Squash is a favorite of mine to cook during the cooler weather—especially this meal. This delicious, nurturing entrée provides hearty volume that fills and warms the tummy. The special filling of the lentils combined with earthy seasonings and homemade sauce is pure comfort food on a plate!

Ingredients:

1 large spaghetti squash

1 small onion, peeled and diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

½ cup finely diced carrots

1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes

2 cups veggie broth

1 cup dry brown lentils, rinsed

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon dried basil

1. Heat oven to 375°F.
2. Slice squash in half crosswise, remove seeds, and place cut side down in a rimmed baking pan. (The crosswise cut results in longer, full-circle strands.) Add a few tablespoons of water to the pan and pierce squash a few times with a fork. Bake 45 to 50 minutes until soft. Set aside to cool.
3. Once the squash is cool enough to touch, use a fork to scrape the strands into the center, using the squash shell as a bowl.
4. While the spaghetti squash is roasting, prepare the lentil filling. Sauté the onion, garlic, and carrots in a pot with a teaspoon or two of water. Cook for 5 minutes or until softened and translucent.
5. Stir in the tomatoes, broth, lentils, and seasonings.
6. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a medium simmer and cook for 30 minutes or until lentils are tender. Season to taste.
7. Once finished, generously fill each squash half with a delicious scoop of lentil filling.
8. If desired, top with a few dashes of nutritional yeast and a sprig of rosemary or fresh basil.