Cheesy Pumpkin Spaghetti Squash Casserole

Who loves pumpkin? I do, I do!!

I absolutely LOVE pumpkin and am always excited when I find a recipe where I can use it. I came across a version of this recipe yesterday on www.skinnytaste.com and knew I had to try it. The original recipe uses whole wheat pasta, but I'm always looking for ways to make recipes healthier so I decided to use spaghetti squash instead. I also tweaked a few other things to make it my own.

Also, if you're not the biggest pumpkin fan, you could always substitute other things for it. Next time, I may try cream of chicken or cream of mushroom soup because I'm sure that would be just as yummy!!

First you want to put your spaghetti squash in the microwave for about 10 minutes to soften it. Otherwise it will be too hard to cut. Next, cut it open and scoop out the seeds and yucky stuff. Then, bake it at 350 degrees for about 45 minutes or until it is cooked enough to easily separate with a fork. You then want to use a fork to shred it like pasta and place all the spaghetti squash in a bowl.

Now you're ready to start cooking!

Ingredients

1 whole spaghetti squash

6 slices turkey bacon (cooked and crumbled)

15 oz canned pumpkin puree

1 cup reduced sodium chicken broth

salt and fresh pepper to taste

1/2 tsp fresh rosemary, chopped

2 cups shredded cheese (I used a pizza blend that included Romano, mozzarella, Parmesan, and provolone) 

pinch of garlic powder

Directions

1. Cook the spaghetti squash and separate with a fork. Place in a separate bowl.

2. In a large saucepan over medium heat, combine the canned pumpkin, chicken broth, rosemary, and turkey bacon. Stir until it is well combined and heated. 

3. Add in the spaghetti squash and stir until it is coated well with the pumpkin mixture. 

4. Add 1 cup of the cheese and continue stirring until it is melted.

5. Place the mixture in a large bakeware dish (mine was 2 quarts). Cover with the remaining cup of cheese.

6. Bake at 375 degrees for 25-30 minutes.

7. Enjoy it with a little garlic powder if you like!!

Calories for 1 cup: 180

I used a lot of cheese since I was saving on calories by using the spaghetti squash. However, if you cut out some of the cheese, you can make it even healthier!