Sometimes you just want a big plate of spaghetti and meatballs! What do normal people do when that happens? I don’t know, I’m not normal! But I put up a big pot of sauce, make 2 lbs. of meatballs from scratch, and have a big plate of spaghetti and meatballs, homemade! Here we go, cuz I’m not at liberty to share my recipe. The sauce is basically crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes, Italian seasoning, *whispers* grated carrots, like a good medium carrot grated into the sauce, honest to god, minced onion, minced garlic, tomato paste… You’ll have to figure out your own proportions.
This translated nicely into a TV dinner – it was a few days before I was to attend a wedding, and I wanted to look hot, so I veggie-loaded.
A small mound of spaghetti that I’d tossed to coat with sauce – by the way, since I live alone, I’ve taken to cooking only as much pasta as I am going to eat that night. This way, I also have freshly ‘made’ pasta water to add to a bit of sauce, to help it stick to my pasta. It’s very simple and makes life easy – always hot, fresh pasta! Anyway, this, with one meatball, and though that might look like cheese, it’s actually plain bread crumbs (I’ve taken to making my own from stale bread pulsed in the food processor, into small crumbs, and season later). I added those for color, crunch, and to trick myself so I wouldn’t want cheese… it cuts back on fat & calories a lot. Nifty, right? (And it tastes good. Honest.)
To help cut back on calories that week, I’d prepped bags of salad fixins on Sunday – sliced cucumbers, raw broccoli, bell peppers, purple cabbage, Romaine lettuce… and just kept taking from those containers to make myself yummy salad. I like salad, so this didn’t bother me, but it’s also a great way to keep yourself on track. (And I lost 5 pounds that week from eating salad more meals than not, though I did have my share of pasta as well. I want to lose more, but that’s what happens when you only give yourself a week…)
Roasted wedge of cabbage with bacon.
I’d purchased bananas earlier that week as well, in hopes that I would eat more fruit for snacks and stop being so fat. I had a few bananas before the rest started turning very quickly, so I put some butter in a skillet, add some brown sugar, and let it melt. Sliced a banana into it, and then slipped those in and put it over low heat. Unfortunately, my TV show started and I ran into the living room to watch, and sort of let these go a touch too long. But one side got very caramelly, not quite burnt, slightly crisp, chew sugar bits, which was nice. I bet this would be really good over ice cream, but obviously I wasn’t trying to eat ice cream the week I’m trying to lose weight! This tasted pretty good, I would definitely do it again. And watch these more carefully and not the TV… hehe.
And the last compartment is obviously just a plum. I think I did a great job of stuffing my face, but with items that honestly didn’t come to that many extra calories overall. Love!
Happy eating!!!
aimee says
That looks so good Yvo!!!!!
Connie says
I knew I wasn’t the only one adding vegetables to the tomato sauce for spaghetti! I’d put shredded carrots and zucchinis in mine. Honestly the husband can’t tell. Do you make a couple of servings or make a big batch and freeze individual small portions of the sauce? This TV dinner looks delish. And I’m sure you’ll look great at the weekend wedding.
Feisty Foodie says
I generally make a big pot of sauce, but I don’t freeze any. I give some away… or I just eat it all myself 🙂
Hungry says
I like to put cheese rinds in my sauce.
Also, man oh man you love roasted cabbage.
Feisty Foodie says
Ooh, you just reminded me, I have a box of cheese rinds that I need to put in ribollita – I like to save mine for ribollita, but I’ll try that next time for sauce, yum!
And yea, I love cabbage. I generally love cruciferous veggies and find they take to roasting really well (Brussels sprouts, cabbage, broccoli, etc. – I don’t tend to favor cauliflower but I’m sure that roasts great as well). YUM!
T.C. says
Ok, I want that pasta in tin foil come Nov. Haha.
I’ll get the side of the jelly beans and milk steak myself. 😛
Feisty Foodie says
Haha, I still have some left… want it?
T.C. says
Sure, save me some in a zip-lock bag. lol.
skippymom says
We make a big pot of sauce too and have spaghetti and meatballs one night and then meatball subs with melted provolone or mozzarella the next. Never any leftovers.
Thanks for the hint about carrots – never remember to do that.
CheeeeEEEEse says
That is some photogenic pasta….damn!