GRAIN FREE SPAGHETTI AND MEATBALLS
This recipe has become a favorite of ours for so many reasons – the blend of sweet butternut squash, savory meatballs, and silky homemade tomato sauce is just heavenly. We love topping it off with Dairy-Free ‘Parmesan Cheese’ for an extra burst of flavor. 😋
When it comes to spiralizing the squash, I used to rely on handheld spiralizers, but I recently invested in the Chiba Professional Japanese Spiralizer and it’s been a game-changer. Although it comes at a higher price point, if you plan on using it regularly, it’s well worth the investment. The Chiba spiralizer is sharp, easy to clean, and can handle even the largest butternut squashes and sweet potatoes with ease. If you don’t have access to a spiralizer, a julienne peeler can work too.
So let’s get started on this delicious recipe and see how you like it!
Ingredients
Spaghetti
- 4 small squash
- 1 tsp coconut oil
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 1/4 tsp pepper
Meatballs
- 300 g minced beef
- 200 g minced pork
- 2 tsp coconut oil
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 1/4 tsp pepper
Tomato sauce
- 500 g tomatoes (chopped)
- 2 tsp coconut oil
- 1 small onion - chopped
- 2 cloves garlic crushed
- handful basil (optional)
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 1/4 tsp pepper
Instructions
- Heat up the oven to 160 Celsius (320 Fahrenheit)
- Spiralize the long necks of the squash or use a julienne peeler to cut into strips. If you can't get hold of squash, use 4 large courgettes
- Place the spriralized squash in a baking tray, massage the coconut oil in and sprinkle with salt and pepper
- Place in the oven and cook for 15 minutes
- Combine the minced beef and pork in a bowl, massage in the salt and pepper
- Roll the mixture into balls
- Heat the oil in a pan and cook the meatballs through – it will take about 15 minutes
- Heat up the oil in another pan and add the chopped onions and garlic and cook until translucent
- Add the chopped tomatoes, and half of the basil and cover and cook on a low heat for 15 minutes
- Take off the heat an add in the rest of the torn basil
- Place the cooked squash in a bowl, add the meatballs and cover with the tomato sauce and serve with lots of the Dairy Free Parmesan Cheese
Notes
THE SCIENCE BIT
The nutritional content of this meal is out of this world – the tomatoes and squash are rich sources of soluble fibre and antioxidants, lycopene, vitamins C and A, as well as biotin, which is thought to prevent the transformation of candida from the yeast to the mycelium form. Coconut oil is also highly anti-fungal, offering a double whammy against yeast. The meatballs are a rich source of protein and B vitamins, especially B12 and B6, which are essential for a healthy nervous system. Basil is rich in vitamin K for bone health and is highly anti-inflammatory, and has been shown to protect against unwanted bacteria.
