Oven-Roasted Turkey Meatballs with Quick Tomato Sauce and Capellini: A Quick, Low-Fat and Nutritious, Comfort-Food Menu

Oven Roasted Meatballs atop Capellini and a Quick Tomato Sauce

This menu is one of my favorite examples of how we can make small changes to favorite comfort foods - in this case, Spaghetti and Meatballs -  while keeping it satisfying, flavorful, making it healthier and more portion appropriate, and quicker and easy enough to get on the table quickly after a long day. Add to that it’s timeless appeal to kids and adults and you have an updated classic everyone will enjoy.

Turkey replaces the beef and pork, the meatballs are oven-roasted, not fried, (which also reduces the hands-on time and frees up the stove for the sauce and noodles) the flavor is boosted with parmesan, garlic and parsley while unnessary ingredients like egg and breadcrumbs are eliminated. A ¼ of protein seems completely appropriate when made into 4 smaller meatballs per serving. A quick cooking tomato sauce simmers in just 15 minutes keeping it light and bright and capellini (aka angel hair) is used instead of traditional spaghetti noodles to further lighten up the meal. I serve a simple arugula salad with my Citrus Vinaigrette and you have  a light, satisfying, made from scratch dinner on the table in an hour.

Oven Roasted Turkey Meatballs with Quick Cooking Tomato Sauce
Serves 4

For the Meatballs
Note: You’ll be preparing and cooking onions and garlic for both meatballs and sauce at the same time.

1 large onion, finely diced
4 - 6 plump cloves of garlic, minced
2 T evoo
1 pound ground turkey (not all breast meat, you need a little fat in there)
3/4 cup grated parmesan (plus more for serving)
3 T Italian parsley, minced
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Strongly recommended: parchment paper

Tomato Sauce
1/2 large onion, finely diced (prepped earlier for meatballs)
2 cloves garlic, minced, optional (prepped earlier for meatballs)
1 28 ounce can good quality whole, peeled and seeded tomatoes (like San Marzano or Trader Joe's brand), stems removed and coarsely chopped (pulse a few times in a food processor or snip with scissors in the can or simply plan to break up with a back of a spoon while they cook)
1 stem fresh basil or 1 t dried oregano
Dash of red pepper flakes, optional
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Splash of balsamic vinegar, optional

Etc.
1/2 box (2 ounces per person) good quality capellini, angel hair pasta or thin spaghetti like Barilla or De Ceccio brand
2 T Salt, if desired
Good quality parmesan cheese like Parmesano Reggiano

Simple Salad of Arugula Leaves and Citrus Vinaigrette
8 cups Arugula per person
¼ cup Citrus Vinaigrette (available on this site), or other favorite vinaigrette
optional: thinly sliced red onion, halved kalamata olives, 1-2 T toasted pine nuts


Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

1. Heat 2 T evoo (amount for meatballs and sauce) in a non-stick sauté pan until hot but not smoking and add both halves of the diced onion. Sauté, stirring frequently, over med-high heat until translucent and lightly browned, about 7-10 mins. Season with salt and black pepper to taste and add garlic for meatballs and garlic for sauce, if using. Sauté until fragrant, 1 minute.

Finished Onions and Garlic

2. Scrape 1/2 onion mixture into a large bowl for the meatball mixture and set aside to cool and 1/2 into a 2 quart sauce pan for the sauce. 

3. Add tomatoes, basil or oregano and optional red pepper flakes to sauce pan with onion mixture and bring to a boil. Add salt and pepper to taste. Reduce heat to simmer and stir. Simmer over low heat, stirring occasionally while you make the meatball mixture. Alternately: make the sauce while the meatballs are roasting. See step 6 for additional instructions.

4. When the onions have cooled, add ground turkey to the bowl along with parmesan, parsley and salt and pepper to taste. Mix thoroughly but with a light touch. Line a heavy duty sheet pan with parchment.

Smaller meatballs means everyone gets four, which feels lavish

5. Shape turkey mixture into balls about the size of ping pong balls - a little smaller. You should be able to make 4 balls per person for a total of 16. Place each ball on parchment lined sheet pan. Parchment makes the cleaning of the sheet pan a breeze later.

6. Bake meatballs until browned on the outside but still juicy - about 15-20 minutes. The parmesan will help keep the meatballs moist and make them somewhat crispy (not too crispy!) on the outside to replicate frying. Check
for doneness by cutting into one if you are not sure. They should be juicy but just barely pink. Be careful not to overcook (or everyone will know you used turkey). 

Meanwhile, simmer tomato sauce over low heat for a total of 15-20 minutes, until thickened, breaking up any chunks of tomatoes with back of a wooden spoon and stirring occasionally. add splash of balsamic to finish sauce, if desired.

