Muy Bueno!

I was a little nervous about how this recipe would turn out, but it was really good!!  It wasn't hard to make, but it took a little time because the spaghetti squash needed to cook for 45 minutes.  While it cooked, I got everything else cooked, chopped, drained, and ready to go.  I didn't put all the filling in the squash because it would have been way too much for one meal.  We have enough of the filling for another meal or you could put the mixture in individual baking bowls and feed 4 - 5 people.  Another good thing about this meal is that there is not a lot to clean up.  PLUS, it's less calories than tacos!  No tortilla in this meal!  These bonuses actually makes it MUCHO muy bueno!

*If you are doing food prep for the freezer, scrape out the spaghetti squash and mix all the ingredients together at the end.  You can put these in aluminum pans from Dollar Tree and store them in the freezer until you are ready to use them.  This makes for a quick, complete, and easy dinner!

Spaghetti Squash Taco Bowls

1 medium spaghetti squash, halved, seeds removed

Olive oil

Filling:

1 tbsp. olive oil

1medium onion, chopped

1 cloves garlic, minced

3/4 lb. ground beef

½ pkg. taco seasoning mix

Salt, to taste

Black pepper, to taste

1 (15-oz.) can black beans, drained and rinsed

2 diced tomatoes

1 can corn, drained

1/2 c. shredded Monterey Jack, plus more for the topping

Sour cream, optional

Shredded lettuce, optional

Preheat oven to 400°. Cut spaghetti squash in half, length wise.  Scrape out stringy stuff and seeds.  Pierce outside of squash with a fork or knife multiple times.  Drizzle cut sides of spaghetti squash with oil. Place cut side down on a large, rimmed baking sheet. Roast until tender, about 45 minutes. Let cool. Using a fork, shred squash into strands.

Filling: Cook ground beef and break into small pieces.  Set aside on paper towels to absorb fat from the meat.  In a skillet over medium heat, heat the olive oil. Add onion and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook for a minute more. Add ground beef and let simmer for a few minutes as you stir it all together.  Stir in taco seasoning, salt, and pepper. Stir in black beans, tomatoes, corn and cheese. Mix in shredded spaghetti squash.

Fill each spaghetti squash shell with the beef mixture.  Top with a little more cheese. Return to oven for 5 minutes to melt the cheese.   Add sour cream and shredded lettuce if desired.