Monday's Menu:

Print the meatball and spaghetti squash recipe here!

Print the coconut flour bread recipe here!

Dinner in a Crock-pot? I do believe I will. Today I'm re-sharing a recipe for Whole 30 & Paleo friendly spaghetti and meatballs with coconut flour bread. This was my VERY FIRST blog post ever. Like, ever-ever. I've re-written it a bit but utilized the content because, duh...I had no readers when I drafted my first three blog posts before I even announced the blog publicly. Looking back my blog posts were OK, and maybe they're still just OK. But, in the beginning I was definitely rambling more so than I do now and barely knew how to use this site.

Moving on...Dinners like this are super easy because you can make the meatballs in advance and freeze them, so you only have to un-thaw them the morning of to toss them into the Crock-pot later that afternoon. You can also prepare them on the stove if you're not able to use a Crock-pot for any reason.

The menu (Whole 30 & Paleo friendly): spaghetti squash with turkey meatballs and coconut flour bread.

Shopping List:

For the meatballs:

1 lb organic ground turkey (or beef)
fresh chopped Italian parsley
coconut flour
1 organic egg
1 tbsp organic tomato paste
3 tbsp Italian seasoning
2 tbsp oregano
1 tbsp basil
sea salt to taste

For the pasta & sauce:

1 spaghetti squash
2 32oz cans crushed tomatoes (check ingredients for no added sugar)
1 to 2 15oz cans tomato sauce (check ingredients for no added sugar)
4 tbsp Italian seasoning
oregano and basil to taste
sea salt to taste
one small carrot (to reduce acidity)

For the coconut flour bread:

6 organic eggs (room temperature)
3/4 cup coconut flour
1/2 cup olive oil or coconut oil
2 tbsp arrowroot flour
1/2 tsp Pink Himalayan salt
1 tsp baking powder

I don't truly use measurements when making the meatballs because my precious Mammaw instructs me to use a handful of this and a handful of that...well, handfuls can vary. If you're not Paleo or gluten averse then you can add a handful of grated Parmesan cheese and a handful of Italian breadcrumbs, and thus skip the coconut flour. To me, Mammaw's original version is better. But, what's not better with cheese anyway?? However, for health purposes I am completely happy with my version below.

Instructions:

Paleo Meatballs & Sauce:

Mix all of the meatball ingredients together in a medium sized mixing bowl. Using an ice cream scoop (or a spoon and your hands to roll it into a ball), scoop out the meatballs and place them on a plate or baking pan with parchment paper. They should be about 1 inch to 1.5 inches in diameter. I usually yield around 20-25 meatballs. Place them into the freezer to harden up a little not (not completely freeze) for about 30 minutes before transferring them to either your to Zip-Lock bags to freeze completely or to your sauce pan/Crock-pot to cook immediately.

In your Crock-pot or large soup pot, add all of the ingredients to the pot with the meatballs. Assess if you want more sauce and add the 2nd can of pasta sauce if desired. I usually make 10-12 meatballs at a time and have left over sauce to keep afterwards.

If preparing in the Crock-pot, set on low for 3 hours. Adjust seasoning to preference.

If preparing on the stove, set on medium heat for 30 to 45 minutes stirring occasionally until the meatballs are cooked through. Adjust seasoning to preference.

Paleo Pasta: Cut a spaghetti squash in half, scoop out the seeds and stringy middle, coat the inside with a tiny bit of olive oil, and bake the halves face down on a foil lined baking sheet for 45 minutes at 350* F. Or, if you're like me and like to switch up your veggies, you can use a multitude of vegetables using the Spiralizer.

Paleo Coconut Bread: Preheat the oven to 350* F. Mix all of the ingredients together using a hand mixer and allow it to sit for about 5 to 10 minutes. Then pour the batter into a greased loaf pan. I usually like to sprinkle rosemary and salt on top of the bread before baking. You can also use oregano or other seasonings.

Bake the coconut flour bread at 350 F for 35-40 minutes, but just watch your time and the bread's appearance. It is done when you can stick a toothpick into the center and it comes out clear.

These items are staples for me to whip up quickly or to add in to dinners as they're so quick and easy to make. **Please note, you can definitely and easily make homemade pasta sauce. I have and do make it from time to time, but keeping these ingredients on hand for pasta sauce is easy in a pinch when you don't have time to go to the store.

I hope you enjoyed this recipe post. Please share if you did and make sure to subscribe below.

PS - I've been working to revamp the site as well as learn more about blogging using the site's features and will be back to blogging new entries soon!

XOXO

Every Piece Fits