After a weekend of baking and eating out (because I was too exhausted from all of the baking to make dinner), I decided it would be in my best interest to make a healthy meal for dinner on Monday night. It seems that when I allow myself to splurge a little bit, it snowballs and I end up with an entire weekend of sweets and fried food. I have found that the best way to turn things around is to make a meal full of veggies with lots of flavor so that I don’t miss the junk.
One of my favorite veggies is spaghetti squash. While you can bake it in the oven to soften it up, I usually don’t want to heat up the oven and wait for 30-40 minutes. Instead, I prepare it in the microwave in about 10-15 minutes. This week I decided to make a Mediterranean inspired dish with roasted red peppers, black olives, and artichokes. I also had some sundried tomato sausage that needed to be used, so I grilled it with some zucchini. Topped with some Balsamic vinegar, this dish was hearty and delicious – I didn’t miss the cupcakes and fries at all!
Here is the nutrition info for this recipe (about 4 servings):
Calories 304; Fat 14g (Sat Fat 3g); Cholesterol 38mg; Sodium 833mg; Carbs 39g; Fiber 13g; Sugars 5g; Protein 14g
It’s a bit high in sodium but you could cut some of that out by using no salt added canned veggies.
Ingredients:
- 1 medium spaghetti squash (about 1 1/2 pounds)
- 2 sundried tomato and mozzarella sausages (Aidells)
- 2 zucchini (one green, one yellow) cut into wedges
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
- Kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 14.5 ounce can fire-roasted diced tomatoes
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1/4 cup jarred roasted red peppers, sliced (if you want to roast your own, by all means…)
- 1/4 cup sliced black olives
- 1 14 ounce can artichoke hearts, drained and roughly chopped
- 2 tablespoons Balsamic vinegar
Directions:
Cut off the ends of the spaghetti squash, cut in half lengthwise, and place the halves cut side down in a large glass microwave safe dish. Cover with plastic wrap and microwave on high for about 15 minutes, 4-5 minutes at a time. The squash is cooked when it is slightly soft and gives when you press on it. Set aside to cool slightly.
Preheat the grill (or a grill pan) to medium heat. Drizzle one tablespoon of the olive oil over the zucchini wedges and season with salt and pepper. Grill the zucchini wedges and sausages on the grill for about 10 minutes, turning to cook on each side. The sausages should be warmed through and the zucchini should be tender. Remove from the grill and place on a cutting board.
Meanwhile, heat the remaining tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook until the garlic is fragrant. Add the fire-roasted tomatoes and the tomato paste. Cook for 3-4 minutes. While the tomato mixture cooks, use a fork to scrape out the spaghetti squash to create strands. Add the squash to the skillet and toss with tongs to evenly coat with the tomato sauce. Add the roasted red peppers, olives, and artichoke hearts. Toss with the squash and cook for a few minutes to warm through.
Slice the sausages and the zucchini wedges and serve on top of the squash mixture. Drizzle with the Balsamic vinegar.
Looks like the perfect summer meal. Can’t wait to try it out.
What an amazing looking meal. And it’s so perfect for me because I’m the Grill Master at my house.
The grilled veggies and sausage look amazing! Wonderful Mediterranean flavors!
Yum!! Zucchini and squash. I love it. I hate not having an outdoor grill. I’m missing out on the fun!
Thank you all for the kind responses!
Jenn – You could roast the sausages and zucchini in the oven instead of grilling.
The perfect dinner if you ask me! Looks fantastic!
The final dish looks like a colorful and flavorful meal. Tasty.
I love the olives in this dish, I’m sure they add a great element to the vegetables. This really appeals to me because I love veggie recipes that are hearty enough for main course – without the addition of a starch like potato or rice. Nice post!
The essence of summer. Rockin!
WOW! That looks SO satisfying and delicious! I’ve never had spaghetti squash, but I always read that it is a great substitute for a heavier pasta – this dish looks fantastic! And I’m all about the healthy foods!
Oh these squash & zucchini look amazing! & so colorful! Can’t wait to try this one. Always looking for new things to do on the grill this time of year! Thanks 4 sharing.
Oooh that sounds like a great combination of foods!