My sweet tooth has turned salty! I'm not sure why, but the little devil on my shoulder that normally gravitates towards sugar, suddenly had a change of heart. He now sends me searching far and wide for olives, potato chips, and french fries.
Since my salty little friend convinced me to buy three jars of beautiful olives from Sprouts, my favorite marinara turned Mediterranean. And BOY am I glad it did! I am completely in love with this dish from the bottom to the top. It's incredibly healthy, and resembles a noodle free, protein packed pasta. The "spice-o-meter" is versatile, so tailor it to your needs.
RECIPE
Mediterranean Marinara over Spaghetti Squash
Entree or Side
VEGAN, GLUTEN FREE, SOY FREE, CORN FREE
serves: 6
active time: 20 min.
total time: 1hr. 20 min.
INGREDIENTS
Mediterranean Marinara
- 2 Tablespoons coconut oil
- 1 large onion, finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 celery stalks, chopped
- 2 carrots, peeled and chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt + freshly ground pepper
- 1 (32 ounce) cans crushed tomatoes
- 1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes
- 3 dried bay leaves
- 1 cup chickpeas/garbonzo beans
Garnish
- fresh basil
- kalamata olives
- *spicy option: add a generous pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
Spaghetti Squash
- 1 spaghetti squash
- olive oil to brush on
- salt & pepper to season
INSTRUCTIONS
Sauce
In a large pot, heat the oil over medium-high flame. Add the onions and garlic and saute until the onions are translucent.
Add the celery, carrots, (optional) crushed red pepper, and 1/2 teaspoon of each salt and pepper. Saute until vegetables are soft, about 5- 10 minutes.
Add the crushed/diced tomatoes and bay leaves, and simmer uncovered over low heat until the sauce thickens, about 1 hour.
When there is about 10 min left, add chickpeas until warmed through
Squash
While sauce is simmering, preheat oven to 400 degrees. Brush cut sides of squash with oil and salt and pepper to taste. Place squash, cut sides down, on a rimmed baking sheet. Roast until tender, about 45 minutes. Let cool slightly on sheet on a wire rack, about 10 minutes. Then scrape squash with a fork to remove flesh in long strands. Place strands in a large bowl.
Remove sauce from burner and place sauce on top of the spaghetti sauce as you would top pasta noodles (discarding bay leaves).
Season the sauce with more salt/pepper, basil, and crushed red peppers to taste.
Garnish with fresh basil and kalamata olives.
STORAGE
- Cool, then cover and refrigerate. If you are a pasta lover, double the batch and freeze the extra. Pour two cup portions into freezer bags and freeze for up to 3 months.
- rewarm over medium heat before using.
