Sausage and Pepper Stuffed Spaghetti Squash

I've made several different types of stuffed spaghetti sauce since they came into season. This has been our favorite. I made this recipe vegan. I also reduced it to only feed 2 people. Use the marinara sauce from my previous post.

• 1 medium spaghetti squash, cut in half and seeded
• 1/4 cup water
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1/2 package Tofurky Italian Sausage, cut into half moons
• 1 onion, diced
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 cup Marinara Sauce (not pictured)
• 2/3 cup Daiya mozzarella shreds

Brush the insides of the squash with oil. Season with salt and pepper and roast skin side up on aluminum foil covered cookie sheet at 400F for about 30 minutes.

While the squash cooks brown the sausage half-moons in a non-stick skillet. Set aside. Using the same skillet add water to pan and steam the onion about 5-7 minutes.

Add the red pepper and cook another 2-3 minutes.

Toss in the garlic and cook about 1 minute.

Add the sausage and marinara sauce to the pan. Cook until heated through.

Once the squash are ready use a fork and fluff up the threads.

Top the squash with the sausage marinara sauce.

Sprinkle cheese over the sauce.

Bake 10-15 minutes until cheese is melted and sauce is very hot.  Or you can place under a broiler for 2-3  minutes until cheese has melted.

Serve at once with your favorite wine.

Enjoy!

Marinara Sauce

I love a good Marinara Sauce to use over pasta, in casseroles, mixed in with meatballs, etc. I got the idea for this sauce from a few different ones on the web. I usually keep a few jars of spaghetti or marinara sauce on hand so that when I need a quick meal I have a go too. However, I love it when I have the time to make a thick hearty sauce. This is it. I also love being able to control the amount of oil, sodium and sugar get from a sauce.

• 1 medium sweet onion, chopped
• 1 small red bell pepper, chopped
• 3 large mushrooms, chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 cans diced tomatoes
• 2 cans fire-roasted diced tomatoes
• 2 cans of tomato paste (6oz can)
• 1 cup red wine
• 2 teaspoons Organic Coconut Palm Sugar
• 3 tablespoons Italian Seasoning
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• Salt to taste

Dice vegetables into uniform sizes.

Saute the vegetables in 1/4 cup water until soft.

Add all of the tomatoes and tomato paste. Stir well. 

Add the wine and sugar, stir well.

You can blend with an immersion blender if it's too chunky for you. But I like it chunky.

Serve over spaghetti, add to noodles with other veggies and cheese to make a casserole or submerge some vegan meatballs in that amazing sauce!!

Green Chile Chicken Stew

Another green chile stew using the Hatch chiles I roasted earlier this year and froze. These babies are HOT. I used about 1/2 to 3/4 of one chile and man o' man this was spicy. Please use canned green chiles if you aren't into spicy food. Those are very mind and have a good flavor.

• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 sweet onion, chopped
• 1 package Gardein Teriyaki Chick'n Strips, save the sauce packet for later
• 3 cups no chicken broth
• 1/2 roasted Hatch green chile or a 4 ounce can of green chiles
• 2 carrots, thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup frozen whole kernel corn
• 2 medium Yukon gold potatoes, diced into small bite-sized cubes
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Heat soup pot over medium heat. Add 1/4 cup water and sweat the garlic and onion about 2-3 minutes.

While these sweat, cut the chick'n strips into bite sized pieces.

Add chick'n and stir well.

Add the chickenless broth and the remaining ingredients.

Simmer over medium heat until vegetables are tender, about 25 minutes. Serve hot!

Enjoy!