Spaghetti squash with chickpeas and kale

I can't believe I just started cooking with spaghetti squash! It is SO delicious and versatile.

I'm not completely gluten-free, but I don't eat much of it. My mom is sensitive to gluten, as is one of my good friends, so I take gluten into consideration. I think that spaghetti squash is a great alternative to pasta!

I will say that cutting the squash open nearly required a chainsaw, so use a super sharp knife. It's on par with cutting into a pumpkin, in my opinion.

I sliced the squash in half lengthwise and removed the seeds/pulp. I set the seeds to the side so that I could bake them (like you would pumpkin seeds - easy) I drizzled each squash half with olive oil and baked them cut side down on a foiled cookie sheet at 400 degrees for 45 minutes. They came out perfect.

While the squash halves were baking, I sautéed chickpeas, kale and onion slices with garlic and red pepper flakes. I also added a little lemon zest, salt and pepper.

When the squash was done, I used a fork to scoop out the strands, which look like thin pasta. I scooped it into a big bowl and mixed it with the chickpea/kale concoction. I added lots of cracked black pepper and drizzled it with fresh lemon juice. I also sprinkled some of the baked squash seeds on top for crunch.

I look forward to experimenting with spaghetti squash in the future! Think of the possibilities...