Low Carb, Gluten Free Pasta Bake

I've been asked for this recipe a number of times - here I am finally getting around to it!  I first saw it here and have made it dozens of times, sometimes with slight variations.  I never measure anything so it's a little bit different each time, but it's always very yummy! The beauty of cooking is freedom - if you like your pasta with more sauce, add more.  If you like more cheese, add more cheese.  If you need more flavour, add more Italian seasoning or garlic.  Don't be afraid to stray from the recipe to suit your own taste.

The vegetables being saute'd - this is an important step as it reduces the water and cooks the carrots.  It takes quite a while so give yourself at least an hour to get from turning the stove on until you are putting the casserole into the oven.  

Ingredients

1 whole spaghetti squash
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 red pepper, diced (I use at least two peppers, green and red)
1 zucchini, diced (I omitted this and it was just fine)
1 carrot, shredded (I just put a whole bag of shredded carrots in) 
2 cloves garlic, minced (I use jarred garlic)
1 tomato, diced (I skipped this because they aren't in season right now)
16 ounces tomato sauce (I use a whole jar)
4 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese (whatever, I put most of the bag in)
1/4 cup shredded Parmesan

I obviously saw this recipe as a skeleton and incomplete!

Directions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Poke spaghetti squash all over with a knife and place the poked squash on a baking pan and bake at 375 degrees for 45 to 60 minutes. While that's cooking, add the oil, garlic, pepper, zucchini, and carrots to a pan, cooking over medium heat.
• Cut the squash in half, scoop out the seeds, and with a fork, scrape the flesh from the peel. It should flake off easily in strings, resembling spaghetti. Place the spaghetti squash flesh in a casserole dish. Add the cooked veggies, diced tomato, sauce, and most of the cheese and mix well. Sprinkle leftover cheese on top and bake for 30 minutes or until the cheese is bubbly.
• Allow to cool for five minutes, serve, and enjoy!

The recipe says 30 minutes - but I like mine extra cheesy and extra crispy so I put it in for more like 50 minutes.  I would say it easily serves 10 as a side dish but I eat it on it's own with a little bit of extra cheese on it.  2 minutes in the microwave and I have a great lunch that wont tack itself directly to my hips or backside.


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