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Dani Spies is a Health & Food Coach and Fitness Trainer who enjoys finding simple and d'lishes ways to incorporate nutritious ingredients into an everyday kitchen.More »

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Spinach and Turkey Meatballs over Whole Wheat Spaghetti - VIDEO

Sometimes nothing hits the spot like a big bowl of good old fashion Spaghetti and Meatballs! 

For this QuickBite I take an old time favorite and add a twist.  Instead of ground beef, I use ground turkey, which makes these a little bit lighter and perfect for the warmer weather that's starting to roll in. 

I also like to add some frozen spinach right into the mixture, this way, even if you don't have time to make a veggie, you're still getting in your greens...not to mention it's a great way to sneak in some greens for those non veggie lovers in the family! 

Spinach and Turkey Meatballs over Whole Wheat Spaghetti - VIDEO

Ingredients

  • 1 lb of ground turkey (1/2 extra lean and 1/2 dark)
  • 6 cloves of minced garlic
  • 1 minced onion
  • 1/3 of cup of oat bran
  • 2 egg whites
  • 3 tsp. of worcestershire sauce
  • 1/2 a cup of Romano cheese
  • 1 tsp. of nutmeg
  • 8 oz. of frozen spinach. drained really well
  • 3 cups of marinara sauce
  • 1 lb of wheat spaghetti
  • a little extra virgin olive oil
  • salt and pepper to taste

    • Serves 4-6.

Directions

Prepare spaghetti according to package.

In a large bowl, combine ground turkey, garlic, onion, oat bran, egg whites, Romano cheese, nutmeg, worcestershire, spinach, salt and pepper.

Grab a couple of tablespoons of meat mixture and form into balls (about the size of a golf ball).

Preheat large saute pan over medium high.  Heat a couple of teaspoons of extra virgin olive oil, then add your meat balls.  Be sure not to crowd the pan.

Brown 3-4 minutes on each side.  Pour in tomato sauce.  Once sauce boils, turn to low, cover and simmer for 10 minutes.

Serve over whole wheat spaghetti.  Top with a little extra sauce and some extra cheese....yum!! 

Comments

Nicole :

Hi Dani,

I've really been enjoying your videos and recipes! Keep up the great work :-)

posted on April 8, 2007 10:43 AM

Aussie Chick :

Hi Dani,
Love the new site! I made this recipe using lean minced chicken breast (turkey is available in Australia, but not as much as chicken) and halved the cheese to lower that fat content. It was a huge hit! Thanks again so much for a great site. I love your recipes and watching your videos. Keep up the great work!

posted on April 16, 2007 12:21 AM

Kristin Egusa :

I'm going to try to make this tonight! wish me luck haha...it sounds so yummy! See you soon girl!

posted on February 8, 2008 2:33 PM

Dani :

Kristin - You don't need any luck...you'll be just fine:)!! Hope you love them!

posted on February 8, 2008 5:05 PM

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