Riding the line between junk food addict and health conscious good samaritan can be tough. A few years ago I dropped about 50 pounds, gained back 10 and have been holding steady. I’d like to get rid of that 10 again but I’m happy where I’m at. I go to the gym 4-5 days a week and eat clean 75-85% of the time. However! That 15-25% of the non-clean eating can be a bit of a free for all. I like to eat, it’s not a crime. Unless you have a big gulp in NYC, in which case you’re headed for the slammer. Chinese Pu Pu platters, pad thai, fried anything and pizza. What’s not to like?
Anyway my point is, if you’re going to eat the crap of the world without gaining weight, you best be going to the gym often, and chowing down with a brain. Unless of course duck sauce dripping from your chin, and can see a zit forming on your nose out of the corner of your eye. Mmmm duck sauce. I need to focus.
I decided to cook this recipe because I have been more like 60% healthy and 40% junk the last week or so. Nothing a few days of low carb can’t fix. Also, squash is a wonderful alternative to higher carbed veggies and grains. Plus it’s in season, and I have a bunch that need to get cooked. Thus spaghetti (squash) and meatballs had to come out of my recipe quiver.
Recipe:
1 Spaghetti Squash
1 Pound Ground Turkey or Any Type of Ground Meat
1 Egg
¼ Cup Panko Bread Crumbs
1 Clove Garlic
1 Tablespoon Grated Onion
1 Tablespoon Fresh Basil or ½ teaspoon dried herb basil or oregano
1 Teaspoon Olive Oil
½ Teaspoon Garlic Powder
½ Teaspoon Onion Powder
½ Teaspoon Fermented Hot Pepper or Red Pepper flake or Fresh Chile (optional of course)
Squash:
Preheat oven to 420. Cut Spaghetti squash in half carefully. You may need a hammer or something to get the knife through. Don’t chop your hand off (I’ve come close). Scoop out the seeds and place in a baking dish with water on the bottom flesh side up. Rub inside with enough olive oil to coat lightly, and sprinkle with salt. Cover and bake for 20 minutes. Uncover and bake for another 30 minutes until the flesh is soft to the touch and spaghetti can be scraped off easily with a fork.
Meatballs:
In a large bowl beat the egg and then add all ingredients except for the bread crumbs. Add ¾ of the bread crumbs into the wet mixture until it has the consistency of a gloppy cement, if you need to add the rest do so at this time. By combining it this way you get even distribution in the meat. Next salt and pepper the meat and add to the cement.
Incorporate the wet into the meat and form into medium size balls. Place balls into a parchment lined baking dish.
Put in the oven that the squash is roasting in for 30 minutes, turning at the 15 minute mark.
Scrape the squash with a fork onto a plate making spaghetti like strands and spoon over (hopefully homemade) tomato sauce. Then add the meatballs, sauce the balls and add fresh basil on top.
Enjoy!
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