Baked Spaghetti Squash Carbonara

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A much healthier twist on the ultra-rich pasta dish – this Baked Spaghetti Squash Carbonara  is full of veggies and tastes delicious any time of day.

Disclosure: I was asked to participate in the “#OrganicForAll” campaign as a member of the Healthy Aperture Blogger Network. I received free product for recipe testing and was compensated for my time, but as always, opinions are my own.

Is there a person in this world who doesn’t love pasta carbonara?  That luscious creamy, cheesy sauce that’s wrapped around pasta, eggs, and bacon.   It’s the ultimate breakfast for dinner or dinner for breakfast food.  SO good, and definitely fall comfort food. Yes, this spaghetti squash version is definitely different, but still full of the flavors you expect, and it won’t disappoint.

I made a decision a while ago to start buying organic dairy products as well as a few other foods whenever I can, and that includes the eggs, butter, and cheese in this recipe.  I get asked all of the time if organic food is better for you, and the answer is NO, but- if it’s available and affordable, I do recommend buying organic products.  It’s not that organic food is more nutritious, but there is such an important difference in how organic food is produced. Plants are grown without the use of commercial fertilizers or pesticides, and animals are NOT given antibiotics, growth hormones, or fed animal byproducts.  It’s just so much better for the environment, and more sustainable, for future generations.

I’m really excited to be involved in the #OrganicForAll campaign from Albertson’s and Safeway supermarkets because they’re going the extra mile to make organic available and affordable for me and everyone else in the southwest and Arizona. Their exclusive O Organics, line features more than 300 items throughout the grocery store—from fresh fruits and vegetables, to wholesome dairy and meats, cereals, snacks and more. With the O Organics brand, it’s easy to add organic items into everyday meals without a lot of time, money or effort.  In fact,  this year, more than 100 new items will be added to the O Organics line, so there are even more affordable USDA-certified organic options to choose from.

I used several O Organics products to make this healthier version of “pasta” carbonara.  OK, so let’s start with the fact that it’s not really pasta.  I spied a lovely bunch of spaghetti squash at the market the other day, and that was my inspiration.  Spaghetti squash (in case you’ve never tried it) is strangely angel hair spaghetti-like in appearance, but that’s about as close as it gets to the real thing.  It’s a nice change from pasta, though. Kind of fresh with a bit of a crunch – like zucchini noodles.  Perfect if you’re trying to lighten things up and get some extra veggies in.  Just cut it in half, bake it up and  here’s how it goes from squash to spaghetti in seconds:

I used O Organics eggs, butter, Italian blend cheese, and although it’s not usually in pasta carbonara, I had to add some baby spinach for an extra veggie kick and some color.  I feel really good about the organic products in this recipe.  It’s a healthy, wholesome dish that’s super low in carbs, high in protein, and full of vegetables.  I have to tell you, it was nice to find all of those ingredients at my local grocery store, and for a reasonable price.

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Baked Spaghetti Squash Carbonara

Prep Time

20 mins

Cook Time

1 hr

 

Servings: 4 servings

Author: Craving Something Healthy

Ingredients

• 1 medium spaghetti squash
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• salt and pepper
• 1 tablespoon O Organics unsalted butter melted
• 1 tablespoon heavy cream
• 3 O Organics large eggs
• 3 thick slices nitrate-free bacon cooked until crisp and crumbled
• 1 1/2 cups O Organics fresh baby spinach chopped
• 1 6 oz package O Organics Italian Blend shredded cheese

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees
2. Carefully cut the squash in half lengthwise, and remove any of the seeds. Place both halves cut side up in a large baking pan, and brush about 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil on each half. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, and bake for about 45 minutes or until the squash is fork-tender. Reduce the oven temperature to 375 degrees
3. Remove the squash from the oven, and let it cook for a few minutes.
4. Meanwhile, melt 1 tablespoon of the O Organics butter in a measuring cup.
5. Add 1 tablespoon heavy cream and mix together. Let the butter cool, and then whisk in 3 large O Organics eggs into the butter and cream and set aside.
6. With a fork, pull the spaghetti squash into strands as in the above video, and put the squash strands into a large mixing bowl.
7. Pour the egg mixture over the warm spaghetti squash, add the crumbled bacon, spinach and cheese, and stir to combine well.
8. Pour the squash-egg mixture into a prepared 8" x 8" baking pan or a pie plate.
9. Return it to the oven for about 15 minutes, until the egg is set. If a crispy exterior is desired, place it under the broiler until the top turns light golden brown.

Do you ever make spaghetti squash?  Have you been trying to buy more organic products?  Let me know which ones and why!

Eat well!