Paleo Spaghetti Squash with Mom's Sauce

First of all, I'm slowly trying to update and personalize my blog. I'm not very computer savvy so this is challenging for me. I started with my hovering "pin it" button. Just hover the cursor over any picture and a "pin it" button will appear. Click on it to pin it to Pinterest. Easy Peasy! The latest feature I added is the "Blog Categories" list. You will find this on the right-hand side of my page. I really wanted to make tabs horizontally across the top, but couldn't figure it out. I would also like to see if I can make sub-titles so under recipes I can list appetizers, drinks, soup...

I just thought this was cute and wanted to share it.

 

Ok, on to the recipe!

 

Paleo Spaghetti Squash with Mom's Sauce

 

This is the sauce that I grew up with and now make for my family. The recipe was really easy to convert to Paleo. Of course I had it with regular spaghetti noodles and so did my family up to a couple of months ago. I wasn't sure what my family would think of the substitution, but they all really like it. My husband even prefers the squash! I do know there's no way my oldest son Peter would ever try it. He's married though and no longer my problem. :)

 

When I made this I really should have used grass fed beef, but I'm new at Paleo and still had regular beef in my freezer to use. I also made the mistake of putting garlic salt in the sauce. How bad could that be you ask? It has sugar. I just made this again tonight and used fresh garlic instead. I also used grass fed beef!

 

Ingredients:

1 large or 2 small spaghetti squash

1 lb. grass fed ground beef

1 or 2 gloves of minced garlic

1-15 oz can of organic tomato sauce (plus 3/4 can of water)

1-6 oz can organic tomato paste

1/2 t oregano

1/4 t basil

1/2 t salt

1/8 t pepper

1/2 t celery seed

 

This is the hamburger I use now!

 

To cook the squash, cut it in half length wise, scoop out seeds and place flesh down on a baking sheet. Cook at 375* for 45-60 minutes.

Brown hamburger and garlic in a skillet.

There's no garlic in this because I used garlic salt. Oops!

 

Add the remaining ingredients, heat thoroughly and simmer for 30 minutes. (Don't forget the water).

Favorite spoon!

 

Scrap the squash out with a fork and top with the sauce.

 

ENJOY!

Tips: The squash is really hard to cut. It helps if you have a sharp cleaver, or you can microwave it for a couple of minutes before cutting.

 

If you'd like you can add mushrooms, onion, shallots...

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Here's an update on my Paleo lifestyle if you're interested. I went on 2 back to back vacations in July and ate whatever I wanted. I gained a few pounds but as of Thursday I only had 1 pound to lose. I've been good, but not perfect. I will be helping Nolan move into his dorm room at George Fox University on Thursday and will get serious again when I return. I'm also going to take up yoga. I've never enjoyed yoga, but am hoping I learn to. Flexible I am not!

 

This is where we ate in San Antonio. The creamed corn was delicious, but the meat was so so. I think I'm spoiled by Parker's wicked BBQ skills!

Vacation #2 in Whistler BC. Wonderlust (a yoga convention) was going on. There were a bunch of people in yoga paints carrying their mats around, decorated in really pretty tattoos and wearing flowers in their hair. I told my husband I was going to go home, take up yoga, get tattoos and become a hippie. 

 

So give the spaghetti squash a try if you haven't already and let me know what you think. It's really good!

 

 

Blessings,

Julie Wagner

Favorite Finds Friday - Giddy Up!

I've had my eye out for a vintage horse for a while. I did find one on Etsy that was $350.00 but it didn't look quite right so I passed on it. I was beginning to believe that's what I was going to have to pay if I really wanted one. Christen from www.blueeggbrownnest.com said that if you ever see a vintage horse you should grab it as fast as you can and buy it because they're not easy to find... and that's just what I did. She has some really cool ones! 

I'm always looking for something to do while getting my car serviced in Fife, so this time I decided to drive my loaner car to Sumner and treasure hunt. As I was walking down the sidewalk I saw an antique store in front of me with a lot of fun looking stuff outside. As I was crossing the street approaching the store I spotted my horse! I was so excited I might have started running a little bit. I grabbed it, went straight to the cash register and told the nice lady how excited I was to find it. (Probably not what you should do if you want to dicker with the price). I just couldn't help it! It all worked out though because she gave me 10% off just because she could tell how happy I was. The ticket price was $95.00 so I was pretty happy anyway! It really wasn't the color I wanted, but  I knew how to fix that!

 

 My plan was to paint the whole horse Graphite, then dry brush it with Old White.

 

 

This is what it looked like after a coat of Graphite.

 

 

I was planning on using Old White, but something was making me think French Linen. At this point I was planning on dry brushing a layer of French Linen, then dry brushing a layer of Old white. I liked it so much with the French Linen that I decided to forgo the Old White.

 

Ta da!





 

He has a stirrup missing on this side, but that's ok.

 

I think he looks a lot tougher this color.

 

I'm really happy with how he turned out! Now he just needs a name!

 

Here's some more treasures I found that day.

 

Corbel! It's bigger than it looks. 30" This will go in my guestroom that I'm redecorating in September. I can't wait!

 

I asked Nolan to put my corbel in the grass and take a picture of it. This is what he did. Lol.

 

Just an old scale, but I like it. I think I'll throw some Miss Mustard Seed Milk Paint on it and see what happens.

 

Nolan redeemed himself with this picture. Good job staging Nolan!

 

I saw this chair and thought it was the sweetest thing. I plan on taking the cushion off and replacing it with a flower pot. (I like how Nolan put the Annie Sloan paint can on the floor).

 

 

I think I'll name him Samson!

 

Blessings,

Julie Wagner