Meatless Monday

Spaghetti and meatballs just might be the ultimate comfort food.  The al dente noodles, rich tomato sauce and the savory meatballs to top it all off. Well, fear not, your family tradition can continue.

Here is a super healthy, meatless "Veggie Lisa" version of spaghetti and meatballs, minus tons of empty calories and fat. These meatballs are packed with not only nutrients but lots and lots of flavor!

Funny story: when I made these, I put the leftover meatballs in my fridge for lunch the next day. When I went to heat them up, they were no where to be found. Totally confused, I called my husband at work and asked him if he had seen my vegetarian meatballs.

He replied "Those were vegetarian? I got hungry late last night and ate them....all. They were good!"

Yes my complete carnivore of a husband ate my veggie balls. And loved them.

Vegetarian Italian Meatballs

1 egg, beaten

2 TBSP olive oil

3 cloves of garlic

1/3 cup panko bread crumbs

1/3 cup sun dried tomatoes (in package, not jar)

1/3 cup fresh basil, minced

1/3 cup finely shredded parmesan cheese

1 can chickpeas, rinsed and drained

1 pinch red pepper flakes

salt and pepper to taste

·      Turn oven on to 375

·      Heat large sauté pan over medium heat. Add 1 TBSP olive oil and garlic. Saute for 2 mins. Add to food processor. Set pan aside

·      Add to blender: bread crumbs, basil, tomatoes, cheese, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper and 1 TBSP olive oil. Pulse until well blended

·      Add chickpeas and pulse until a dough forms, don’t over blend

·      Scoop out about 1 TBSP of dough and form into balls

·      Coat in an equal mixture of some additional cheese and breadcrumbs.

·      Reheat original pan used with some additional olive oil. Brown each ‘meatball’ for about 4-5 minutes, turning to cook evenly every few minutes.

·      Place on cookie sheet in oven and cook an additional 15 minutes.

Serve with a low sugar storebought(or homemade) marinara sauce and spaghetti squash for low carb pasta.

Roasted Spaghetti Squash

1.     Wash outside of squash

2.     Cut off stem then slice in half length wise

3.     Scrape out seeds and throw in garbage

4.     Drizzle squash halves on cookie sheet with olive oil, salt and pepper

5.     Place open faced squash down and cook at 350 for 40-50 mins

6.     Remove from oven, allow to cool

7.     Turn squash over and scrape out strands

Gourmet Toast 4 Ways

If you've been to any health food restaurants lately you've probably seen some gourmet toasts on their menu. Not only are these SUPER easy to make (I mean, it's just toast after all) but they are a perfect snack or quick dinner when you are in a hurry. I hate heating up the kitchen in the summer time, so I will make a batch of these and some smoothies and voila! You have dinner.

Italian Summer Toast

1 slice Dave’s Killer Bread (thin slice)

½ avocado, smashed

1 slice of fresh mozzarella, segmented

3 leaves basil, chopped finely

balsamic vinegar

Cracked black pepper and salt to taste

1.     Toast bread (I have found the crunchier, the better!)

2.     Layer avocado on first, then mozzarella and basil

3.     Drizzle with vinegar and top with salt and pepper

Sweet Berry Toast

1 slice Dave’s Killer Bread (thin slice)

¼ cup lowfat cottage cheese

2 fresh strawberries, sliced

1 TBSP sliced almonds

2 tsp raw honey

1.     Toast bread (I have found the crunchier, the better!)

2.     Mix cottage cheese with 1 tsp of the honey

3.     Layer cottage cheese on first, then strawberries and then almonds

4.     Top with a drizzle of raw honey

Almond Butter and Banana Toast

1 slice Dave’s Killer Bread (thin slice)

2 TBSP natural almond butter

½ banana, sliced

1 TBSP chopped peanuts

1 tsp raw honey

dash of cinnamon

1.     Toast bread (I have found the crunchier, the better!)

2.     Layer almond butter (best to do this when bread is hot), then the banana

3.     Top with chopped peanuts and drizzle with raw honey

4.     Sprinkle cinnamon to finish off

Sunflower and Avocado Toast

1 slice Dave’s Killer Bread (thin slice)

