Spaghetti Squash Joe
Simple and delicious and so easy to modify to the entire family's liking.
This was one of the first meals I had on rotation when I was working to lose 35+ pounds postpartum with two babies in tow. The hands-on time is minimal, and the kids and husband love to stick with the traditional sloppy joe sandwich, while I enjoy mine with a heaping pile of spaghetti squash noodles underneath.
If you’re following my Plate Method for weight loss, skip the bun and embrace the squash. You may be surprised at just how much better the joe slop tastes!
Kid-Friendly Mod: Let them assemble! It sounds easy - and it is. Don’t over think it. I have found that when they’re able to put what they want and how much, they’re more likely to eat it. And yes, it will probably get messy. Serve with at least 1 safe food that you’re fairly confident they’ll eat to boost their bravery to try the rest of their meal.
Ingredients:
1 spaghetti squash
1/2 red onion (diced)
16 oz broccoli
1 lb lean ground meat
Store-bought sloppy joe sauce or make your own:
1 c tomato or marinara sauce
1 tbs dijon/yellow mustard
1 tbs ketchup
1 tbs Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
Garlic, chili powder, crushed red pepper
Steps:
Preheat oven to 400°F. Cut spaghetti squash in half lengthwise & scoop out the seeds.
Spread some oil, salt, & pepper on the inside, place flesh-side down, and roast ~35 minutes or until you can easily squeeze (with an oven mitt on!) the squash with your hand. Remove from oven & let cool.
Cook the broccoli to your liking (we always bake it).
In a pan over medium heat, cook the onion and meat until cooked through. Add in your store-bought sauce or your homemade sauce ingredients. Stir to mix and season to your liking.
Using a fork, shred the inside flesh of the spaghetti squash into “noodles”.
In your bowl, layer the squash noodles, sloppy joe mix, and broccoli.
Enjoy! …And never look at a sloppy joe the same way again…
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