Vegetarian Spaghetti

[Nigel]

Any spaghetti or pasta
regular size can of diced tomatoes
1/2 onion, chopped
1/2 bell pepper, chopped
2 ribs celery, sliced
1 squash (summer) sliced thin
2 T. olive oil
italian seasoning, salt, and pepper to taste
crushed red pepper (optional)
parmesan cheese (green can kind) to put on top (optional)

While the water is boiling for the pasta, saute the vegetables about halfway, then add in can of tomatoes and cook til al dente. The tomato juice will be absorbed by the veggies and gives the sauce more flavor. I like to use about half a teaspoon of crushed red pepper and about a teaspoon of italian seasoning in mine. When the pasta is done and drained, add to pan with veggies and just heat up a bit. If you time this right, it works out perfectly. Mmmm...good stuff.
I have made this with broccoli instead of squash and I have made it with just the veggies and canned tomatoes and it was great that way too. Red bell peppers make a sweeter sauce and the other colored peppers make it pretty. The choice is yours. You could even add in a grated carrot for variety.

[nzmegs]

Instead of the pasta you could use zuchinni (corgettes) and carrot shavings in long curls. Just boil them in water for a few mins.

[Nigel]

Great idea. I did that once with the zucchini and that worked out good. I use Dreamfield's pasta a lot too and some other low carb type.

I hadn't thought of using carrot curls, but that's a great idea too.

I used spaghetti squash once also, but didn't really care for the tomato taste with the squash. I prefer the squash with just butter and parmesan.

[Purrgirl]

I don't low carb but sometimes I still sub broccoli slaw for pasta. I love it!

[Nigel]

That's another great idea. Thank you.

I use the broccoli slaw a lot for stir fry also, fast dinners.

[nzmegs]

I have never heard of broccoli slaw. Is it just finely chopped broccoli?

[Nigel]

Here are some pics that I found to help show what it is.

I think maybe you could just shred up broccoli with a food processor, but I've never tried that.

The broccoli slaw in the bags here are by the coleslaw mix bags in the produce section. The ones I've bought did not have any cabbage in them, just carrots and broccoli and very little on the carrots.

[nzmegs]

Nope - we don't have that at all. Looks easy to cook though. But as you say you could do the same in the food processor. I just can't see people in the UK buying that stuff - it is just way too healthy! it would need to be deep fried and battered first!!

[Nigel]

hahaha!! deep fried and battered sounds really good to me too.

[Callanetics Addict]

Some stores sell spaghetti squash. If you cook it, the flesh can easily be separated into strands very much like actual spaghetti. Vegetarians like to use it as a healthy alternative to pasta.

[Nigel]

I have eaten spaghetti squash a few times. I just prefer it with butter and parmesan cheese, but that's a great suggestion to use it as spaghetti.
I have seen recipes where you chop up the spag. squash and make it like squash patties, but I've never tried it.
Right now, all the squash are out of sight $$$, hopefully, they will get reasonable soon.
Welcome to the forum.

[nikki]

What about using shirataki noodles? They are very low-carb and substitute marvelously fr pasta in most recipes as long as they are prepared correctly.