Prevention Magazine
spaghetti
The US Department of Agriculture recommends that half of your plate at each meal be filled with fruits and/or vegetables. Sometimes this is a bit hard with children as they can be resistant to these healthy dietary staples. The March 2012 issue of Prevention Magazine featured six “kid-friendly” dinner recipes packed with nutritious fruits and veggies. Here is their recipe for Spaghetti and Meatballs that is sure to please the whole family and is packed with nutrition. It has 1 and 1/3 cups of vegetables per serving!
Ingredients
2 tsp olive oil
4 large carrots, coarsely grated
3 large ribs celery, finely chopped
1 large onion, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 can (28oz) crushed tomatoes
1 lb sweet Italian chicken sausage
12 oz whole wheat spaghetti
¼ cup finely grated Parmesan
Directions
- Heat oven to 450 degrees F. Line sheet pan with non-stick foil and coat with cooking spray.
- Heat oil in saucepan over medium heat. Add carrots, celery, and onion and cook until tender, 6 minutes. Add garlic and cook 1 minute. Stir in tomatoes and simmer, stirring occasionally, until thickened, about 12 minutes.
- Remove sausage from casing and form into 18 balls. Arrange in single layer on pan. Roast in upper third of oven until golden and cooked through, 20 minutes.
- Prepare pasta according to package directions while meatballs cook. Drain.
- Toss pasta in serving bowl with sauce and meatballs. Sprinkle with cheese.
Serves: 6
