Spaghetti Squash with Turkey Meatballs

This recipe is a new twist on a favorite comfort food. The spaghetti and the meatballs cook at the same temperature so you can pop both in the oven to cook together and save some time!

Squash
1 large spaghetti squash

Turkey Meatballs (Alternate seasoning option lemon zest and mint)
Vegetable oil cooking spray
1 small onion
2 cloves garlic
1/4 cup panko breadcrumbs
1 whole egg
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons fresh oregano leaves removed from the stem and chopped
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 pound ground turkey breast

Sauce
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
½ cup chopped reserved onions (see above)
2 (14.5-ounce) cans fire roasted tomatoes with garlic
Cracked black pepper to taste (1/4 teaspoon)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Cut spaghetti squash lengthwise, and scoop out the seeds. Place squash on baking sheet cut sides down, and bake for about 40 minutes. Squash is done when fork can easily pierce through skin, and flesh is easily removed. Remove flesh from squash with fork, and put in bowl. Flesh should appear stringy, like spaghetti.

While the squash is cooking prepare the meatballs. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Coat with cooking spray and set aside.

Place onion in a food processor and process, stopping to scrap down the sides until small pieces are formed (remove half of the onion and set aside to use in sauce). Add garlic cloves and process again until finely chopped, stopping to scrap down the sides as necessary. Add the next 7 ingredients (bread crumbs through pepper) and pulse until the mixture is combined.

Place turkey breast in a large bowl, add the onion mixture and gently mix until thoroughly combined. Form mixture into 18 2- inch meatballs (I find a scoop works well to help make the meatballs uniform). Bake in the oven with squash for 20 minutes.

Once the meatballs are in the oven prepare the sauce. Heat the oil over low heat and cook onions and until soft about 5 minutes. Stir in oregano, tomatoes and pepper and simmer over low heat until thickened, 20-30 minutes. Stir in meatballs and heat through.

Yield: 6 Servings (serving size: 3 meatballs + sauce and squash)
Nutrition Breakdown: Calories: 250, Fat 8g (2g saturated fat), Cholesterol 75mg, Sodium 600mg, Carbohydrate 27g, Fiber 5g, Protein 19g
Percent Daily Value: 15% Vitamin A, 50% Vitamin C, 15% Iron, 8% Calcium
Carbohydrate Choice: 2 Carbohydrates
Diabetes Exchanges: 4 Vegetables, ½ Starch, 2 Lean Meats