Spaghetti Squash is the answer to Easy, Healthy Weeknight meal prayers. I got this squash for $1 from Flyte Family Farms. I cut it in half, scooped out the seeds, and put it upside down on a Jelly Roll pan in a half inch of water for 30 minutes in a 375 degree oven. I had a hearty tomato based sauce I put on top from the fridge. Done.

So the one thing that’s not basically ready-made is the tomato based sauce. I had this sauce hanging out in the fridge from when friends were visiting last week, heated it up, and put it on the squash- however even if you don’t have leftover tomato sauce in the fridge, it’s still pretty easy- lemme get to that in the next paragraph. Whole meal took 30 minutes, but really just 10 minutes of actual work. I would even argue cooking spaghetti squash is easier than making white pasta because you don’t have to watch it while it’s cooking to make sure it doesn’t boil over….. and it’s a food with all kinds of fantastic nutrition (potassium, magnesium, fiber, calcium, vitamin C) instead of just processed carbs with no nutritional value like white pasta.

Back to easy, healthy tomato sauce: sauté a diced onion in a tablespoon of water (instead of oil), add more water if it sticks. Sauté until translucent, 3-5 minutes. Add a 15oz can of drained garbanzo beans, a 28 oz can of diced tomatoes, a tablespoon of garlic powder, and black pepper, oregano and marjoram to taste. If you have some frozen corn and peas you can throw those in, too. If you have absolutely no time, you could combine pasta sauce and a can of beans for a fast, delicious, hearty meal with 5 minutes of work.

I love Autumn and all it’s squash-y goodness!