Cravings and Spaghetti Squash

     Tomorrow it will be one week since we've started eating healthy. Let me just say, my body is craving sugar right now! Like, I'm sitting on the couch watching tv, trying to distract myself, and all I keep thinking about is chocolate ice cream, and doughnuts, and well, anything sweet. I've had to talk myself out of a major cheat a couple of times now. I know once it gets out of my system, that my body won't crave it anymore, but man, these cravings are rough. And I'm really proud of Cory. He was with his friend today, and they stopped at Dunkin' Doughnuts, and he got a black coffee, no doughnut. Although, he was kind of scowling at me when he told me that story.

    We went to the farmer's market today, and a got us spaghetti squash for dinner. It was amazing! I just cooked my normal sauce, and used the squash as noodles. If you can use fresh herbs, it makes such a huge difference in cooking! I have successfully kept an herb garden for about 3 years now. It's so easy, I just planted them, and pick some leaves when I need them. The basil I've had to replace every year, and this is my first year with oregano, but everything else has come back and grown into huge plants! Here's my best attempt at sharing my recipe, because I don't measure. 

Spaghetti Squash Spaghetti

1 large spaghetti squash

1 lb grass-fed ground beef

1/2 yellow onion, diced

2 large garlic cloves, chopped

3 cans organic tomato sauce

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp sea salt

a handful fresh chopped herbs (basil, oregano, rosemary, sage) or about 1 tsp dried each

Turn oven on 375 degrees, and pierce squash all over. Cover a pan with foil, put the squash on the pan and bake for about 1-1.5 hours. When it's done, cut it in half, scoop out the seeds and slimy stringy part. Then take a fork and shred the meat off, so that it resembles spaghetti. scrap all the way down to the peeling.

For the sauce, brown the meat, and add onions and garlic. Add the tomato sauce, herbs and spices, and simmer on med-low for an hour or so while the squash cooks. I always do a taste test and adjust the seasonings to our tastes.

Other than the slight "crunch" of the vegetable, I can't tell the difference once it's smothered in sauce. Cory says he can, but his taste buds are super sensitive. But he still likes it! We had a medium sized squash, and it was really just enough for our family of four, so if you're feeding a larger crowd, take that into account.