Vegetarian "Meatballs" with Spaghetti Squash

As a follow up to my Forks Over Knives post yesterday, here is an interesting take on "spaghetti" and "meatballs". I found this recipe thanks to Cookin' Canucks blog and while I cannot say that this will satisfy a dire craving, I do think its a creative twist on a traditional, not-so-healthy family staple and in my opinion, its worth a try!


 What you'll need:

• 1 ½ cans (15 oz. each) Bush’s Cannellini Beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 roasted red bell pepper, chopped
• ½ medium yellow onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• ¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped
• 1 ½ tsp dried oregano
• 1 egg
• ½ cup dried breadcrumbs
• ½ tsp kosher salt
• ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 3 cups marinara sauce (your favorite kind)
• Parmesan cheese for grating (optional)
• Cooked spaghetti Squash

Directions:

1.) Preheat oven to 350 degrees

2.) Thoroughly coat a large baking sheet with cooking spray

3.) In the bowl of a food processor, combine beans and roasted red peppers. Pulse until chopped, but not smoothly pureed.

4.) Transfer the mixture to a medium-sized bowl and stir in grated onion, garlic, parsley, oregano, egg, breadcrumbs, salt and pepper until well combined.

5.) Using a rounded 2 tablespoon portion of the bean mixture, form “meatballs” by rolling between the palms of your hands. Place the “meatballs” on the prepared baking sheet, spacing evenly.

6.) Bake until the meatballs are firm to the touch and have developed a light golden brown coating, 15 to 20 minutes.

7.) In a large saucepan, heat you favorite marinara sauce over medium heat until simmering (I use my mother-in-law's secret recipe).

8.) Add “meatballs” and stir to coat; Simmer until the sauce thickens slightly, stirring occasionally, 10 to 15 minutes

9.) Serve over cooked spaghetti squash and lightly top with grated parmesan cheese

 




And there you have it - a healthier alternative to "Spaghetti and Meatballs"!









NOTE:  If you want to ease into this recipe, try the "meatballs" over your choice of pasta instead of spaghetti squash. Ya gotta start somewhere, right??