Spaghetti Squash and Meatballs

My mom told me that to get your house to smell like you've been cooking all day saute some garlic and onions in olive oil. This smell still brings to mind home. I have an Italian grandmother that I think may be the root of all my cooking desires who passed down cooking to my mom than me. This recipe for spaghetti squash and meatballs tastes just like home cooked comfort food.

Spaghetti Squash and Meatballs
1 spaghetti squash cut lengthwise and seeded
1-2 pounds of ground beef
2 cans of diced tomatoes
1 can of tomato paste
1/2 yellow onion diced
1 red/orange bell pepper diced
3-4 cloves of garlic finely chopped
1 tbsp of Italian seasoning
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp of thyme
1/2 tsp of rosemary
1 tsp of garlic powder
1tsp of black pepper
salt to taste

Place the squash cut side down on a baking pan with some coconut oil. Bake at 350 while you prep everything else.
In a pot open all cans of tomatoes and paste and heat over medium heat.
Add all seasonings.
Form golf ball sized balls of ground beef. I added salt and pepper, plus a little more Italian seasoning, and some almond meal to make these have the right consistency and taste.


In a large frying pan brown the meat balls. Then remove and set to the side (They won't be cooked through yet but don't worry.)


While the tomato mixture heats dice the veggies and saute them in the same pan you just cooked the meatballs in. (Here is where your house starts to smell amazing)


When the onions are beginning to get soft and translucent add them to your tomatoes.


Heat the sauce mixture until bubbling. Let it bubble for about 5 minutes. With a lid over it. (unless your a glutton for punishment and like cleaning tomato splatter)
Remove the sauce from the heat and place in a food processor.
Blend it a few times in the processor. (If you prefer chunky sauce only blend half of your tomato mixture)
Return the blended sauce to the pot and add the meatballs back in. Cook the meatballs in the sauce for about 10 minutes.


By now your squash should be soft.


Remove the squash from the oven and let it cool a bit before you attempt to scrape it out.
When you scrape it out of the shell it comes out in strands that resemble spaghetti. Hence the name.
Add the squash straight to the sauce.



This tasted just like my mom used to make (love you).