“Spaghetti” with Portobello Ragu

I officially love mushrooms! I cannot believe I am saying these words as I wouldn’t come NEAR a mushroom my ENTIRE life! But they are such a delicate yet hearty addition to vegan and vegetarian meals – a great meat alternative! The “spaghetti” is spaghetti squash which adds even more vegetables to this wonderful meal – vegan, gluten free and 100% nutritious and delicious!

Ingredients – Serves 2-4

• 1 medium spaghetti squash, 2-3 pounds
• 2-3 portabella mushrooms
• 1 sweet yellow onion, chopped
• 1 green bell pepper, chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons EVOO
• 1 jar of Organic pasta sauce of your choice, or your favorite pasta sauce recipe
• fresh chopped basil, 4 tablespoons
• salt and pepper

Directions

Prepare squash: there are a few ways you can do this. I prefer to always bake my squash but you must plan for at least an hour of cook time. If you don’t have that much time, you can cook in the microwave. Here are directions for microwave.

Squash directions:
Pre-heat oven to 350. Slice squash in half, scraping out the seeds. Place two halves, cut side down, into a large baking dish. Place in oven and bake for 45-55 minutes. They will be extremely hot once they are taken out of the oven so let cool for a good 15 minutes before handling. Once cool enough, take a fork and scrape the meat of the squash. It will shred easily making the perfect noodle!

Ragu directions:
Heat large skillet over medium heat. Add EVOO, onion, bell pepper, garlic and a pinch of salt. Once it has cooked for 5 minutes add mushroom. Let cook for another 5 minutes. Add sauce and basil. Season to your liking – I usually add Italian seasoning, salt and pepper depending on how the sauce tastes – Let simmer for 15 minutes, adding a dash of water if it becomes too thick.

Serve over top a pile of spaghetti squash. Garnish with fresh basil and serve with a lightly tossed spinach salad.