Today, I’m excited to share with you my twist on this classic dish: Veggie-Boosted Spaghetti and Meatballs. Follow along with the video to make the recipe and learn some important cooking skills along the way.

Remember: I am a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist, not a pro chef! This recipe is based on my nutrition know-how and home cooking experiences. Feel free to tweak it and always cook safely in your kitchen.

Ingredients:

Sauce:

• 1 white onion, wedges
• 2 carrots, chopped
• 2 bell peppers (orange, yellow or red), quartered
• 1 zucchini, chopped
• 4 Roma tomatoes, quartered
• 4 garlic cloves, peeled
• 1 tablespoon safflower or olive oil
• 1/4 tsp salt
• paprika, optional

Meatballs:

• 1 lb. raw ground turkey
• 1 egg
• 8 saltine crackers, crushed
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1.5 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• 1/3 cup Parmesan cheese, grated

Other:

• 8 oz of dry spaghetti noodles (typically, a bundle of spaghetti roughly the diameter of a quarter = 2 oz)

Directions:

Prep the vegetables

1. Preheat the oven to 365 degrees. Then, line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Chop veggies into same size pieces. Place the chopped veggies on the sheet and drizzle with safflower oil. season with black pepper and paprika (if using).
3. Toss the veggies to ensure they are evenly coated. Place into oven and bake for 40-45 minutes.

While the veggies are roasting, prepare the meatballs

1. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper before you begin.
2. In a bowl, combine all the meatball ingredients well.
3. Use a tablespoon to scoop out 2 tablespoons of the mixture to form one meatball.
4. Place the formed meatballs onto the prepared baking sheet.
5. Bake the meatballs for 40 minutes at 365 degrees F (same as the veggies) or until golden brown and cooked through with an internal temperature reaching over 165 degrees F.

Make the sauce

1. Once the veggies are finished cooking in the oven, add to the blender with water and blend to make the sauce. If you like thicker sauce, start off with a smaller amount of water, if you like thinner sauce, add more. In the video I added about 1/2 cup of water.

Cook the pasta – suggest cooking with 10 minutes left for the meatballs.

1. Cook spaghetti noodles according to package instructions.

Serve yourself cooked spaghetti tossed in vegetable sauce with cooked turkey meatballs. Enjoy! 1 serving = 1/2 cup cooked spaghetti, 3 oz of turkey meatballs and 1 cup vegetable sauce

Note: One serving is just a guideline to help you understand portion size. You can eat more or less depending on your individual needs and hunger. The serving size is not a restriction – feel free to adjust based on what works for you!

Healthy regards,

Cassandra, RDN

Time stamps:

0:14 knife safety

2:30 chopping onion

3:40 chopping carrots & zucchini

5:21 chopping bell peppers

7:20 chopping tomatoes

7:57 how to peel garlic

10:04 lean proteins for heart health

13:02 how to form meatballs & tip to avoid sticking to your hands

15:46 Making the veggie boosted sauce

17:40 different types of pasta and affect on energy

18:50 portion sizes for spaghetti noodles

20:11 final product scene

Disclaimer: The information provided on this blog is for informational and educational purposes only. No material provided in this blog, including images and graphics, is intended as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health care provider before making any dietary changes or starting a new health care regimen