"Spaghetti" and Meatballs, Veggied up!

Over the last few weeks, I've kept a close eye on my diet. I've always wondered if wheat was troublesome, but I was truly unwilling to give up bread of any kind. However, I made the conscious (and painful) decision to give up all forms of gluten for three weeks to see if there really was a difference in how I felt.

Was. There. Ever.

I don't have celiac disease. And I'm not going whole-hog, gluten free. However, I'm going to spend 2015 eliminating unnecessary gluten - pasta as a special occasion, not a weekly staple; bread when it's truly worth it, and not as a daily treat. However, that means I need to get creative, specifically when it's just me eliminating the wheat. Sure, I can keep the bun off of my burger, but what about spaghetti and meatballs?!

I'm also looking to double up our veggie load at each meal, especially during the winter months when we get lazy about veggies. This recipe, found in this month's Good Housekeeping magazine, was just what I needed to get started. I was able to cook a small spaghetti squash for me and still boil a little spaghetti for the rest of the pack. And both the meatballs and sauce were jam-packed with vegetables. I doubled the recipe below and froze the meatballs nestled in the sauce in an aluminum, freezer-safe pan for another day.

You need:

2 medium spaghetti squash (for a family of four eliminating the wheat)
1 lb. ground turkey
2 small zucchini, grated and squeezed dry with paper towels
4 cloves of garlic, crushed with a press
1/4 tsp smoked paprika
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 medium eggplant, peeled and chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
1 can (24oz) crushed tomatoes
1 Tbsp. sherry vinegar (or balsamic, if you don't have sherry)
1 bag baby arugula

With a sharp knife, pierce the squash all over. Place on a microwave-safe dish and microwave for about 5 min per pound (about 20 min total). Let cool for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, combine the turkey, zucchini, garlic, paprika, and 1/4 tsp. each salt and pepper. Form into meatballs and place on a large platter. In a deep, large skillet, heat the oil. Cook the meatballs for 5-7 minutes or until browned on both sides. Gently transfer all of the meatballs back to the platter. Reduce the heat to medium and add the eggplant and onions to the skillet. Cook 3-5 minute or until softened. Stir in tomatoes and vinegar and 1/8 tsp. salt. Nestle meatballs in the sauce and cook for another 8-10 minutes or until meatballs are cooked through. While the meatballs are cooking, cut the squash in half lengthwise. Scoop out the seeds and the use a fork to scrape the pulp into spaghetti-like strands. Toss the squash with the arugula and serve the meatballs and sauce on top.