“OMG Juli. Spaghetti isn’t allowed on the paleo diet. Pasta is the devil.” Yes reader, yes it is. Spawn of satan that dough in noodle form is. That’s why it tastes so good and you feel instantly sick after you eat it. I miss “make your own pasta” at Macaroni Grill. Holy balls could I get down with that back in the day. And I would eat like 3 loaves of their fantastic bread before my doughy noodles even hit my dinner table. And I would have dessert. Lordy.
These aren’t real noodles. These are spaghetti squash noodles. And I love them.
Guess what happened today?! I tried to act like I knew what I was doing in kickball, reached my arms out for a ball coming “right at me”, and completely missed the ball. I mean, it wasn’t really even near me. I have no sense of how to catch things. Or where a flying object is in space. Or how to catch a ball, really. But then I caught the ball later, and redeemed myself. Thanks gosh. I think my team still kinda likes me.
I think I’m going to play in the park this weekend. And when I say play, I mean read in the park. I want to read “Catching Fire” and get through the entire book. It won’t happen because I’m a very slow reader and very easily distracted by the half naked bodies galloping through the park, but I will try my best.
I also want to bake a cake. Not just any cake though. I want this cake to have bacon in it. Don’t tell me you just said ew. If so, you’re dumb. Because it will be beautiful. I just know it.
Spaghetti and Meatball Bites
- Prep Time: 25 mins
- Cook Time: 20 mins
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 12 1x
Ingredients
- 1 medium spaghetti squash, cut in half lengthwise, seeds removed
- 1lb Tropical Traditions Grass Fed Ground Beef
- 1 (14oz) can tomato sauce
- 3 egg whites, whisked
- 1 tablespoon dried parsley
- 1 tablespoon dried basil
- 1 tablespoon dried thyme
- salt and pepper, to taste
- 1 tablespoon fat of choice (I used bacon fat)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
- Cut spaghetti squash in half lengthwise, use a spoon to remove the seeds and excess threads.
- Place spaghetti squash cut side down on a baking sheet and bake for 20-25 minutes. Make sure not to overcook!!
- Add your ground beef to a large bowl and add 1/2 tablespoon of parsley, basil, and thyme and a bit of salt and pepper. Combine.
- Make your ground beef into small bite-sized meatballs.
- Now place a large skillet under medium heat, add your fat then small meatballs.
- Then add your can of tomato sauce, extra herbs, and salt and pepper.
- After meatballs have cooked for about 3-4 minutes, flip them and let them simmer in the sauce.
- While the meatballs are cooking through, remove your spaghetti squash from oven and use a fork to dethread the squash.
- Turn oven down to 350 degrees.
- Place silicone cups in your muffin tin then add your spaghetti squash threads to eat silicone cup, pressing down in the middle of the cup for the meatball to sit.
- Once the meatballs are done cooking, remove them from the sauce, and place each one in a muffin tin.
- Now pour just a little bit of beaten egg white on top of each muffin, spaghetti squash and the meatball.
- Bake for 18-20 minutes or until egg is completely cooked through.
- Add extra sauce to a bowl and dip your spaghetti and meatball bites in the sauce! BOOM!
Notes
You may have some leftover meatballs depending what size you make them. I just ate them while my other bites cooked. Obviously.
Sweet. Jesus. I cannot wait to shove these in my mouth.
K, so I was just about to tell you about this cake, but it sounds like you already know:0) Blueberry Bacon Breakfast Cake from How Sweet It Is……Yes pls!
Adorbs. That’s all.
Any recommendations on silicone baking cups for a muffin pan? How easy are they to keep clean?
Sounds like a brilliant idea… one that’ll save me the frustration of hand scouring bits of cooked meat and egg out of my worn-out muffin pans.
This is on the menu for next week! Sounds deelightful!
Andrew, you can get silicone baking cups at most gourmet stores. Also, you can get them online at amazon.com. Just type in silicone baking cups in the search option. They currently have a set of 12 Wilton liners for $7.98. 🙂
Okay, dumb question. I have looked everywhere for silicone cups. Where did you get your?
I just bought mine off amazon. Google silicon muffin liners and find the best deal on their shopping tab!
TJ Maxx and Marshalls usually have silicone cups – 12 for $5.00
These look amazing! Sadly, through the powers of Paleomg, I have recently learned I am ALLERGIC to spaghetti squash! Hives, swollen lips, itchy mouth, it has happened twice immediately post spaghetti squash consumption. I’m 30 years old and have no other allergies (in fact I can get down on some butternut and summer squash) has anyone else encountered this? I may still try this one with spinach instead of squash.
That’s a TOTAL bummer Meg!! You could shred sweet potato!
I always eat my “pasta” sauce over baby spinach, makes me not miss pasta. I never really got on the spaghetti squash kick, perhaps I’ve just never had it cooked right? I don’t bother trying again cuz it rocks on spinach!
Meg,
I too recently have discovered that I could possibly be allergic to spaghetti squash. I’ve eaten it in the past with no problems and then suddenly, wham, itchy palms, feet, hives, swollen eyelids. I don’t have any other allergies & am about the same age. Don’t know if I should stay away from other sqashes. Any advice?
Oh these are adorable!! Thanks, I bet I could charm my teenage girl with ’em.
I wasn’t fond of spaghetti squash the last time I had it. I seriously wonder if the problem is it tastes like squash. I was tempted to wonder what would happen if I fed it to the food processor when raw and then simmered it in a spicy sauce of some kind. Then it wouldn’t taste like squash anymore but would still be an interesting ‘textural addition’ to something. I might try it. It would be better if you did since I am lazy and clearly, given you spend all day training and working out, you are not. 🙂
PJ
I LOVE it! How creative! I want to make lots of spaghetti nests with all kinds of different fillings! Yay!
What an awesome idea! I wanted to eat more spaghetti squash but this way makes it more fun. 🙂