my table and in the bellies of me and my loved one.

I adapted this recipe from one found on AllRecipes.com. When I first started dapling in the art of food, All Recipes was my go to guide for how-to’s in the kitchen.  I’ve since evolved, but they’ll always be a tried and true.

Spaghetti Squash with Goat Cheese and Tomatoes

Ingredients

• 1 spaghetti squash, cut in half lengthwise, seeds removed
• 4 roma tomatoes, chopped
• 1 onion, chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, sliced
• 4 tbsp goat cheese
• basil, fresh or dried
• 1/4 c. kalamata olives, halved
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• cooking spray

Directions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly coat a baking sheet with cooking spray.
• Place spaghetti squash cut sides down on the prepared baking sheet, and bake until a sharp knife can be inserted with only a little resistance (about 35 minutes). Remove from oven and set aside to cool enough to be easily handled.
• Heat oil over medium heat. Add garlic, onion and dried basil (if using),  and cook until tender. Stir in the tomatoes, and cook only until tomatoes are warm.
• Use a large spoon to scoop the stringy pulp from the squash into in a medium bowl. Mix in veggies, olives and fresh basil (if using, I didn’t have any ). Serve warm topped with goat cheese.

This dish was so good! I was really impressed. If you haven’t yet discovered the joys of cooking, I highly recommend it. I get so much satisfaction from sitting down to a healthy and delicious meal that I’ve made myself.

Happy Day-Light Savings!