Healthy

Meal Prep Monday: Meatballs with Vegetable Spaghetti

6/25/2018 11:05:00 AM

Meatballs with Vegetable Noodles

Hello there! Well, it's been a little while since I'e done a Meal Prep Monday post... and that's basically because it's been a while since I've done any meal prep! Lately, when I've been bringing food to work it's usually been leftovers or a sad desk salad. But last weekend I managed to put a proper meal together! Whoop whoop!

So for today's Meal Prep Monday we have... meatballs in tomato sauce with vegetable spaghetti. Ta-dah! I think of it as a wintry version of a desk salad. We've got brightness and freshness in spiralised zucchini and carrot, plus the warmth of meatballs, all slathered in a rich tomato sauce. It's full of vegetables and protein and is low carb - perfect for a desk-bound lunch at work. I'm not sure if it's age or my sedentary office job, but I'm finding myself less and less able or willing to eat big carb-based lunches on the regular. So, standard takeaway options like ramen, rice dishes or sandwiches are just not that appealing to me every day, and I'll usually save those for a once-a-week lunch with colleagues.

But back to the meal prep. I started by spiralising a zucchini and a carrot for the base. (This makes four light lunches; obviously add more if you have a bigger appetite than I do). When you spiralise vegetables you're left with the core of the vegetable which, to be honest, I usually discard, but this time I made sure to use them! I chopped up the zucchini core and the carrot core, and added the zucchini to the meatball mix, and added the carrot core to the tomato sauce. Waste not want not!

Spiralised vegetables and meatball mixture

For the meatballs I used lean pork mince, but obviously use whatever mince you prefer. I mixed them with the chopped zucchini core (a few chopped pieces of carrot fell into the bowl too, no biggie), some chopped parsley, and some grated parmesan before forming them into balls.

The tomato sauce was a standard tomato sauce - I cooked some chopped onion (and the chopped carrot) in some oil, added garlic and a tin of tomatoes and let it simmer. I then cooked the meatballs in the sauce and that was it! It is such a good feeling having my lunches prepped for the week.

Meatballs with Vegetable Spaghetti

I was so pleased with this meal prep. All the vegetables and vitamins, light and healthy, but still warming and comforting. All boxes ticked!

Meatballs with Vegetable Spaghetti
A recipe by Sarah Cooks

Ingredients
1-2 zucchinis
1 carrot
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 onion, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1 x 400 gram tin chopped tomatoes
250 grams minced meat of your choice (pork, beef, veal, chicken, turkey)
1 tablespoon flat leaf parsley, chopped
1 tablespoon grated parmesan
EVOO, for garnish
Extra parmesan and parsley, for garnish

Method
Trim the zucchini and spiralize. Finely chop the core and set aside.
Trim and peel the carrot and spiralize. Finely chop the core and set aside.
Divide the zucchini and carrot noodles between four serving containers.
Heat the tablespoon of olive oil in a saucepan over a medium heat. Add the chopped onion and chopped carrot core, and cook for 5 minutes, or until the onion is translucent. Add the garlic and cook for a further minute. Add the chopped tomatoes. Fill the tin halfway with water, swirl around and then pour into the saucepan. Bring to a boil, then bring down to a simmer and simmer for 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, mix together the minced pork, parsley, grated parmesan and the chopped zucchini core. Roll into small balls. Place the meatballs into the simmering tomato sauce and allow to sit for 5 minutes before giving a gentle stir. Continue to cook for another 5 minutes or so, or until the balls are cooked. (Cut one in half to be sure). Allow to cool before assembling your bowls.
Drizzle the zucchini and carrot noodles with a little extra virgin olive oil, and season with salt and pepper.
Divide the balls and sauce between the four bowls. Garnish with extra parmesan and chopped parsley.
Makes 4

Have you made this recipe? Leave a comment below! Tag me on Instagram @sarahcooksblog and hashtag #sarahcooksblog

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