This is a yummy carb-free dish that makes a large batch for leftovers. Tempeh was not something that I had ever tried before doing the 21-day Ultimate Reset. I was VERY skeptical when I first saw it in the package. It did not look appealing at all. But I kept an open mind and gave it a shot, to my surprise it was delicious! I have continued to use it in recipes because of all the awesome health benefits. Tempeh contains probiotics, protein, supports immunity and much more! You can read more about it from Dr. Axe.
***If you are not a tempeh fan, you could use lean ground beef in its place.
Tempeh Pasta Sauce over Spaghetti Squash
What you’ll need:
1 medium spaghetti squash
1 Tablespoon olive oil
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 yellow onion, chopped
1/2 medium yellow bell pepper, chopped
1 (8-oz) package of Lightlife tempeh, crumbled
2 cups canned diced tomatoes
2 Tablespoons tomato paste
1 Tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon ground pepper
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
fresh basil, thinly sliced for serving
How to make it:
Pre-heat oven to 375° and prepare spaghetti squash for roasting. Chop in half lengthwise and scoop out seeds and strings. Using your hands, rub a little olive oil over the inside of each spaghetti squash half and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Flip over so squash is cut-side down and bake in the oven for about 45 minutes or until squash is easy to poke through with a fork.
Meanwhile start prepping your veggies. About 20 minutes into the squash baking, grab a large pot or skillet and heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add garlic and onion and sauté until fragrant, stirring frequently so they don’t burn. Add in bell pepper and crumbled tempeh and sauté for about 5 minutes longer. Reduce heat to medium-low and add diced tomatoes, tomato paste, red wine vinegar, oregano, pepper and salt to the pan. Stir until everything is combined and let mixture simmer for 5-6 minutes or until heated through. Turn heat down to low so the tempeh mixture stays warm until the spaghetti squash is done cooking.
Once spaghetti squash is cooked, remove from oven and use a fork to gently pull the squash flesh from the peel to separate the flesh into “noodles.” Place spaghetti squash noodles on plate, top with tempeh mixture, fresh sliced basil and serve.