Spaghetti Squash Lasagna Bowls with Sweet Italian Sausage and Spinach

The first Monday after daylight savings time is rough, y'all. I don't remember it being so in years past, so maybe the pregnancy has something to do with it this year? On the upside, it's also spring break, so traffic is much lighter and I do very much enjoy that.

You know what else I enjoy? Spaghetti squash lasagna bowls. With sweet Italian sausage and spinach.

But c'mon now. How could you not??  They may take a teeny bit longer than the usually half hour meals I make, but it's totally worth it. Totally. 

I will never try to fool you and say that spaghetti squash is "just like pasta", because it's not true. The texture is different. It's a vegetable, not pasta. BUT, it is an amazing substitute for pasta. It's healthy, it tastes great, and you won't miss your pasta because you won't be comparing it to pasta. You'll just devour every bite and possibly go back for seconds! And if you do, you can do so guilt-free. 

What more could you ask for?? Oh, and the sweet Italian sausage?!?! This and the spinach make for a great variation to the first lasagna bowls I posted last year.  That's another great thing about spaghetti squash. And lasagna bowls. They're so versatile. The squash has a mild flavor so you have endless possibilities of what you can do with it!! 

If you are a spaghetti squash novice, I highly recommend you start with these lasagna bowls. They will change your life. Or at least your dinner!

Spaghetti Squash Lasagna Bowls with Sweet Italian Sausage and Spinach

Adapted from Tastes Lovely

Ingredients

• 2 small to mid-size spaghetti squash 
• Olive oil, for brushing onto squash
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 1 lb Italian sausages (4-5 links)
• 2 garlic cloves, minced or grated
• 3 cups marinara sauce
• 1 cup cottage cheese
• 1 cup fresh spinach, roughly chopped
• 1-2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F, line a baking sheet with foil and set aside. 
2. Brush the inner flesh of the spaghetti squash with oil, season with salt and pepper, and place on the prepared baking sheet, flesh-side down. Cook for about 30 minutes or until softened. 
3. While the squash is roasting, heat a large skillet over medium-high heat, remove the sausage from the casings (I just take a knife and gently slice from top to bottom and it peels right off) place in the skillet and cook, stirring and breaking it up until cooked through. 
4. Add the garlic, stir and cook about 1 minute more. 
5. Add the marinara sauce and cook a few more minutes, until heated through. 
6. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine the cottage cheese and spinach, and stir to mix well. 
7. Remove the spaghetti squash from the oven and use oven mitts or a spatula to help flip the squash over. Use a fork to scrape the strands loose into "noodles", but keep in the skin. 
8. Spoon about 1/4 of the sausage and sauce mixture into each spaghetti squash half, top with 1/4 of the cottage cheese/spinach mixture, and then 1/4-1/2 cup of shredded cheese.
9. Bake for about 10 minutes, or until cheese is melted and bubbly. 
10. Remove from oven, transfer to a plate and enjoy, right out of the "bowl"! Of course be careful when transferring to a plate as the squash skin will be hot. Or if you prefer and/or don't want to eat the entire amount of 1 bowl, you can scoop the contents out onto a plate or into a bowl.