Spaghetti Squash and Meatballs

I started making meatballs several years ago when I came across an awesome recipe in Cooking Light. Before trying the recipe, I was never really a fan of meatballs, or let's just say I didn't fully appreciate them. After giving these meatballs a try, you'll see why I'm a convert. The herbs along with the combination of ground beef and sausage offer great flavor. Feel free to substitute bison or pork. I tweaked the original recipe to make it paleo and love to eat it with spaghetti squash and Gabriel's Marinara Sauce, my favorite jarred pasta sauce. This sauce is, literally, so good that it doesn't make sense to make my own--especially on a busy weeknight. For you local Paleo Table followers, it is available at Sunset Foods.

Adapted from myrecipes.com.


Serves 4-5.

Ingredients
1 spaghetti squash
1/2 cup almond flour
8 oz ground Italian sausage
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1/3 cup chopped fresh basil
1/4 cup chopped fresh Italian flat-leaf parsley
2 eggs
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 pound grass-fed ground beef

Preparation

1. Preheat broiler.
2. Pierce the squash several times with a fork or sharp knife, being sure to pierce all the way through to the middle.
3. Microwave whole squash at 70 percent power for 15 minutes. Check to see if skin is softened, then continue to microwave in 5 minute increments until skin is very soft and pliable.NOTE: Be sure NOT to cook on full power AND that you pierce the squash all the way through, otherwise, you may end up with a squash explosion in your microwave.
4. Remove squash from microwave and let it rest for 5-10 minutes to let it finish steaming. 
5. Cut squash in half lengthwise. Scoop out and discard the seeds. Scrape squash "noodles" from skin and into a bowl and keep warm.
6. While squash cooks, place all remaining ingredients in a large bowl and use your hands to thoroughly combine. Using your hands or a scoop, form meat mixture into approximately 18 one-inch balls.
7. Place meatballs on the rack of a broiler pan and broil for approximately 15 minutes, or until cooked throughout, turning halfway through.
   NOTE: I use a water broiler. It's fantastic and does not leave a smoky mess in your kitchen!
8. While meatballs cook, pour your favorite pasta sauce into a saucepan and simmer over low heat until cooked through. Transfer to a small serving pitcher or bowl.
9. To serve, divide spaghetti squash into shallow bowls or plates, top with 2-3 meatballs each, and pour sauce over the top.