From our skinny table to yours ...

Here's a total fake out meal! A recipe redo of the Italian classic baked ziti! But the big surprise, there's no pasta here :)

Tonight we're making Baked Spaghetti Squash! Besides isn't baked ziti all about the sauce & cheese anyway? First, we start with a delicious veggie packed homemade sauce. We sauté up carrots, celery, sweet potato, onions and garlic for added nutrients and added flavor. Blend that up with crushed tomatoes, oregano and a hint of Parmesan cheese and let it simmer away all day! By the time dinner rolls around, just layer up cooked spaghetti squash, your homemade yummy sauce, part skim ricotta cheese and top with a touch of part skim mozzarella and bake up until the cheese is brown & bubbly!

This meal is sure to please the whole family ... whether they are carb lovers or no carb/low carb eaters! Hope you enjoy :)

Ingredients
1 spaghetti squash
1 can of crushed tomatoes (28oz)
I can tomato sauce (8 oz)
1 carrot
1 celery stalk
1/2 sweet potato
1/4 white onion
2 garlic cloves
2 tbsp oregano
2 tbsp Parmesan cheese
1 cup part skim ricotta cheese
1/2 cup part skim mozzarella cheese
Extra Virgin olive oil

Let's get cooking!
1. Chop carrot, celery, sweet potato, onion & garlic and sauté with 1 tbsp olive oil.
2. Add crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, oregano & Parmesan cheese and bring to a simmer.
3. Using an immersion blender (or food processor!) blend until smooth. Cook for at least an hour. The longer it cooks the better it will taste!
4. Slice squash in half long ways. Place one half in a microwave safe bowl with one inch of water and microwave for 15 minutes. Repeat with second half.
5. Scrape strands from squash into 'spaghetti' noodles.
6. In a baking dish, layer sauce, squash and half the ricotta cheese. Top with another layer of sauce, squash and remaining ricotta cheese. Top with more sauce and mozzarella cheese.
7. Preheat oven to 400 and bake squash covered with foil for 20 minutes. Uncover and bake for an additional 10 minutes until cheese is brown & bubbly. Enjoy :)

Serves 4-6 healthy portions!