Lemon Garlic Spaghetti Squash Pasta

Squash...as pasta? I know, seems a little strange, but trust me that it is absolutely delicious! Spaghetti squash is the perfect alternative for pasta when aiming for something lighter, more veggie-packed and lower in carbs. Though I love pasta, it can leave me feeling a little groggy at times when I eat a large bowl of it. Not with this dish!

Instead of your typical marinara pasta I wanted to try creating something garlicy and lemony, which paired perfectly with the squash. This has got some of my favourite ingredients, including sun-dried tomatoes (I could eat them out of the jar!) and Field Roast vegan sausages. I only had the apple and sage sausages that do not necessarily pair with Italian flavours, so I would suggest finding their Italian vegan sausage or another brand. Vegan chicken pieces or ground meat could also pair greatly with this. You could also add in more vegetables like peppers or spinach, whatever your heart desires.

I will definitely be experimenting more with spaghetti squash in the future to see what great dishes I can make for the upcoming summer months. Enjoy!

Lemon Garlic Spaghetti Squash Pasta (makes 3-4 servings)

Ingredients:

-1 medium spaghetti squash

-1 tbsp olive oil

-4 cloves of garlic, minced

-1 and a 1/2 lemons, juiced

-1/3 cup sun-dried tomatoes, chopped

-2 vegan sausages, sliced (I used Field Roast Apple & Sage sausages)

-6-7 white button mushrooms, sliced

-1 tsp dried basil

-1 tsp dried oregano

-1 1/2 cups fresh cherry tomatoes, sliced in half

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425 F. Line a baking sheet with parchment or a silicone baking mat.

2. Using a large knife, cut the spaghetti squash in half. Remove and discard the seeds and flesh from the middle with a fork.

3. Place the spaghetti squash halves on the baking sheet. Drizzle each half with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.

4. Place the two halves face down on the sheet and place in the oven for 35-40 minutes. They should easily flake into strings with a fork.

5. While the squash is cooking, prepare all your other ingredients (slicing, chopping - specified in ingredients).

6. Around 10 minutes before the spaghetti squash is done cooking, heat a large pan on medium heat. Add 1 tbsp of olive oil.

7. Once heated, add the minced garlic and let them sauté for 2 minutes, do not let them burn! Add the sausages, sun-dried tomatoes, mushrooms, basil and oregano to the pan. Mix it together with a spatula, let them all cook for 2-3 minutes.

8. Add the lemon juice and cherry tomatoes to the pan, stir it gently in and let it cook down for 2-3 more minutes. The cherry tomatoes should just soften a bit.

9. Once the spaghetti squash is out of the oven, flake it with a fork and add the squash "spaghetti" noodles to the pan with the other ingredients. I used 3/4 of the spaghetti squash with a little leftover, but you can add all of it depending on how many servings you want.

10. Folding everything together with the squash noodles, being careful as they will easily break apart.

11. To serve, scoop it onto a plate and sprinkle with pepper, nutritional yeast or vegan parmesan....yum!