Spaghetti and Meatballs MAKEOVER

Up until last May/June, I was doing wonderfully well with a healthy eating lifestyle, inspired by Jorge Cruise and his Belly Fat Cure. If you are interested, go ahead and check it out on his site: http://jorgecruise.com/

But then, my summer became very..... hectic. So needless to say, my way of coping was to go ahead and eat anything that wasn't "nailed down", so to speak. (Note to self: not a good idea.)

Well, I've recently decided to get back on track, and this DEE-luscious recipe fits right in with Jorge Cruise's "Belly Fat Cure"! What's nice about it is that it's a tasty and filling meal for anyone, not just for those watching their waistline. (Surprising since it includes so many veggies, but I won't tell them if you don't!) My daughter even made this for our dinner one night, to help me out. It almost tasted too good to be healthy!

Spaghetti Squash with Turkey Meatballs

1 Spaghetti squash (about 3 lbs) halved lengthwise

Extra virgin olive oil (to taste

1 large onion, finely chopped

3 garlic cloves minced

1 tsp dried oregano

2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese, plus more for garnish

2 tablespoons dried breadcrumbs

16 oz lean ground turkey

2.5 cups chicken stock

6 cups baby spinach, washed

salt & pepper

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Season sides of squash with salt and bake, cut sides down on a baking sheet for about 1 hour. Let stand until cool enough to handle, then scrape into strands using a fork. let drain (covered to keep warm.)

Heat two tablespoons olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Cook onion and garlic until soft, 8-10 minutes. Add oregano, and divide mixture into two bowls.

Stir 2 tablespoons cheese into 1 bowl of onion-garlic mixture. Mix in breadcrumbs, turkey, 1 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp pepper using your hands. Form mixture into balls.

Heat 2 tsp oil in large skillet over medium heat. Brown meatballs, turning, for about 6 minutes, transfer to plate.

Add remaining bowl of onion garlic mixture, meatballs, and chicken stock and bring to a gentle simmer. Cook for about 4-5 minutes, then add spinach and cook for just a minute or two.

Toss spaghetti squash with a few drops of olive oil onto serving platter, then top with everything from the spinach meatball skillet. Put out a shaker of Parmesan cheese for shaking over each serving as desired. Enjoy!

As usual, we love hearing your comments and suggestions!