FoodFash

FoodFash is a food and travel blog based in Austin, TX.

Spaghetti Squash & Turkey Meatballs

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Spaghetti Squash & Turkey Meatballs 2

Spaghetti squash with turkey meatballs and marinara is one of those meals that you can eat weekly and still be craving the week after.  It gives you that tomato sauce fix without the heaviness that typically comes with sauce covered meals.  And the feeling of accomplishment that comes with making your own marinara… Never gets old.

Spaghettie Squash

To get everything timed somewhat appropriately for four servings, start with halving two medium-sized spaghetti squashes, removing the seeds, and placing the halves in a 400 degree oven {no oil, directly on the middle rack} for 45 minutes to an hour {until you can pull the squash apart easily with a fork}. While the squash is baking, work on your homemade sauce {recipe at bottom of post}.  And while your sauce is boiling, prepare the turkey meatballs so they can be popped in the oven the second the squash is removed {meatball recipe}.

Turkey Meatballs

This meal also keeps its integrity when reheating, making leftovers extra special the next day.  And if you want to change it up even more, try topping with an over-medium egg.

Spaghetti Squash Shrimp Scampi

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Spaghetti Squash Shrimp Scampi

There’s something about organizing kitchen cabinets at home and presenting in front of a first-time crowd at work that put an extra pep in my step today.  I borderline skipped to Whole Foods this evening, enjoying the slightly crisp air and an even more crisp mind.

Shrimp

The last thing I wanted to do was fog everything up with a heavy dinner.  I wanted light and flavorful.  Seafood, fresh veggies, and herbs would do the trick.  Seafood, fresh veggies, and herbs… always do the trick.

Shrimp Scampi

Add music, breeze-filled windows, and quality time in the kitchen – it was the best weeknight I’ve had in quite some time.  I got to cooking to the tune of this album.

Spaghetti Squash Shrimp Scampi 2

And when it was all said and done, I was left with the exact dinner I had in mind sitting front of me, ready to photograph.  It was lovely.

On Top Of Spaghetti {Squash}

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It turns out there are benefits to digging through your archives and re-blogging an old recipe.  Like the feeling of goodness that fills you up because you already know you’ll love your meal, and it’s yours.  Or getting a little chance to complete against yourself in the photo department, and win.  In my not so humble opinion, these pictures are worlds better than the old pictures.  Worlds.

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I like making meatballs because your hands get messy and there’s something therapeutic about squishing meat through your hands like GAK.

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And I like this meatball recipe because there’s no junk, just lean meat and veggies.

The Not-So-Easy Way

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You know how most of the time people are on a mission to make things easier?  At work, at home, everywhere in life, the easier route is typically the preferred route.  Well lately always, I’m fairly certain that I subconsciously choose the more difficult route.  Tonight was no exception.

I’m going on my third weekend in a row of out of town guests and I have a chore list a million items long.  I should have stopped at Whole Foods on my way home from work and picked up something from the salad bar.  If I felt like cooking, I should have reached in my bag of quick recipe tricks and whipped up something that would make a minimal mess in my kitchen.  I should not have wandered the aisles day dreaming and recipe creating.  I absolutely should not have settled on a recipe that would destroy my kitchen and double my chore list.  But I did.

I took a meal that could have easily been thrown together with spaghetti squash, jarred sauce, and frozen meatless balls and turned it into something uber homemade.  Like uber, uber.  For the record, if you want to make this meal in a hurry you can do just that.

If you want to take your time, listen to sweet tunes, and get your hands dirty, then make your own sauce and meatless balls.  For the sauce, barely brown a few cloves of crushed garlic in a few tablespoons of olive oil, add 6-ish chopped vine tomatoes and some salt, and boil on high heat until some of the moisture is gone (10 to 15 minutes?).  For the meatless balls, check back tomorrow for the step-by-step!