Spaghetti Squash Casserole and Whole 30 program

April 1st I started a new program to hopefully help me lose some weight and feel better.  One of the doctors that I work with and she is also my personal doctor was telling us about this program that she started and how much better she feels and how most of her aches and pains are gone.  She is the same age as I am and I have lots of aches and pains.  This diet consists mainly of no grains, no dairy  no legumes and no sugar.    At first I wondered what I was going to eat, but decided to give it a try... It is only 30 days.

The program is called Whole 30 and you are eating real foods ~ meat, seafood, vegetables, eggs, some fruits and good fats.  My biggest question when I read this statement was real foods ~ meats?  I am not sure I would consider meat as real food, unless you are buying it from a local farmer, who then probably grain feeds their animals...  But then again I am not a big red meat eater anymore and I love fish.

As I was reading this program, I did have to chuckle over the statement they had "Unless you physically tripped and your face landed in a box of doughnuts, there is no “slip”."  They don't know me very well, and I could possible do a face plant in a box of doughnuts, well maybe it will be on purpose but I will have slipped .... But I am going to try my hardest and stick to this.  I will give you updates as I go along and bring you recipes that I make, hoping that they are ok with this program. 

Here is the first recipe that I made:

Spaghetti Squash Casserole

adapted from Taste of Home

1 lb ground chicken

2 cups spaghetti squash

1/2 cup minced onions

1 can Red Gold tomatoes (14.5 oz)

1 small can tomato sauce (8 oz)

1 garlic minced

1 tsp oregano

1 tbsp fresh parsley

1/2 cup diced peppers

1/3 cup diced mushrooms

1/3 cup diced celery
Daiya cheese - small amount or you could use regular cheese.

Preheat oven to 350

Cut spaghetti squash in half, place in dish upside down with about 1 inch of water in it and cook for approximately 20-30 minutes until soft.  Set aside for a few minutes to cool.  Using fork scoop out squash seperating strands.

While spaghetti squash is cooking, brown chicken, remove fat.  Add onions and garlic and continue to cook for a few minutes until they are tender.  Add tomatoes and tomato sauce oregano and fresh parsley.  Cook until liquid has diminished some.  Add spaghetti squash, peppers, mushrooms and celery.
Place all into casserole dish and bake for 30 minutes.  
I added a handful of Daiya cheese and placed back in oven for a few minutes until melted.  You could use regular cheese if you would like.  Enjoy!
** I like my spaghetti squash with a little crunch so I don't cook until completely soft.  I just cook until I can get a fork through the outside of the squash.
**you could use regular spaghetti instead of spaghetti squash
** to make vegetarian exclude meat.
** any ground meat would work in this recipe.

✻ღϠ₡ღ✻   Marlys

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Links:  Ugly Duckling Party