Spinach Artichoke Spaghetti Squash Bake

As I mentioned in my last post, I've decided to get back to my "mostly clean" eating regimen that I followed strictly over the summer now that I have a break between the two major holidays in which I consume ten times the normal amount of daily calories. I lost about 16 pounds over the summer by following a very strict "clean" diet, but it's hard to be 100% clean when I really don't always have time to do the meal preps. I also hate meal preps because I love to cook as often as I can. But by doing meal preps on Sundays, I'm unable to cook as frequently as I'd like to do so, and it's a major way for me to relieve some stress. I need to cook!

One of my absolute favorite foods to cook with when following a clean diet is spaghetti squash. I know what you're thinking...

 "Ew, squash!"

Let me tell you, I have never been vegetables' #1 fan. When I was a kid, it was strictly chicken fingers with a side of mac and cheese, please. And that was about it, unless it was Friday Night Pizza Night in the Brascho household. But as I got older and started cooking more, I came to find that I liked vegetables when they were cooked certain ways, especially if I was the one to do the cooking. Part of becoming a less-picky eater came about when I was actually able to cook things myself to see that there weren't completely disgusting things being done in the cooking process to things I had never tried because they "looked gross".

I love spaghetti squash because it is so versatile. No, it does not taste like spaghetti pasta, so don't get any false hopes going into this if you've never had it before. It's simply a healthy alternative for when you want to enjoy the sauces and recipes that typically call for carb-and-starch-heavy pastas.

You have some options for preparing your spaghetti squash. I always cut mine in half before cooking it so I can scrape out the seeds and "guts" in the middle, kind of like a pumpkin. It's pretty hard to cut it in half, so I usually have to get Daddy or Chad to do it for me. I managed to get this one cut in half by myself, though, because I was at home alone and hungry... but I had to use two butcher knives. It was terrifying. I don't recommend doing that.

Once you've removed the middle stuffs, you have a couple of options for how you want to cook the squash.
1. Microwave: In a glass or other microwave-safe baking dish, put about 1 inch of water into the bottom. Put the spaghetti squash into the pan so that the cut side is facing down. Cover with plastic wrap and microwave 10-15 minutes. The time depends on the size of the squash. I typically start with 12 minutes, check it, and then add more time if necessary. The outer skin should be pretty soft.
2. Oven: Place the squash on a baking pan or sheet with the cut side facing up. Bake at 400 degrees for about 25-30 minutes. When you cook it this way, the squash will be firmer than when cooking it in the microwave, so it might not look like it's ready to scrape, but it will be. The added moisture in the microwave changes the texture of the squash, making it a little more tender.


This time, I baked the squash in the oven because I wanted it to be a bit firmer.

 

Then, use a fork to scrape out the rest of the inside walls of the squash. It will come out in fine strands.

Keep the outer shells! You will need them to refill with the squash and sauce mixture for baking later! This isn't necessary, but I like the presentation of it as opposed to just a baking dish.

Spinach Artichoke Spaghetti Squash Bake
Ingredients:

• 1 spaghetti squash, cut into halves, cooked, and scraped clean
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 2 tsp minced, dried onion
• 1 (15 oz.) can of quartered artichoke hearts, drained
• about 8 cups of fresh spinach
• 3/4 cups Greek yogurt
• 3/4 cups Parmesan cheese, plus some for sprinkling
• 3/4 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, plus some for sprinkling
• 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes

Spray a large saute pan with olive oil spray. Set to medium heat, and add the garlic. Saute for about 2 minutes, then add the artichokes, minced onion, and red pepper flakes. Cook for an additional 5 minutes, stirring frequently.

Add the fresh spinach, and spritz with some additional olive oil spray. Cover the pan, and let the spinach cook down for a few minutes.

Once the spinach has cooked down, remove the pan from heat and add the Greek yogurt, Parmesan, and mozzarella cheeses. Stir these ingredients in completely.

 Now, add your prepared spaghetti squash "noodles" to the mix, and stir until it is all incorporated. Once this is done, scoop the mixture into the shells you saved from the spaghetti squash earlier. If you don't want to do this, you can spray a baking dish with olive oil spray and bake it the same way. Sprinkle the tops of each half with additional Parmesan and mozzarella. Place the squash into your 400 degree oven and bake for about 20 minutes, then bump the oven up to broil for about 2 or 3 minutes, or until the tops are golden and crisp.

This recipe makes 5-6 servings (or at least it did with the size of the squash I used), and it is very filling. My favorite thing about this recipe is that it is healthy, but you feel like you are indulging a little bit because of the spinach and artichoke dip flavor that you get from the sauce, as well.

Happy (healthy) baking!

Andrea