The parmesan adds to the caramelization here

7. While the meatballs are roasting, bring a large pot of optionally (recommended) salted water to boil. About 10 minutes into their cooking, cook pasta according the package instructions. Drain and return to cooking pot. 

If making optional Arugula Salad, place arugula in a large bowl, add optional ingredients if desired.



8. When meatballs are done, remove carefully (they like to stick due to the cheese) and put in pan with sauce. Stir to coat with sauce. Toss meatballs and sauce with cooked noodles. Toss salad with Citrus (or other) Vinaigrette.


9. Serve Spaghetti and Noodles - either individual plated, or in a big shallow bowl “Family Style” - showering with freshly grated parmesan. Serve arugula salad alongside and enjoy.

A Garden Tale Of Promise And Intrigue

The Dashing Star: Arugula

I'm excited to report that the experiment is working and the baby lettuces I recently planted are flourishing in my sky-light covered central patio. In a desperate rescue attempt, I took them away from the hungry snails to the enclosed refuge of said patio. Although it is warm in there, there is no direct light from the sun. My friend who lived here before us said she used to lay out in there but I'm sure she was joking (ok, so I tried it).

The Villain: Cilantro

In other growing news from the patio - the potted cilantro is doing good so far as I am diligently trimming the leaves (and enjoying them) before they bolt. Cilantro, for me anyway, does so good in the beginning that I always think this time will be different, but sadly it never is. For now, we are in the honeymoon phase.

Best for me to start small

I know many of you have your own vegetable gardens - I'd love to hear what's working (and not!) for you.

Recipe: Peanut Butter Ice Cream

So Creamy!

If you're already making home-made ice cream, you know how easy it is. If you're not, perhaps this recipe will be the inspiration you need. Once you get the hang of making the custard-base (aka creme anglaise), making ice cream at home just takes a few minutes to throw together. Makes about a 2 pints.

2 cups heavy cream
1 cup whole milk
3⁄4 cup sugar
5 large egg yolks
1/2 cup smooth peanut butter* (natural or not, however you roll)
2 tsp. vanilla paste or extract
Optional: 1/4 cup salted peanuts, chopped fine, plus more for garnish*

1. Heat 1 cup cream and milk in a small saucepan over medium heat until just hot (aka scalding; don't let it boil). Meanwhile, whisk sugar and eggs together in a medium bowl until thoroughly combined, about 1 minute of vigorous whisking.

2. Turn off heat and gradually whisk hot milk/cream into egg mixture, then return to saucepan. Place on medium-low heat and cook (it's a custard now), stirring constantly with a flat wooden spatula or silicon spatula, making sure you get in to the corners, until it is has the consistency of Kefir or buttermilk (or say melted ice cream) and coats the back of whatever your stirring this with, about 5 minutes. If you start to see chunks of egg, take pan off the heat and whisk thoroughly and continue. Remove saucepan from heat and strain custard into a medium size bowl. Whisk in 1⁄2 cup of  peanut butter and vanilla.  Place custard bowl in a larger one with about one tray of ice cubes and approximately 2 cups of water. Stir occassionlly until custard is cold. Alternately, cover with plastic and refrigerate until cold. Once cold, whisk thoroughly one last time before continuing with the next step.

3. Process mixture in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer's directions, adding the optional 1⁄4 cup chopped nuts to the ice cream right before it's finished - don't let it mix more than a few seconds. If you prefer, you can fold nuts in by hand - scoop out ice cream, place in a large bowl, and fold nuts in quickly and thoroughly. Transfer ice cream to a bowl and serve now (see note) or put ice cream in an air-tight container and freeze until hard. Garnish with chopped nuts, shaved chocolate or chocolate sauce, if desired.

*Note: If you like smooth ice creams, leave out the nuts. If you prefer some crunch then by all means, use the optional nuts. You can't go wrong either way - just don't add them during the churning process, but during the last few seconds or the ice cream will have an undesirable texture. You can always just garnish the ice cream with the nuts too!

Recipe: Prosciutto-Wrapped Turkey Meatloaf

 A lower-fat version of a comforting classic. Serves 6



I used to cover my meatloaf with bacon, but now I prefer to use prosciutto. It's even more flavorful, contains less fat, and because most butchers get their bacon pre-sliced and thickly cut, it's easier to come by. Use prosciutto di Parma for best results. Double down and make one for tonite, one to freeze.

