Spaghett Squash With Sausage Ragu And Pine Nuts

1. 1

   If you don't have a toaster oven, preheat a regular oven to 375 degrees. Cut the spaghetti squash in half lengthwise, scrape out the seeds and cut the halves in half again. Place the squash quarters skin-side down in a steamer, sprinkle with salt and steam until tender when pierced with the tip of a small sharp knife, about 15 to 20 minutes. Or, place the squash quarters cut-side down in a glass dish, fill with about 1/2 inch of water, cover and microwave on high until tender, about 12 to 15 minutes. Set aside to cool for awhile.

2. 2

   Put the pine nuts in a pan and toast in a 375-degree oven until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Watch carefully because they burn easily. Remove from pan and let cool. While the squash cooks, remove the Italian sausage from its casing and cut into chunks.

3. 3

   Heat about 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a skillet, then add the sausage and brown. Remove the browned sausage with a slotted spoon and set aside.

4. 4

   Add the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil to the pan and, when it is hot, add the onion and cook until tender, about 8 minutes. Deglaze the pan with the broth, then return the sausage and add the tomatoes to the pan. Bring to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

5. 5

   Use a fork to scrape out strands of spaghetti squash. Toss with the sausage mixture and taste again for seasoning. Top each serving with the pine nuts.

6. 6

   PER SERVING: 390 calories, 16 g protein, 21 g carbohydrate, 27 g fat (6 g saturated), 34 mg cholesterol, 1,084 mg sodium, 4 g fiber

* Per serving · 4 servings · Values may vary.