Faux Pasta Time!
So, it's time for some legitimate Faux-Pasta. Why the end of sentence capitalization? Because it's just that tasty. Let's face it, spaghetti and meat-balls is an eternal meal. From the age of 2 to 102 it's something that just about everyone can agree with. It's a great food to give to picky children. It's the easy choice at most Italian restaurants, and there are as many variations on this dish as there are places to order it. It's one of those heavily romanticized dishes, from Lady and the Tramp on we get to see couples coming together over this dish. So why miss out on it just because you're following a low carb lifestyle?
Now, please be aware of one thing, this is a fairly carby meal. At about 8 net Carbs per cup of spaghetti-squash, it's very easy to run up a massive amount of carbs. Either plan your day around this carb-heavy meal, or do this the true Italian way and allow the pasta to be a side dish as opposed to the Olive Garden style gargantuan main dish of pasta. Another thing to consider is the fact that your tomato sauce is also going to have it's fair share of Carbs in it. In other words, not till pre maintenance or maintenance.
Spaghetti Squash
1 Spaghetti Squash
Cut off the top most portion where the vine connected, and then split the squash in half length-wise and proceed to remove the seeds.
Pre-heat oven to 350
Place both halves of squash face down on a baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes, flip them face up and bake 5-10 more.
Here's where things get tough, you two choices, serve your spaghetti squash like this, using it's shell as a bowl. You can place your sauce and meatballs directly onto this and then just scoop the squash out with some sauce/meat as you go with your fork. It's definitely a fun way to show the dish off as it's fairly unique.
Your other choice is to use a fork, and with long steady strokes remove the squash in noodle like shapes. Depending on the done-ness of the squash it'll have a near al-dente like texture and will form long noodles. This is definitely the better way to prepare for multiple people/keeping your carbs in check.
But at the end of the day the choice is yours.
Now for what to put on the squash. Im going to give you two suggestions.
First is my favorite, a good spaghetti-sauce and scallops.
Cooper's pasta sauce of super uniqueness
1 jar low carb spaghetti-sauce
3 cloves garlic
1 zucchini
thyme
basil
red pepper flakes
Pour Spaghetti-sauce into a large pot and turn the heat to medium/medium high. Slice Garlic and put into pot.
Slice the zucchini into small triangles and place into pot.
Sprinkle a tsp or so of thyme/basil/red pepper flakes into pot, and let it heat thoroughly/until the zucchini/garlic are cooked in.
Mix this with meatballs of choice, and pour over your spaghetti squash and enjoy. Here are two forms of meatballs, first is the aforementioned scallops, second will be my version of an italian meatball.
Scallops-
5-10 large Scallops
1.5 Tbs Butter
1.5 Tbs White cooking wine
in a frying pan heat the cooking wine and butter together on medium-high till the butter is completely melted. Place thawed scallops onto pan and cook a couple minutes, and then flip. The Scallops should have turned a slight golden brown around the edges on the face down side that's just a tiny bit crispy. Repeat on the other side, and they are ready to eat! tasty.
Cooper's vaguely italian meatballs
Another choice is these vaguely Italianish meatballs. Tasty, and slightly more traditional in the Americanized-Italian-food sense.
1lb Ground Beef
1lb Ground Pork
Grated Parmesan (The cheap stuff in the green canister)
Salt
Garlic powder
pepper
1egg
oregano
Basil
First thing you notice here is I didn't give you any measurements on anything beyond the meat and the egg. Why's that? Well, as I always say "Cooking is more of an Art than a science" This here is all about the flavors you like. I love a lot of pepper and garlic, some people don't. I can pick up on a faint hint of oregano and basil, some people can't. Do what you think tastes best.
Mix the meats together in a bowl so you have some bastardized pow or kig meat concoction. And the season it as you wish, mix the egg in, and lots and lots of Parm. At least 1/4 cup if not more as the Parm is acting as your bread crumbs. Once everything is thoroughly mixed together mold the mix into small golf-ball sized balls and place onto a baking sheet that's been lightly oiled/buttered.
Pre heat oven to 350 and bake for 25ish minutes, or just put these meatballs in with the squash, and pull them out when the squash is finished, that's what I do. Oh, and with meatballs it'll look something like [IMG]http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b293/kouper/008.jpg[/IMG]
