Spaghetti Squash Lasagna

You know what I love about lasagna? Um, everything…Duh. Oh, except for the carb and fat overload. So I decided to take a comfort food and take the guilt out of the dish. This “lasagna” uses spaghetti squash, spinach, cottage cheese, tomato sauce and fresh mozzarella and will totally hit the spot. You get that baked Italian goodness for, get this, about 100 calories a serving!

The secret to lightening up this dish (besides swapping out pasta for squash) is to watch the cheese. So many times we make dishes just slapping on high fat ingredients without thought. In all actuality, half would probably do just as well. This dish totally proves a little can really go a long way!

Spaghetti Squash Lasagna

Ingredients

• 1 spaghetti squash
• 1 container of Cottage Cheese (i used dairy free)
• 1 jar of marinara with basil
• 10 oz of defrosted chopped spinach
• 1 ball of fresh mozzarella

Directions

• Cut spaghetti squash in half, scoop out seeds and roast in oven for 45 minutes at 450 degrees
• Scrape out the insides of the spaghetti squash into a bowl
• Take a 9×13 dish and spread a thin layer of marinara sauce on the bottom
• Layer with half of the spaghetti squash
• Add 1/2 of the spinach and 1/2 of the cottage cheese with more sauce on top

• Add remaining spaghetti squash and desired amount of sauce w/ slices of fresh mozz on top
• Bake at 350 for 30 minutes or until heated through

• Slice and serve hot

So, if you like spaghetti squash and are looking for new ways to eat it or are looking for a new dish to try – Make this. It will make you and your thighs happy. Note: You can also use ground turkey in this dish if desired 🙂

QUESTIONS: What’s your favorite Italian meal? I want to skinnify it!

Vegan Vegetable Mac & “Cheez” Casserole

Mac and Cheese is my number one comfort food. I was never into homemade mac & cheese until the teenage years but Kraft used to be my jam!

Now I’m an adult (kind of)…and I must eat real food. My real food must contain no dairy UNLESS i want a bellyache. I usually try to save the bellyaches for the fro-yo. Sometimes (all of the time) it’s worth the pain.

OK, where was I going with this? Right, Mac and Cheese – without the cheese – but a “cheesey” sauce – oh, and lots of veggies to trick your boyfriend into eating a full serving!

I took two recipes from here and here and combined them to make this version

Vegan Vegetable Mac & “Cheez” Casserole

Ingredients

Cheez Sauce from Oh she glows

• 1/2 butternut squash, peeled and chopped (yields: 3.5 cups raw)
• 3/4 cup raw cashews
• 1 cup non-dairy milk (I used unsweetened almond milk), or more to thin out
• 3 garlic cloves
• 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 2 tsp kosher salt, or to taste
• 7 tbsp Nutritional yeast (provides the cheesy consistency)
• 1/2 tsp dijon mustard
• 1/2 tsp or a bit more of dried Italian seasoning
• 1/4-1/2 tsp Tumeric powder, optional (gives the orangey colour)
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 1/4-1/2 tsp Paprika + more to season

Pasta

• 1 lb whole wheat pasta
• 1 lb zucchini cut in half moon shape
• 1/2 red pepper, sliced
• 1/2 onion, diced
• 1/2 cup frozen peas
• 1 tbsp evoo
• 1 tbsp garlic
• Whole wheat panko bread crumbs
• Soy Cheese to sprinkle on top

Directions

• Preheat oven to 400F and add butternut squash, 1 tbsp evoo, a little salt and pepper and roast for 30 minutes

• While squash is roasting boil your pasta in one pan and saute your zucchini, red pepper, onion, frozen peas with a tbsp of evoo.

• Drain pasta and let cool

• Start making your “cheez” – Add cashews to your food processor (or blender) and grind until flour like

• Add in roasted butternut squash and the rest of your ingredients for sauce and mix until all is combined

• Add veggies, pasta and desired amount of cheez sauce to a bowl and mix

• Spread in casserole dish

• Sprinkle panko bread crumbs on top

• Add desired amount of cheese on top of panko (I added soy cheese to my half and regular mexican cheese to Adam’s)

(If you are a REALLY nice girlfriend and your boyfriend loves meat you can add a piece of cooked and crumbled turkey bacon and 1/2 cup shredded chicken to his side)

• Bake at 350 for 15 minutes or until warmed throughout
• EAT

Who wouldn’t eat vegetables covered in creamy cheesy sauce?

No clogged arteries for us 🙂

QUESTIONS: What meal did you love as a child that you have now healthified?