Easy-Peasy-Cheesy Spaghetti Squash

I found an addiction that I never hope to kick - spaghetti squash. This amazing vegetable, when paired with the right ingredients tastes just like spaghetti. I have been experimenting with recipes lately because squash is in season, and had to share this one because it tastes so delicious! 

Enjoy!

Ingredients:

• 1 onion finely chopped

• 1 lb of lean ground chicken

• 1 teaspoon of garlic powder

• 1 tbsp of dried parsley

• 1 large spaghetti squash (enough to get 6 cups of cooked squash)

• 24 ounces of non-fat cottage cheese

• 1 - 16 ounce jar of organic/natural spaghetti sauce  (low on salt, no added sugar)

• 1/3 cup low fat mozzarella cheese

• 1/4 cup grated parmesan

• Optional: salt and pepper to taste

• Optional: red pepper to give it a little kick

Directions:

• Preheat Oven to 350 degrees

• Cut the spaghetti squash in half and put both halves face down on a baking sheet. Bake for 45 minutes or until you can easily slice a knife through the skin of the squash. 

• While the squash is baking - combine onion, ground chicken, garlic powder, and dried parsley in a skillet and cook chicken until it is no longer pink. 

• Once the squash is fully cooked use fork to scoop out all the seeds and toss those. The squash will be very hot, so use an oven mitt.  

• Using a fork carve out all the squash and throw away the skin. The squash will come out in strands like spaghetti!

• Layer 1/3 of the spaghetti squash (2 cups) in the bottom of a 9x13 pan. Then spread a layer of 8 ounces of cottage cheese, follow that with a layer of 1/3 of the ground chicken mixture, spread a layer of sauce on top.

• Repeat this over again so there are three layers.  Then top the entire thing with the cheese and grated parmesan.

• Cover with foil and bake in the oven for approximately 45 minutes.

• Remove the foil and continue to bake for 10 more minutes.

It may be a little bit runny, so use a slotted spoon when serving. 
I hope you all enjoy this as much I did! So delicious - this will definitely be a repeat recipe in my house. I cannot get enough of my spaghetti squash!

Makes 6 servings - approximate nutrients per serving: Calories: 277, Total Fat: 5 g, Carbs: 22 g, Fiber: 1.5 g, Sugars: 13 g, Protein: 14 g, Sodium: 330 g