Spaghetti is the ultimate comfort food. It reminds me of family dinners when I was little, eating bread and pasta, talking about our day. It's like a heaping plate of love. When I realized that a lot of grains were the culprit for my inflammation that I was struggling with I was determined to keep my beloved spaghetti in my life. I've tried quite a few variations of spaghetti with other mock "noodles" but nothing comes close to that heartfelt comfort dinner like spaghetti noodles...until I tried spaghetti squash. Ok I know...it's NOT a noodle, sure, but it's the perfect substitution and better than many of the other zoodle/boodle/noodles I've tried!
Ingredients
1 Spaghetti Squash
1-2 TB Olive Oil
1 lb. Ground Turkey
1 lb. Ground Beef
2 jars Marinara Sauce (I used Trader Joe's)
Meatballs:
Parsley
Oregano
Salt & Pepper
Minced Garlic
1 Egg
Almond Flour
Preparation
Cut off the bottom of the spaghetti squash so it's flat and can stand up.
Stand the squash up on the flat end and cut the spaghetti squash in half lengthwise.
Scoop out the seeds and stringy squash goo.
Fill an 8x10 inch baking dish with water at about 1/4-1/2 inches deep.
Salt and pepper the open side of the squash.
Place seasoned squash face down in the water.
Roast in the oven at 425 degrees for 20 minutes.
Check the squash by piercing with a fork or knife. If it still feels firm, roast for another 15 minutes. Depending on the size of the squash, it may be done after 20 minutes if the knife pierces through the out skin easily.
Heat oil in a pan over medium heat on the stove (while the squash is roasting).
Add 1/2 lb of ground turkey and 1/2 lb of ground beef to heated pan and cook until browned.
Add 2 jars of marinara sauce.
Heat meat sauce thoroughly.
Add remaining 1/2 lb of ground turkey and 1/2 lb of ground beef to a large mixing bowl.
Mix together until both meats are thoroughly combined.
Add 1 egg and almond flour (start with a small amount and add more if needed).
Add parsley, oregano, salt, pepper and minced garlic.
Mix together by kneading with your hands.
Lower oven temperature to 350 degrees (after squash is finished roasting).
Line baking sheet with parchment paper.
Form meat into 1-2 inch meatballs and arrange on baking sheet with space between each meatball.
Bake meatballs for 10 minutes.
Remove meatballs to flip them over and bake another 5-10 minutes.
Cool spaghetti squash and then shred with a fork by raking the inside of the squash. The squash should be soft enough that is shreds with little effort.
Place shredded spaghetti squash on a plate and top with meat marinara and meatballs.