¼ cup lowfat cottage cheese

½ avocado sliced

1 tsp olive oil

sprinkle of red chili flakes

2 tsp sunflower seeds

salt and pepper to taste

1.     Toast bread (I have found the crunchier, the better!)

2.     Layer cottage cheese and then the avocado

3.     Drizzle olive oil over top

4.     Sprinkle sunflower seeds and red chili flakes

5.     Finish toast off with salt and pepper

Sweet Potato Curry

You know those nights where you literally cannot think of one thing to make for dinner (besides cold cereal)....If you're like me, this happens just about every other night! Between kids, carpools, grocery shopping and checking emails I only have about 3 brain cells left by 6pm. Luckily I have this super yummy, nutritious, vegan curry that will make your tastebuds go wild! The best part...it can be made in the crockpot! Yes, I know, music to a busy lady ears. This has quickly become a staple at my house, I make it at least once a week. Don't let the pumpkin scare you....it makes it super creamy!

Crockpot Pumpkin and Sweet Potato Curry

1 15 ounce can of coconut milk, full fat

2 cups pumpkin puree

2 cups vegetable stock (or chicken)

½ TBSP curry powder

¼ tsp turmeric powder

2 tsp garam masala

1 tsp salt

¼ tsp black pepper

½ onion, diced

2 garlic cloves, minced

3 carrots, chopped

3 cups cubed sweet potato

2 cans garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed

Juice of 1 lime

½ cup raw cashews

·      Add coconut milk, pumpkin, stock and all spices into crockpot. Whisk.

·      Add in garlic, carrots, potatoes, beans, cashews and lime juice to the mixture. Stir

·      Cook on low for 6-8 hours

·      Serve over rice, quinoa or zucchini noodles

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My Favorite (Healthy) Kitchen Tool

*this post may contain affiliate links

Growing up when people asked me what my favorite food was I always answered "Pasta!." I loved everything about pasta, the texture, the taste, different sauces to use. etc. I mean, who doesn't love pasta? However when staying fit and keeping your waistline in check, pasta is one of the foods to avoid. My kids have learned to love the taste of whole wheat spaghetti but I prefer to skip the extra carbs. When I started replacing my pasta with vegetables, I lost weight pretty much immediately. Unfortunately pasta is not synonymous with weight loss (insert sad face here.)

But chin up my beautiful, fit friends, all hope is not lost. We can still dream about warm, fresh marina, spicy pesto and maybe even a low fat Alfredo sauce atop our noodles. Wait, did you say...noodles?? Yes, I still eat noodles, they just happen to made out of vegetables. Yellow squash, carrot, beets, zucchini and sweet potato make my absolute favorite veggie noodles. The best part about veggie noodles is that they literally take minutes to make with this tool. On average I use this Spiral Vegetable Slicer three to four times a week. I also have friends that call me often to ask to borrow it, that's how great it is!!

Not sure how to make veggie noodles? Here are some quick tips:

• you can eat the noodles raw, but I like to saute or steam mine in a pan for about 5 minutes. I like to eat them warm, soft (but not soggy), with a dash of olive oil and salt
• not all veggies are created equal. sweet potato and carrot might take a little longer to saute
• smaller, straight veggie segments work best
• top with whatever you like marinara, pesto, roasted broccoli, shaved Parmesan, or fresh black pepper
• spiralized noodles should last 2-3 days in the fridge when placed in Ziplock baggie

Also I love making this "No Carb" lasagna with my spiraled zucchini. You can find the recipe for this here

I love being able to think about dinner as one meal, I will make the sauces and whole wheat pasta for the family and then I will have my veggies noodles all ready to be served in a matter of minutes right along with theirs. Next to my blender, this tool has saved me from carb overload a time or two. Try it out, see what works for you and let me know what you think!!

XO,

Veggie Lisa