Italian Sausage and Spaghetti Squash dinner

 I saw this recipe in a Taste of Home magazine and I just knew that I had to try it.  I'm normally not a fan of sausage, but there was just something about this recipe that called to me.  I love spaghetti squash and the combination of sausage, beans and zucchini seemed too good to pass up.  I was right!  This recipe is SSSSOOOO good, you definitely need to try it!  I ate it for breakfast a couple of mornings, lunch the same days and finally for dinner and never once did I get tired of it!  In fact, I can hardly wait to get back to school and make this again.   Since I don't like onion or cooked green peppers, I left those out of the recipe. 

Recipe 

1 medium spaghetti squash (3 to 3-1/2 pounds)

1/2 cup water

1 pound bulk sausage

sprinkling of onion powder

1 small zucchini, chopped

1 garlic clove, minced

1 can (15-1/2 ounces) great northern beans, rinsed and drained

1 can of tomato sauce ( I used homemade tomato sauce)

1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

1/4 teaspoon seasoned salt

Shredded Parmesan cheese

 

     Pierce holes in the squash.  Microwave for two minutes at a time until the skin of the squash is soft.  Let cool for five minutes and then halve squash lengthwise and discard seeds. Place, cut side up, in an oven-safe dish. Cook at 350 degrees for an hour.
     While the squash is in the oven, brown sausage in a large skillet until meat is no longer pink; drain. Add the onion powder and garlic. Cook for 10 minutes . Add the beans, tomato sauce, Italian seasoning, zucchini, and salt. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes or until heated through.
    When squash is cool enough to handle, use a fork to separate strands; place in a serving dish. Top with sausage mixture. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

This could also be made vegetarian as pointed out by one of my friends using vegetarian chorizo.