This recipe is the same one we used previous to our diet change, omitting the pasta or potatoes, and using spaghetti squash instead. It was unanimous-the spaghetti squash is so much better than the other options in this dish, that they don't even compare!
To prepare the squash: Punch holes into the skin all over the outside of washed squash. Place in a casserole dish, and fill the dish with water. Place in a 375° oven and bake for no less than one hour. Half way through the cooking, you may want to check the water and turn the squash, but this is not imperative. The squash may take as long as 1 ½ hours to bake, depending on it's size. When finished baking, remove from oven and allow to cool until you are able to handle it. When cooled enough, cut in half lengthwise and scoop out seeds with an ice cream scoop. Set aside in a warm spot until ready to serve.
To make the sauce: In a large pot, sauté the onions and garlic in the butter. Add the tomatoes and simmer for about 10 minutes.
Add the herbs and continue to simmer for another 30 minutes to blend the flavors.
Taste and adjust seasoning, adding salt as desired. If the sauce is bitter, add thyme or black pepper to sweeten it.
When you take the squash from the oven, start cooking the meat. Cook the ground meat in a heavy pan over low heat. If your meat is lean, you may need to add butter or coconut oil to the pan so that it does not stick. Salt the meat.
To serve: Using a fork, scrape spaghetti squash out of the shell and directly onto individual plates. Add tomato sauce and top with the ground meat. Serve hot.
