This recipe has a special place in my heart.  I had been cooking healthy for about a year and just starting to make up my own recipes.  I entered this and one other into the Aetna Healthy Food Fight Competition not expecting much.  To my surprise both recipes were picked to compete.  I had to pick one, so the spaghetti squash lasagna was it.  Each of the 6 contestants had their own stage to prepare their dish in a 90 minute time frame.  It was exciting and fun.  Any nerves I had before hand were gone within minutes.  While preparing my dish the audience was able to come up and ask questions.  I had a great time answering them.  The host would come by every now and then with a question or comment.  In the end, I didn’t win.  Another dish had better nutritional qualities (the biggest point scoring aspect).

I was invited to go to the finals in L.A. where Bobby Flay was one of the judges.  Although I wish I could have competed there too, it was such a great experience.

I hope you enjoy my almost winning dish.  The judges sure did! (Or so I’ve been told).

1 large spaghetti squash

1lb turkey italian sausage

1/4 cup chopped fresh basil

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 large red bell pepper, diced

1 red onion, diced

2 carrots, peeled and diced

1 jar marinara sauce

1 small container reduced fat ricotta cheese

1 cup colby jack, shredded

3/4 cup parmesan cheese finely grated

salt and white pepper to taste

garlic powder

1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes (optional)

Cut the spaghetti squash in half lengthwise (not an easy task).  Scoop out the seeds and stringy flesh.  Place cut side down in a microwave safe dish in about 1/2 cup salted water.  Place plastic wrap tightly over the dish and microwave for 12 – 14 minutes.  Set aside to cool.

Saute the peppers, onion, and carrots in 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium high heat.  Cook till onions are translucent and peppers soften, carrots will still be firm.  Add salt and pepper, and red pepper flakes to your taste.  Stir well.  Add garlic and cook for one minute, stirring often, do not let garlic burn.  Take off heat.  Take a fork starting at one end of the spaghetti squash pull all of the stands out and add to the vegetable mixture in your saute pan, mix well.

In a medium size bowl combine ricotta, 1 tsp. salt, 1/2 tsp. white pepper, 1/2 tsp garlic powder, basil, 1/4 cup parmesan cheese and 1 cup marinara sauce.

Spray a baking dish ( I used I size smaller than 9X13 and have no idea what the dimensions are) with cooking spray and add a small amount of marinara to the bottom, spread evenly.  Cover the marinara with half of the spaghetti squash mixture, cover the spaghetti squash layer with half of the ricotta mixture.  Sprinkle the ricotta with 1/2 of the colby/jack cheese.  Repeat.  Once the last layer of cheese is sprinkled use the remaining 1/2 cup of parmesan and sprinkle on top.  Bake for 30 minutes.  Let sit about 10 minutes before you serve.  Enjoy!