Spaghetti Squash Lasagna

Sorry for the break in posts, but it’s hard to find time to write while taking care of a 7-month old baby boy – this post took me a week to write – yikes. My dad is starting to come over once a week to play with Jack so I hope to get posts out on a more regular basis.

When it comes to living a healthy lifestyle it’s all about finding healthy alternatives to your not-so-healthy favourites.

One of my all-time faves is lasagna, but traditional lasagna typically uses a lot of cheese, white pasta and beef. I stumbled across a great lasagna recipe the other day that uses spaghetti squash instead of white pasta. What an awesome healthy substitution: a vegetable instead of a white carb! This not only saves you calories, but squash is high in fibre and beta-carotene.

It took about an hour to make, but I made it in the afternoon, and than popped it in the oven that night when we were ready to eat. If it’s possible for you, cooking dinner in the afternoon is a good time-saving option; it’s a great feeling knowing you have dinner done by 4pm!

I adapted this recipe from The Kitchn, and the outcome was delicious – enjoy!

Spaghetti Squash Lasagna
Makes 8 servings

Ingredients

2 medium-sized spaghetti squash, roasted
1 tsp. grapeseed oil
1 yellow onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 pound ground chicken or turkey
1 tsp. Mrs. Dash
1 1/2 tsps. salt, divided
1 (15-ounce) can diced tomatoes
3/4-cup oven roasted or sundried tomatoes
3-5 cups baby spinach, chopped
1 container ricotta, whole or 2%
Zest of 1 lemon
1 tsp. chili flakes
1 cup shredded old, white cheddar cheese

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Cut the squashes in half and scoop out the seeds. Lay them cut-side down in a roasting pan or other baking dish, and add about an inch of water. Roast for 45 to 60 minutes, until soft when poked with a fork. Transfer to a cooling rack until cool enough to handle.

While the squash is roasting, warm the oil in a high-sided skillet or saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir in the onions and cook until translucent, 5 to 8 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook until fragrant, 30 seconds. Add the ground chicken, sprinkle with Mrs. Dash and 1 teaspoon of salt. Cook until well-browned, breaking up the chicken into small crumbles, 5 to 8 minutes. Stir in the diced tomatoes, oven-roasted tomatoes and bring to a simmer. Continue simmering the sauce until the squashes are ready, 5 to 20 minutes. Add the baby spinach, and stir until wilted.

In a small bowl combine ricotta, lemon zest & chili flakes, and set aside. Use a fork to shred the inside of the squash, and transfer to a large bowl.

Using a 9×13″ baking dish, start building your lasagna.

Layer 1/3 of the spaghetti squash, followed by 1/3 of the tomato sauce, and 1/3 of the ricotta mixture. Repeat two more times until all ingredients are in the pan.

→ At this point, the lasagna can be covered and refrigerated for up to 24 hours. 

When you’re ready to eat, bake at 400°F for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and top with  1 cup shredded cheddar cheese and bake for another 15 to 20 minutes or until bubbly. (For a more golden top, run the lasagna under the broiler for a minute or two.)

Leftovers can be frozen or will keep for 1 week in the fridge.