It is that time of year when I start making all my comfort foods. This dish is sure to please everyone in the family, not to mention get them extra veggies that they won't even know are in there...insert evil mama laugh here.
I grew up eating spaghetti. My grandma (Nonna) on my mom's side was 100% Italian. No matter what day of the week it was or time of the year, you could always be sure to eat spaghetti when you were at her house. As I got older, my love for the actual spaghetti noodles began to fade. I hated how heavy they made me feel. It took me while to perfect the cooking of a spaghetti squash, but when your husband and little one keep asking for more, you know you nailed it. I hope you enjoy this dish as much as my family and I do!
The Squash:
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Remove sticker from squash and place in microwave for 5 minutes (this softens the squash enough to be able to cut through it easier). Remove squash with oven mit and cut in half with a sharp knife. Remove seeds and squash flesh side down on a baking sheet. Add 1/4 c water to the baking sheet and place in center of oven. Bake for 45 minutes or until squash is soft. Time to make the sauce & meat balls!
The Meatballs:
1 lb organic ground chicken breast
1/4 c almond flour
2 tbsp Italian seasoning
1/2 tsp pink Himalayan salt
1/2 c whilted chopped spinach
1 egg
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper as set aside. In a medium bowl combine almond flour, Italian seasoning, salt, and spinach. Blend well. Add in egg and mix well. then add in ground chicken and mix well. Form 1.5 inch thick meat balls and place about 1 inch apart on baking sheet. When squash has 10 minutes left in oven, place meatballs in oven and cook both together. They will be about 80% cooked at this point... don't worry, they will finish cooking in the sauce.
The Sauce:
2-8oz cans organic fire roasted tomatoes
1-2oz can organic tomato paste
10 fresh basil leaves, 6 leaves and 4 thin chopped
2 cups steamed broccoli
2 tbsp Italian seasoning
1 tbsp oregano seasoning
1/2 onion-chopped
4 tbsp grass-fed butter
6 oz grated mozzarella cheese
In a large oven safe sauce pan, melt butter on medium high heat. Add onion and cook until clear. Mix in seasonings and remove from heat. In a high speed blender (I use a Vitamix), add roasted tomatoes, paste, 6 basil leaves, broccoli and onion mixture. Blend until smooth. Return to sauce pan and bring to a simmer. Once meatballs are done, remove from baking sheet and add to sauce pan. Cover with sauce and then add mozzarella to the top. Place in center of oven and cook for 10 minutes. If you want more of a broiled cheese on top, you can bake it for 6 minutes and then broil for the last 4 minutes. Carefully remove from oven with an oven mitt. Add chopped basil to the top & let stand for about 5-10 minutes. During that time you can portion out the squash onto a plate or in bowls (we like to eat ours out of a bowl). ENJOY!
~Samantha, Blissfully Fit Mama
