Low-Cal Recipe: Spaghetti and Turkey Meatballs
Like many of you, I ushered in 2011 with a renewed focus on health and fitness. A recent visit to my doctor nudged me (reluctantly) further down the path. "No white flour, no sugar, no alcohol," he said. I then explained to him that I recently completed my Italian culinary training, and wasn't there another option? He smiled and told me that I should look into changing my area of focus. "Raw foods, perhaps?"
Well, I am not about to totally give up my first loves (pizza, pasta, and prosecco) but I am trying to be a little more open minded about healthier options for me. That's why I thought I'd give this recipe a whirl. The meatballs are made with turkey, one of the so-called Super Foods, instead of beef/pork/veal, and calls for whole wheat pasta instead of durum semolina pasta. Not the way my Nana would have done it, but then again, she wouldn't have been surfing on her iPad for healthy dinner recipes, either.
Spaghetti and Turkey Meatballs
Ingredients:
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
5 cloves garlic (4 smashed, 1 minced)
1 28-ounce can plum tomatoes, crushed by hand
1/2 cup fresh basil leaves
1 small piece parmesan rind (optional)
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
3/4 pound 93% lean ground turkey
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley, plus more for topping
1 slice stale whole-wheat bread, crust trimmed, bread chopped
1/4 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese, plus more for topping
1 large egg white, lightly beaten
12 ounces whole-wheat spaghetti
Directions:
1. Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the smashed garlic and cook 1 minute. Add the tomatoes with their juice, 2 cups water, 1/4cup basil, the parmesan rind, if using, and salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer until thickened, about 8 minutes. Discard the parmesan rind, if used.
2. Chop the remaining 1/4cup basil, then mix with the turkey, parsley, bread, ricotta, parmesan, egg white, minced garlic, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and pepper to taste in a bowl using your hands. Form into 4 large or 12 small meatballs; add to the sauce and simmer, turning, until cooked through, 6 minutes for small meatballs and 12 minutes for large.
3. Meanwhile, cook the spaghetti in a large pot of salted boiling water as the label directs. Drain and return to the pot. Toss with some of the sauce, then divide among bowls. Top the spaghetti with the meatballs, the remaining sauce and more parsley and parmesan.
Serves: 4
Per serving: Calories 547; Fat 9 g (Saturated 2 g); Cholesterol 46 mg; Sodium 938 mg; Carbohydrate 81 g; Fiber 15 g; Protein 41 g
Notes:
- This recipe calls for a serious amount of garlic. I only used one clove.
- I didn't add any extra water to the tomato sauce, as I like mine nice and thick.
- The meatballs came out a bit soft, I think due to the moisture in the ricotta, so next time I would consider adding less.
- I browned my meatballs in olive oil before dumping them into the sauce, as I like them to have a bit of a crust.
What healthy dinner recipes are you trying out these days?
Recipe Credit: Food Network Magazine, February 2011
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--StellaCadente*
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Bryant Likes on January 27, 2011 at 01:25 PM
Thanks for the recipe! Looking forward to trying it. I'm training for a bike ride and trying to cut calories where I can. This is exactly the kind of recipes that I'm looking for.
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How To Get A Six Pack In A Month on January 17, 2012 at 09:06 PM
I find this recipe a good part of my diet. It looks delicious and healthy. Let's all keep our body healthy and fit.
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