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Monday, January 17, 2011

Spaghetti and Spinach Meatballs


We all know about my quest to get greens into my family's diet. I've been sneaking them into everything! My latest creation is a twist on spaghetti and meatballs that's just as good for you as it is good tasting. And it tastes pretty great. Promise.

Spaghetti and Spinach Meatballs
Serves 8 (9 WW PointsPlus/serving... plus 2 veggie checks)

For the meatballs:
1/2 pound ground pork
1/2 pound ground white-meat turkey
1 package (10 oz) frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
1/4 cup plain dried breadcrumbs
1 egg white
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
Salt and pepper
Nonstick cooking spray

For the Sauce:
2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 small yellow onion
2 garlic cloves
1 can (28 oz) crushed tomatoes
1 tsp Italian seasoning
1/2 cup shredded carrots
1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped
1 pound whole-wheat spaghetti

1. Put oven rack in top position and heat broiler. Place pork, turkey, spinach, breadcrumbs, egg whites, oregano, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in a large bowl. With your hands, mix to combine.

2. Roll into 1" balls (you'll have about 40 or so). I used a small scooper for the uniformity and then rolled them in my hands to smooth them out. Arrange on a prepared baking sheet and lightly coat meatballs with cooking spray.

3. Broil until golden brown, about 10 minutes, rotating halfway through.

4. In a large skillet (I mean large) or heavy pot, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion, garlic, and carrots. Cook, stirring frequently, until onions start to turn translucent, about 6-7 minutes.

5. Meanwhile, add tomatoes to blender or food processor. Once onion mixture is ready, add to blender. Blend, with the cap open a bit, until smooth.

6. Once blended, return to pan and bring to a simmer. Add meatballs and let cook for about 10 minutes. Now's a good time to cook your pasta.

7. Just before serving, add parsley and stir.

8. Add pasta and give it a good toss. If you like your spaghetti on the saucy side, don't cook the full pound.

I hope you enjoy it! Let me know if you give this one a try.

(It should be mentioned that this is my version of a recipe originally found in the January issue of Everyday Food Magazine.)
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What we're eating for dinner this week:
Monday: Grilled cheese on whole-wheat with tomato soup
Tuesday: Chicken with brown rice and green beans
Wednesday: Lean Cuisine for me, leftovers for EK
Thursday: Turkey tacos
Friday: Chicken with brown rice and peas
Saturday: Whole-wheat pizza
Sunday: Something TBD from a crock pot


2 comments:

  1. I'm making something very similar for dinner tonight. It's all the same ingredients at least, but I'm making mine into lasagna roll ups. Don't forget to use your no-salt added tomato sauce for lower (unnecessary) sodium!

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  2. I am so proud of you for sneaking in the spinach and then actually eating it! These meatballs look delicious!

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