Easy spaghetti and low-fat meatballs

Spaghetti and meatballs are a real crowd pleasers. Follow these steps for a healthy and super tasty version of this popular dish.

Prep time: 15 minutes; cook time: 30 minutes; serves 6

Ingredients

• 350 grams dark meat ground turkey and 350 grams white-meat ground turkey.
• 50 mL (1/4 c) 1% milk
• 2 slices whole-grain sandwich bread
• 350 g (12 oz) ground turkey
• 350 g (12 oz) extra-lean ground beef
• 110 to 125 g (1/2 c) minced fresh onion
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 large egg
• 110 to 125 g (1/2 c) chopped fresh parsley
• 30 g (2 tbsp) grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 g (1/2 tsp) salt
• 2 g (1/2 tsp) ground black pepper
• 15 mL (1 tbsp) olive oil
• 750 mL (3 c) low-sodium basil tomato sauce (see recipe below) or your favourite low-sodium spaghetti sauce
• 450 g (1 lb) spaghetti, preferably whole-grain

1.
Pour the milk into a large bowl, add the bread slices and soak for five minutes.
Lift out the slices and squeeze out most of the liquid.
Discard the liquid, then finely crumble the bread back into the bowl.
Add the turkey, beef, onion, garlic, egg, parsley, Parmesan, salt, and pepper.
Using your hands, mix well and gently form into about 24 balls, about 3.5 centimetres in diameter.

2.
Heat the oil in a large, deep sauté pan over medium heat.
Add the meatballs and cook until browned all over, about 10 minutes.
Reduce the heat to low and add the tomato sauce.
Cover and simmer for 20 minutes.

3.
Cook the spaghetti according to the package directions.
Drain and return the pasta to the pot. Add 250 millilitres of the sauce and stir to coat.

4.
Divide among pasta bowls and top with the meatballs and remaining sauce.

Per serving, you get: 547 cal, 12 g fat (2 g sat), 77 g carbs, 42 g protein, 15 g fibre, 84 mg chol, 517 mg sodium and 150 mg calcium.

Preparation time 10 minutes plus 5 minutes soaking; cooking time 1 hour.

You can save time by using two 800 gram cans of low sodium plum tomatoes in puree.
Deepen the flavour with 250 millilitres red wine after sautéing the garlic, and simmering until the wine reduces in volume by about half. Add chopped vegetables of your choice for nutrition.

• 50 minutes Makes about 1 L
• 30 mL extra-virgin olive oil
• 350 g chopped onions
• 175 g chopped carrots
• 125 g chopped celery
• 15 g chopped garlic
• 1.5 kg ripe plum tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and chopped
• 30 mL low-sodium tomato paste
• 50 g chopped fresh basil or 10 g dried
• 2 g salt
• 1 g ground black pepper

1.
Heat the oil in a large, deep skillet or medium saucepan over medium heat.
Add the onions, carrots, and celery, and cook until soft and lightly browned, six to eight minutes.
Add the garlic and cook for one minute.
Add the chopped tomatoes, tomato paste, and 30 millilitres of the fresh basil or all of the dried.
Bring to a boil then reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer gently until the tomatoes break down and thicken and the sauce reduces in volume, 40 to 45 minutes.

2.
For a smooth sauce, cool slightly and pass through a food mill or puree with a stick blender or in a food processor.

3.

Season with the salt and pepper and stir in the remaining fresh basil.

Per 50 ml serving, you get: 41 cal, 2 g fat, 6 g carbs, 1 g protein, 2 g fibre, 0 mg cholesterol, 90 mg sodium and 18 mg calcium.

For the healthiest, freshest spaghetti and meatballs, you can’t go wrong with this recipe.