True Foods: Spaghetti Squash Casserole

One of my favorite restaurants ever is ‘True Food Kitchen,’ located in Santa Monica, CA, as well as  Phoenix, and Scottsdale, AZ. They are THE best at making healthy food approachable and delicious. They offer green juices, a different ‘tonic’ every season, the best edamame dumplings you will ever try, and gluten free, dairy free, vegan, and vegetarian options. It’s kind of like the healthy version of Cheesecake Factory since there really is something for everyone.

One of my favorite things to order is their Spaghetti Squash Casserole. If you’ve never tried Spaghetti Squash it’s an amazing large and yellow vegetable that, once cooked, can easily replace traditional spaghetti. It’s also perfect for those on the Paleo Diet– if you omit the cheese! It’s super high in antioxidants and has only 27 calories per serving compared to the 158 calories in pasta. In terms of carbs, spaghetti squash comes in at 7 grams; pasta has 31 grams.

True Foods Restaurant is based on the method by Dr. Weil M.D. He is also the author (along with Sam Fox and Michael Steiner), of the book,  True Food: Seasonal, Sustainable, Simple, and Pure, (that I love) which you can buy here. This recipe isn’t in the True Food Cookbook but I am so grateful that Dr. Weil was kind enough to post it his website for everyone to enjoy. 

Enjoy,

xx

True Foods: Spaghetti Squash Casserole

dinner, healthy, lunch, travel

True Foods: Spaghetti Squash Casserole

Ingredients

  • 1 spaghetti squash
  • 2 large carrots, diced
  • 2 stalks celery, diced
  • 1 large yellow onion, diced
  • 1 red bell pepper, diced
  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 large can (28 ounces) crushed tomatoes
  • Red pepper flakes
  • 1 teaspoon dried basil
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
  • Pinch of ground allspice
  • 3 cloves garlic, chopped
  • 3/4 pound part-skim mozzarella
  • 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions

  1. Bake the squash. Cut it lengthwise and place the halves skin-side down in a baking dish with an inch of water. Cover the dish with foil and bake at 350º F for about 45 minutes, or until meat is tender.
  2. While squash is cooking, peel and slice the carrots, celery, onion and bell pepper.
  3. Heat olive oil in a skillet and add the onion and carrot, with some water to prevent sticking. Sauté over medium heat for 5 minutes. Add remaining vegetables with some red pepper flakes and a dash of salt, if desired. Sauté, stirring frequently, until vegetables are barely tender, about 10 minutes.
  4. Add crushed tomatoes, basil and oregano to taste, and a sprinkle of ground allspice. Squeeze in 2-5 cloves of garlic. Simmer uncovered for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, grate the mozzarella and Parmesan.
  5. Remove squash from pot or oven and allow to cool until you can handle it. If it is whole, cut it in half lengthwise, then remove seeds with a spoon and squeeze any excess water out of meat.
  6. Remove meat and break it up into strands with a fork or potato masher. Mix squash well with vegetables and put half in the bottom of a large baking dish. Top with half the cheeses, the rest of the squash, and then the rest of the cheeses.
  7. Bake for 30 minutes or until cheese is bubbly and slightly browned. Let cool 15-20 minutes before serving.

 

 

 

2 thoughts on “True Foods: Spaghetti Squash Casserole

  1. Hi Larissa,

    First, congrats on the baby (30 hours, Oy Vey!). Second, I came across your blog a number of months ago and read your recommendation of True Food Kitchen in Santa Monica. My base is in Milwaukee but I am mostly in LA for work. Today, I finally went to True Food Kitchen and it was SO, SO GOOD! It inspired me to add quinoa to a simple greek salad and keep trying new foods! Thank you! Next I’m going to scout out the pressed juice truck you recommended…Have a great day and hope you get some sleep!

  2. Hi Larissa,

    First, congrats on the baby (30 hours, Oy Vey!). Second, I came across your blog a number of months ago and read your recommendation of True Food Kitchen in Santa Monica. My base is in Milwaukee but I am mostly in LA for work. Today, I finally went to True Food Kitchen and it was SO, SO GOOD! It inspired me to add quinoa to a simple greek salad and keep trying new foods! Thank you! Next I’m going to scout out the pressed juice truck you recommended…Have a great day and hope you get some sleep!

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