Lentil Spaghetti Sauce on Spaghetti Squash

I love spaghetti squash.   Its stringy like spaghetti with its own flavor.  It is a bit plain in flavor, however it is good on its own, so you can dress it up with any sauces you like.  Plus the calorie count in spaghetti squash is next to nothing!  So feel free to fill that plate full of  "spaghetti".

Spaghetti squash is simple to cook.  Cut the squash in half, scrap out the seeds and the guts.  Then lightly rub some olive oil over the insides and wrap in foil.  Place down on a cookie sheet and roast for about 45 minutes to an hour in the oven at 400 degrees.  You will know the squash is done when your knife slides all the way through with ease.  The little spaghetti like strings will also easily detach from the squash.

The sauce I made last night for dinner was amazing.  I don't know if I will ever eat regular spaghetti sauce again.   It was hearty and had a lot of flavor and healthy ingredients.  It taste amazing over spaghetti squash, rice or even just by itself.  

Lentil Spaghetti Sauce

Ingredients:

• 1 large yellow onion, diced
• 1 large green pepper, diced*
• 2 generous tablespoons of olive oil
• 2-3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 1/2 cups lentils, rinsed
• 4 cups vegetable broth
• 1/2 teaspoon cracked pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 2 teaspoons dried basil (I used fresh mmm)
• 2 teaspoons dried oregano
• a pinch of sea salt
• 1 (28 ounce can) crushed tomatoes
• 1 (28 ounce can) whole or diced tomatoes, undrained
• 1 (6 ounce can) tomato paste
• 1 teaspoon vinegar
• 1/4 cup fresh minced parsley (optional)

*feel free to add whatever other diced vegetables you like in your pasta sauce: mushrooms, zucchini, etc. I used 2 small zucchinis and a green pepper.  Feel free to add as much or as little vegetables as you like, they do not effect the flavor :)

Directions:

1. Heat the olive oil in a large stock pot. Add the diced onion, green pepper, any other vegetables and a pinch of salt. Saute until the onion becomes translucent, about 5 to 10 minutes. Add the garlic, basil, oregano, red pepper flakes and cracked pepper; stir for 1 minute. Add the lentils and the vegetable broth. Bring to a boil and simmer, covered, for about 20 minutes.
2. Add the tomato paste, crushed tomatoes and the can of whole tomatoes- breaking the whole tomatoes with your fingers into pieces. Bring to a boil and simmer, uncovered, for 45 to an hour (stirring every few minutes.)
3. Before serving, stir in the 1 teaspoon vinegar.  Add the optional fresh parsley and serve over your favorite pasta, pasta alternative, or rice.

Bry