Spaghetti and Meatballs Squash Boats

If you are gluten intolerant or on a strict anti-inflammatory or paleo diet, having Grain-Free Rolls in the freezer ready to be used for recipes calling for breadcrumbs is great. But what if you aren’t? Is it okay to use wheat breadcrumbs and panko crumbs?

There are two reasons why most people aren’t aware of having any issues with grains. One is because they don’t know they aren’t feeling as good as they would if they weren’t eating these. Generally if someone goes on a 30 day anti-inflammatory reset where you remove all the possible problematic foods – grains, dairy and lectins – they feel better. Then as they reintroduce each of the food that have been causing issues, they figure them out. The second reason why you wouldn’t be aware of having an issue with a food is more hidden. The majority of our body’s negative responses to foods are subclinical, causing inflammation and negatively effecting our bodies over time, and you are not having immediate outward reactions to them, like an upset stomach, rash or headache. Grains have a high glycemic load and when they are overeaten this leads to obesity, blood sugar issues and diabetes. Because of the high glycemic American diet, these health issues are now a very big problem even among young people.

And it’s not just the high glycemic foods that is a problem. It’s also the toxins in American food. In many states in the US both grains and vegetables are being sprayed with herbicides or pesticides. These toxins oxidize human cells creating a chronic inflammatory response taking place in the body, something subclinical that is leading to diseases.

It’s both very challenging and psychologically unrealistic to eat perfectly all the time. But unless you were born with super genes, it may be a good idea to limit certain foods and also look for the cleanest ones which are foods grown sustainably or organically. Some US states are now, like other countries, banning the use of glyphosate, an herbicide (weed killer) that has been linked to several types of cancer. But as long as some states are still allowing the use of this spray on wheat crops, you aren’t going to know which baked goods have this toxin in it.

In an effort to be on a more anti-inflammatory diet you can be on the lookout for flour from a country in Europe or baked goods imported from a country in Europe where spraying crops with toxins is illegal. As you are looking at labels, “Product of France” doesn’t necessarily mean the food was actually made in France. It may mean it’s a recipe from France or done like the French do it. Make sure the product has been imported from France. I found several kinds of crackers at World Imports one of which is small dried toasts. If you aren’t gluten intolerant or on a strict anti-inflammatory or paleo diet, you can keep packages of these on hand for meatloaf and meatballs.

Spaghetti and meatballs is an American Italian dish. It was created here by Italian immigrants and eventually became one of America’s most beloved dishes. It’s no fun to have to give up spaghetti and meatballs because of the wheat pasta. And you don’t have to. This is where spaghetti squash deliciously lives up to its name.

Spaghetti and Meatballs Squash Boats

You will need:

• Roasted Spaghetti Squash (below)
• Meatballs (below)
• your favorite pasta sauce
• Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
• sliced basil leaves (or a chiffonade of basil made by stacking the leaves, rolling them up tightly and slicing them perpendicular to the roll)

Assembly

Place desired number of meatballs on the baked spaghetti boats. Pour the desired amount of pasta sauce over the meatballs. Sprinkle with cheese and basil. Bake in a 350° oven until hot. Sprinkle with more cheese and basil.

Roasted Spaghetti Squash

Ingredients

• small 2 to 2 1/2 pound spaghetti squash
• avocado oil
• salt

Instructions

Line a baking sheet with parchment.

Poke the tip of a knife around all sides of the stem to loosen and remove it leaving as much of the flesh of the squash intact as possible*. Then with the knife make marks on the squash as guidelines to cut the squash in half lengthwise. Scoop out the seeds. Rub with oil. Sprinkle with salt. Place cut side down on the parchment.

Bake in a 425° oven for 45 minutes or until the flesh is all golden colored and very tender (You’ll need to flip it over to check). Cool slightly then using a fork, loosen the ‘spaghetti’ by pulling out the flesh of the squash around the sides and the bottom. It will come out in strands.

*If their are large holes from removing the stem and there isn’t a good seal against the pan, they may take longer to cook.

Meatballs

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup chopped onion
• 1/3 cup chopped mushrooms
• a splash of avocado oil
• 1 pound ground beef
• 1/2 cup cracker or breadcrumbs, (for grain-free crumble 2 Grain-Free Rolls)
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
• 3 cloves garlic
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1 egg, lightly beaten

Instructions

Heat a small skillet. Add a splash of avocado oil. Sauté the onions and mushrooms until they begin to caramelize. Cool.

Place the meat, crumbs, basil garlic, salt, pepper, egg and cooled mushroom and onion mixture in a bowl and gently mix.

Divide the meat mixture into 12 pieces and roll into balls. Place the meatballs on a broiler pan lined with foil to catch the drippings.

Bake in a 350° oven for 25 minutes.