Squashed Spaghetti and Swiss Chard

with Fresh Tomato Sauce

My mom, Marsha, turned me on to spaghetti squash as a kid. Rarely has something so unassuming on the outside been so cool-looking inside. Once you take a fork to cooked spaghetti squash, it turns into the most delightfully textured squiggles that take to sauce just as noodles do. Though there are trace amounts of healthy vitamins and minerals, the main nutritional benefit of spaghetti squash is fiber—and the surprisingly low amount of sugar per serving. By swapping in the squash for starchy noodles of any kind, you’ll be lightening your glycemic load without sacrificing feeling full at the end of the meal. Since I love the way the stress-busting ashwagandha blends in with the flavor of other herbs, I sneak some into the sauce.

Serves 4 to 6

For the squash

• 1 large spaghetti squash
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (divided)
• 1½ teaspoons fine sea salt (divided)
• ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper (divided)
• 6 large rainbow chard leaves, stems chopped and reserved for sauce, leaves cut into thin ribbons

For the fresh tomato sauce

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 large onion, chopped
• Reserved chopped chard stems
• 6 garlic cloves, minced
• 2½ pounds vine-ripened tomatoes, chopped
• 6 or 7 oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained and chopped
• ½ cup thinly sliced fresh basil, plus more for garnish
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano
• 2 teaspoons ashwagandha
• 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
• ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes

Roast the squash: Preheat the oven to 400°F.

Split the spaghetti squash lengthwise, brush the cut sides with 1 tablespoon of the oil, and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Arrange the squash cut side down on a baking sheet and bake until the shell of the squash can be easily pierced with a fork or metal skewer, 35 to 40 minutes.

Meanwhile, make the fresh tomato sauce: In a medium saucepan, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring, until translucent, about 6 minutes. Add the chard stems and garlic and cook for about 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes, sun-dried tomatoes, basil, oregano, ashwagandha, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover, and simmer until the sauce thickens, about 15 minutes.

Assemble the dish: When the squash is done, scrape the squash strands from the shells and toss with the chard ribbons, the remaining 1 tablespoon oil, the remaining ½ teaspoon salt, and the remaining ¼ teaspoon pepper. Arrange the squash mixture on a platter, top with the sauce, and garnish with basil.

Tip Eat This! Sun-Dried Tomatoes

In addition to adding a salty, savory touch to food, sun-dried tomatoes contain a significant amount of fiber, lycopene (a cancer-fighting carotene), protein, potassium, iron, B vitamins, and vitamin K, essential for bone and blood health.