Healthy Turkey Kale Artichoke Stuffed Spaghetti Squash

A healthy yet completely satisfying gf pasta dish with lean animal protein from turkey sausage and cottage cheese. Mixed with fibrous, filling and nutrient dense spaghetti squash, kale and artichoke for a perfect bite every time

Ingredients:

• 1 medium roasted spaghetti squash - here is how to perfectly prep spaghetti squash!

• 1lb of sweet turkey sausage - or Italian sausage of choice (casing removed)

• 1 small bunch of lacinato kale

• 1 cup of full fat cottage cheese (I love the good culture brand)

• 1 cup of chopped artichokes (from a small marinated jar)

• 1-2tbsp olive oil

• 1/2tsp each: salt, oregano, pepper, thyme

• 1/2 cup freshly shredded parmesan cheese

Meal Prep Directions: 

• Cook the turkey kale mixture:

  • Heat a medium sized skillet over medium heat. Meanwhile remove the casing from the turkey sausage and add them to hot skillet, breaking up into small chunks and browning completely.

  • While turkey cooks, roughly chop up lacinato kale into small strips and add it to the meat mixture. Remove from heat and stir until well combined. Let it cool completely before refrigerating in food storage container until ready to cook the squash (up to 2 days)

• Make the cheesy artichoke mixture:

  • to a small mixing bowl add cottage cheese, olive oil, seasoning blend and chopped artichokes. Mix until well combined, refrigerate for up to 2 days until ready to cook the squash.

    • Note: if you want a creamier, less chunky finish for this dish consider blending the cottage cheese in a food processor or immersion blender and then mixing with remaining ingredients

Meal Assembly Instructions:

• Roast the squash:

  • heat oven to 425. Carefully slice squash in 1/2 length wise. Spoon out all the seeds.

  • Drizzle generously with olive oil, salt and pepper and rub it all around the inside of the squash. Roast with the inside facing down (my squash prep video says face up but for a stuffed squash this method helps hold in more moisture so it doesn’t dry out!).

  • Roast for 30 minutes or until the squash pulls apart from the shell easily. Remove from oven (but keep oven on!) and cool slightly before carefully removing as much of the squash strings from each side, while leaving the shell in tact.

• Make squash mixture:

  • Take removed squash strings and add them to a large mixing bowl. Add prepped cheesy artichoke mixture and prepped turkey kale mixture (start with half and continue adding to your preferred meat to cheese ratio). Gently toss with tongs until very well combined.

• Stuff and roast:

  • Add squash mixture evenly back into the squash shells, pressing firmly into the shell to stuff it. Top each side with 1/4 cup or more of fresh parm cheese and drizzle of olive oil. Wrap each side gently with foil and roast for another 20-30 minutes until squashes are bubbling and cheese is mostly melted (cottage cheese will not melt completely!)

Leftover recommendations:

• If the turkey kale mixture made too much to mix with the squash and cheese mixture, keep some on hand to serve with eggs as a protein rich breakfast or as a loaded lunch bowl with avocado and black beans!