1 T extra virgin olive oil
1 large onion, medium dice
1 small red pepper, medium dice

4 cloves garlic, minced
Kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper, to taste
2 pounds ground turkey (not all breast meat or will be too dry)
1/3 cup grated parmigiano reggiano
1/3 cup chopped cilantro
1/3 cup thinly sliced scallion, white and green parts
1/2 t finely grated lime or lemon zest
1 cup panko bread crumbs
6-8 paper-thin sheets proscuitto di Parma, cut in half width-wise

Optional sauce:
Mix together 1 part chipotle in adobo to 1 part ketchup

I like to make 2 small loaves and freeze 1

Sauté onion in olive oil until lightly browned, about 7 mins on medium-high heat. Add red bell and sauté until softens, about 5 minutes. Reduce to low-medium and add minced garlic, salt and pepper to taste. Mix up good and stir constantly until garlic is fragrant and lightly browned, about 1 minute. Take pan off heat and let cool. Meanwhile, place ground turkey in a large bowl. When onion mixture is cool, scrape into bowl, scattering it about over the turkey. Next scatter parmigiano, cilantro, scallion, zest and panko into bowl and add about 2 teaspoons each kosher salt and black pepper. Combine everything together and mix lightly but thoroughly with your hands. Resist the urge to mash together or the end result can get heavy and dry.

Lay the proscuitto over the top

Optional but a good rule when making meatloaves, meatballs, terrines: take the meatloaf mixture and form a small patty and saute it in a small amount of olive oil. When cool enough to taste, check the seasoning. Is the mixture too wet (did water leach out of your patty)? If so, add a bit more panko. Needs something but not sure what? Add more parm. Too rich? Add a touch more herb and a little more pepper.

Always let the meatloaf rest a few minutes before you slice

Press lightly, removing any air pockets, into a large loaf pan (or two smaller ones). Lay the sheets of prosciutto across the width of the loaf, overlapping each layer. Patch any bald spots with more proscuitto. Bake at 400 degrees approximately 30 minutes or until instant read thermometer registers 165 degrees. Be careful not to overcook as with turkey you don't have a very large margin for error. The loaf will pull away from the sides of the pan when it's ready.

Pour off any juices, reserve, and let meatloaf rest 10 minutes before slicing. Pour reserved juices onto each piece and serve with chipotle ketchup, if desired. If you want to double the recipe to make one for the freezer, wrap tightly in plastic - right in the loaf pan. Let defrost overnight in the fridge and bake as directed.

Citrus Vinaigrette

Recipe: Citrus Vinaigrette

4 Oranges
8 Meyer Lemons
8 Tangerines
6 Limes
1 t Dijon
1/2 c orange muscat vinegar (available at Trader Joe's) 
1 1/2 cups extra virgin olive oil
 
Zest and juice citrus into small, high-sided, heavy duty saucepan and bring to boil over med-high heat. Reduce heat to medium and continue to boil until juice and zest is reduced by half. Pour citrus reduction into a medium-size bowl and steady the bottom with a damp towel. Whisk in Dijon and vinegar. Whisking constantly, add olive oil a drop at a time to emulsify and continue drizzling until all the oil has been incorporated - be patient - this takes about 5-7 minutes of constant whisking. Makes approximately 2 cups.

Note: if the vinaigrette breaks (this happens if the oil is added too quickly and the vinaigrette hasn't emulsified, creating a separation of the oil and other ingredients), pour this into a pyrex measuring cup, put another teaspoon of Dijon in the bowl and add broken vin a drop at a time, whisking constantly, until it emulsifies and continue adding in a thin stream until completely incorporated. This process can work with mayonnaise and aioli as well.  

Special Diets: Gestational Diabetes

I just wrapped up week 2 cooking for a mother-to-be with gestational diabetes and I am happy to report that the parameters for her diet are not as limiting as I had originally feared. Please be aware I am not a doctor nor a registered dietician (or even a nutritionist) and can only speak to this particular case. My client (let's call her Josie) is to avoid the whites: sugar, flour, potatoes; corn, peas, carrots; an egg allergy thrown in for a twist and a few dislikes that we wouldn't be human without. Food is to be dropped off twice a week (vs cooking on-site) with 4 dinners for 2 and 4 lunches for 1 each week. I'm sticking to things that can be reheated easily in the oven or, gasp!, the microwave as she is on limited bed-rest as well.

Here's what I made this week:

January 11, 2011
Lunch
Chipotle Shrimp and 3-Cheese Quesadilla with Guacamole

Snack
Tapenade with Whole Wheat Crostini

Dinner
Pork (tenderloin) Chili Colorado with Warm Corn Tortillas 
Clay Pot Frijoles a la Charro 
Jicama, Watermelon and Arugula Salad with Queso Fresco (okay, it was really Feta ;) and Citrus Vinaigrette  

January 12, 2011
Lunch
Mediterranean Chicken Salad on Arugula with Whole Wheat Pita Chips

Dinner
Garlicy Shrimp with Black Pepper and Bacon
Whole Wheat Linguine
Roasted Asparagus with Meyer Lemon Zest