Spaghetti Squash Eggplant Lasagna

As I’m sure it is very evident in the last couple of posts, I am committed to the Akins way of life but I am also still a foodie at heart. That is why last Saturday when I was looking for a way to reward myself for losing over 29 pounds since the end of November I decided to create a dish that marries the flavors of my eggplant lasagna and add some spaghetti squash in for added veggie serving. I’m not 100% sure of the exact carb count but I know it is made with all Akins friendly things and definitely a low carb solution to the traditional lasagna.

I am very conscious of what I put in my body now so much that I can honestly say who I was a year ago is not the same person I am today and will be going forward. For me Atkins is a lifestyle, I have a lot of gluten sensitivities as well as sinus sensitivities which manifest themselves more pronouncedly when I eat high carbohydrates. This recipe is very time-consuming it takes about an hour and 15 minutes at least from start to finish but the prep is relatively easy and it’s so worth it when you take your first delicious bite.

So without further ado, I’ll get right to what you came here for, the recipe of course! Now my husband and I do not have kids but I’m going to say this is a fun way to get your kids to eat vegetables, spaghetti squash is very delicious and doesn’t really taste like anything so with the right amount of marinara sauce you can trick your kids into eating something that’s relatively healthy without them realizing it which is always a plus! Spaghetti squash is also very versatile and can be eaten hot or cold and in a wide variety of ways. Before you get started it’s important to understand that spaghetti squash is liable to get soggy if it’s overly drenched in sauce so a little bit definitely goes a long way!

Here’s what you’ll need:

• 1 spaghetti squash
• 1 small eggplant
• Marinara sauce (I used my Father in Law’s super secret recipe)
• 1 12 oz container of Ricotta cheese (I used Shop Rite Brand)
• Salt
• Olive Oil
• Pepper
• Onion Powder
• Garlic Powder
• Pre Shredded Mozzarella Cheese

Got it all? Great let’s get started!

1. Cut your spaghetti squash lengthwise in half. This can be a pain in the butt so I had Tom help me with that!
2. Scoop out the squash seeds and other unnecessary insides, you’re not going to need them.
3. Season your squash with garlic powder, onion powder and a pinch of salt and pepper.
4. Preheat your oven to 375, throw your squash (open halves facing down) on a non stick surface of a baking sheet and bake for 45 minutes.
5. While your squash is cooking, slice up one small eggplant crosswise (about 3/4 inch slices).
6. Sprinkle olive oil, salt and garlic powder on both sides of your eggplant slices and let sit till your squash is ready.
7. Once your squash is ready, take it out of the oven and let cool. Next, you are going focus your eggplant by placing it onto a nonstick baking sheet and cooking them for 10 minutes.
8. While your eggplant is cooking flip over the spaghetti squash halves and check to see if it is fork tender. Fork tender means that you are able to scrape the inside of it out and get a spaghetti type consistency of squash.
9. Scrape both halves of your spaghetti squash into a large bowl. You do not have to use all of it in your dish you can store whatever you would want to eat on another night in a separate container or if you wanted to make a large amount of the dish you can use it all, I opted to use both halves in my dish.
10. Once your eggplant is ready, now the fun part begins! Place a thin layer of marinara sauce, a thin layer of ricotta cheese, and sprinkle a generous helping of mozzarella cheese on the top of your eggplant and put back in the oven to bake for another 10 minutes or until cheese is melted.
11. Once your eggplant is ready you’re ready to start the lasagna part! In a casserole dish place a thin layer of marinara sauce followed by a helping of spaghetti squash, a thin layer of ricotta cheese, eggplant slices, and mozzarella cheese. Follow this pattern until you have used all of the squash and eggplant. Sauce, Squash, Ricotta, Eggplant, and cheese. Sprinkle what is left of your mozzarella cheese on top of the dish.
12. Cover your casserole dish and place in the oven to cook for 15 minutes.
13. Uncover and bake again for 10 more minutes.

Let your dish sit for 2 minutes to cool and before you know it you’ll be on your way to having a nice romantic dinner for two…or more! Pour yourself some champagne or wine, light some candles and enjoy your meal while watching Talladega Nights.

Would you be interested in trying this recipe? Do you have any recipes that you found online that you would like me to try? Drop me a line in the comments and let me know!

Love you. Mean it.

Brittany

Xoxo