Spaghetti Squash and Broccoli Casserole

I like experimenting with spaghetti squash. I've made it a few different ways before and I have to say that this is definitely my favorite way as of yet! I found this recipe from a blog called Peas and Thank You, so check that site out too!

It has a lot of flavor and the melted/broiled cheese mixed in with the broccoli just adds to it!

Ingredients:

   1 large spaghetti squash

   2 cups of marinara sauce

   2 tsp. dried oregano
   2 tsp. dried basil
   1/2 cup non-dairy cream cheese (I used Tofutti's Better Than Cream Cheese)
   1/4  cup nutritional yeast
   2 cups of broccoli
   1/2 cup of non-dairy mozzarella cheese (I used Tofutti for this too. Three slices broken up into little pieces.)
 
First thing you want to do is cook your spaghetti squash. This is the most difficult part because - let's be honest, spaghetti squash is a pain to cut in half! My upper body gets such an unnecessary workout every time I make it! So yes, cut it in half (carefully!) and then scoop out all the seeds and 'guts' from the squash.

Fill a microwave safe dish (that has a lid) with about a half an inch of water and place one half of the squash face down. Cover and microwave for about 10 minutes. Do the same with the other half, and then scrape the insides of the squash into a bowl and set it aside.

Meanwhile, preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

In a large saucepan combine your marinara sauce, dry ingredients and the cream cheese. Heat over low heat until the cream cheese is melted and it starts to form a creamy sauce. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Next, add the spaghetti squash and broccoli in with your sauce and stir it up so that everything is distributed evenly.

Transfer your mixture into a casserole dish that has been lightly spritzed with cooking oil and then add your cheese on top.

Place it in the oven for 20-25 minutes or until the cheese is melted. You can also do what I did, and turn the broiler on for a little bit so your cheese gets nice and bubbly!

  Look at how creamy it turned out! So so good!

Product Review: Leahey Gardens Vegan Macaroni and Cheese

When I went vegan, macaroni and cheese was something that I started to miss pretty quickly. I tried a few different brands and products that claimed to taste just like real macaroni and cheese but none of them lived up to the expectations that I had for them. This one, however, is probably the closest you're going to get to real mac and cheese. My mom whipped up a homemade concoction awhile ago and that tastes even better (I love things homemade, I always think it tastes much better!) BUT for a quick supper, this does the trick. You just boil water, cook the noodles and drain - just like a regular box of mac n' cheese. Then you get the cheese mixture, mix it with one cup of water or milk (I used almond milk) and bring it to a boil then let it simmer and thicken up. Then add it to your drained macaroni. Oh it's so so good. I chopped up some broccoli and tossed it in with the cheese for a bit because I've always loved the broccoli/cheese combination.

It tastes so good and is so creamy - I actually prefer this taste over say, Kraft. That's what I used to eat before going vegan. This is so much healthier too.

Seriously, don't you wish you could just take a scoop right this minute and try it out?