Spaghetti and Meatballs
Such a super quick and easy meal to get on the table in no time. I love batch cooking my meatballs and freezing them in portions so that they can be re-heated any time I need to prepare a quick dinner. Slow cooking the meat allows all the flavours to develop whilst leaving the meat really tender. It is also the best way to get extra vegetables into your meals. And if you don't want to eat pasta, you can easily substitute it for zoodles, chickpea noodles, lentil noodles or even mung bean noodles.
Ingredients:
Meatballs
500g beef mince
1 small zucchini, grated
1 small carrot, grated
1 teaspoon onion powder
Sprinkle sea salt and pepper
Sauce
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 brown onion, finely diced
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tablespoon paprika
1 teaspoon mustard powder (optional)
1 tablespoon coconut sugar (optional)
50g tomato paste
1 tin diced tomatoes
1 cup vegetable stock
Pasta
1 packet of your preferred choice of pasta. I like to use a quinoa and rice penne, brown rice thread noodles or a wholegrain spaghetti.
Method:
Preheat oven to 160 degrees.
Prepare meatballs by mixing all ingredients well. Set aside.
Using a heavy based saucepan, heat olive oil on stove on medium heat. Add onion and sauté for 5 minutes, add garlic and stir for approximately 1 minute. Add the paprika, mustard, sugar and tomato paste and stir. Add diced tomatoes and stock and bring sauce to a simmer.
Once sauce is simmering, roll the meatball mixture into balls and place directly into the sauce. Return the sauce to a boil and then place in the oven and cook for 2 hours, turning the meatballs over half way through cooking.
About 20 minutes prior to the completion of cooking your meatballs, bring a pot of water to the boil on the stove and cook your choice of pasta.
Makes 14 balls
