6 months ago I started to make significant changes to my diet. I started to eliminate many of the simple carbohydrates such as bread, pasta, muffins, cookies and replace them with complex carbohydrates such as brown rice, sweet potatoes, quinoa, nuts, and fresh fruits/vegetables. Since doing that I feel less bloated, have more energy, and I stay full longer. With that being said, I am Italian and I was nervous about missing my pasta. Eek…this is going to be hard!! After all, I grew up on pasta and meatballs, lasagna, baked ziti and stuffed shells. Boy was I wrong!! I made my first “zoodles” (zucchini noodles) and meatball dinner and I was hooked! I can truly say that I do not miss pasta at all….not even one tiny bit!! So how do I make my zoodles and meatball Sunday dinner? This is how….
This is a simple meatball recipe that my mother has passed down to me. These meatballs are so simple to make and only contain a few ingredients.
Ingredients Directions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place ground beef in a bowl and make a well. Add beaten egg and combine. Then add breadcrumbs, salt, pepper, and grated cheese. Mix together. When ingredients are all combined use a large scoop and form meat mixture into balls. Place meatballs into a 9×13 glass baking dish. Add a little water to the baking dish just so the meatballs don’t stick to the bottom. Place baking dish into the oven and bake for 30 minutes. After the 30 minutes, use a fork to turn them over. Place them back into the oven and cook for an additional 30 minutes. When they are cooked, you can place them into a pot with sauce and let them simmer. Use a vegetable slicer, such as the Veggetti Spiral Vegetable slicer, to make zoodles. It is very simple to use. I just wash my zucchini, cut the ends off and twist it through the Veggetti to create zucchini noodles. I then place them in a sauté pan with a little olive oil or I steam them until tender. Hint: I like to pat mine dry with paper towels to absorb the excess water. Then I top the zoodles with an all natural sauce, such as Rao’s, and serve with meatballs. Homemade Meatballs and Zoodles
Tips:
- I often double or even triple the recipe to make additional meatballs. These freeze well if you place them in a Ziploc bag. Then simply take the desired amount out in the morning, let them defrost in the refrigerator, and then simmer in sauce for an hour or so. Perfect for those busy nights when you don’t have a lot of time to make dinner!
- I purchased my Veggetti at Bed Bath and Beyond for $14.99 (It is also available at stores such as Amazon, Target, and Walmart).
If you try my zoodles and meatball recipe, I would love to know what you think of it!!
Forever Fit Mom 
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