I love spaghetti squash and I have used it a few times recently. because I was shocked when I read that if you use spaghetti squash instead of pasta the calories are so low. I read a portion of pasta spaghetti is around 170 kcal whereas a portion of squash is a mere 33kcal but the flavour is delicious. I also kept this extra skinny by using skimmed milk in my cheese sauce and whole wheat breadcrumbs. I always make a decent batch of sauce and the freeze the rest as it makes such a quick dinner. This was really comforting and very tasty. It has those familiar flavours you get from cauliflower cheese except you get the sweet squash and smoky pancetta all brought together with the earthy spinach. Yummy!

Ingredients (serves 2)

• 1 spaghetti squash
• drizzle of olive oil
• fresh crack of sea salt and pepper
• 1 pack of smoked pancetta or bacon lardons
• bag of spinach
• 50g butter
• 50g plain flour
• 1 pint of skimmed milk
• 50g extra mature cheddar
• pinch of pepper and nutmeg
• 2 slices of whole wheat bread, blitzed to make breadcrumbs
• light grate parmesan cheese

Directions

1. Pre heat oven to 190 degrees fan. Cut the squash in half (I had to add all my weight!) with a spoon scoop out the seeds and any dark stringy bits. Season well and rub all over with olive oil. Bake in the oven for 40 mins.
2. While the squash is baking make the cheese sauce. Add the butter, flour and a splash of milk into a saucepan place over a medium heat and keep whisking until you form a roux, add the rest of the milk gradually continuously whisking. Once thickened add in the cheese, pepper and nutmeg stir to combine, set aside.
3. Heat a small frying pan over a medium heat fry off the bacon lardons for a few minutes until crispy. Leave to drain on kitchen paper.
4. For the spinach, add the spinach to a pan of boiling water. Cook for 2 mins and then rinse under cold water straight away to stop the cooking process. Squeeze s much water as you can out of the spinach so it forms a small tight ball. Add to the cheese sauce along with the cooked lardons.
5. Once the squash is cooked, turn on the grill. Heat up the filling while you create the spaghetti, using a fork just scrape down the sides and bottom of the squash.
6. Pour the filling mixture into the squashes. Sprinkle over the breadcrumbs and a light sprinkle of parmesan. Place under the grill and cook until golden and slightly bubbling. Enjoy.