Spaghetti and Meatballs

My partner cooked up this delicious recipe for dinner the other night.

Keyword: Chef Ray, Clean Eating, Healthy Eating, Healthy Food, Healthy Recipe, Healthy Recipes, Paleo Pete, Pete Evans, Spaghetti and Meatballs

Ingredients

4 Tbsp coconut oil
2 handfuls of baby spinach leaves
1 French shallot finely chopped
2 garlic cloves finely chopped
350 g pork mince
150 g beef mince
2 Tbsp flat-leaf parsley leaves finely chopped
1 egg yolk
Himalayan salt or sea salt and freshly ground pepper
1 large handful of flat-leaf parsley or basil leaves finely chopped, to serve

Tomato Sauce

2 Tbsp coconut oil
2 garlic cloves thinly sliced
500 g canned crushed tomatoes (2 cups)
8 basil leaves chopped

Vegetable Spaghetti

3 large carrots cut into spaghetti strips on a mandoline or slicer
6 zucchinis cut into spaghetti strips on a mandoline or slicer
2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

Instructions

To make the meatballs, melt 1 tablespoon of the coconut oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Add the spinach and cook for 2 minutes until just wilted. Drain the spinach and leave to cool. Once cool, squeeze out any excess liquid, roughly chop and transfer to a bowl.
Return the pan to medium heat and add 1 tablespoon of the coconut oil, the shallot and garlic. Fry for 3 minutes, or until the shallot is translucent and the garlic is lightly browned. Set aside.
In a large bowl, mix the pork mince, beef mince, spinach, shallot and garlic, parsley, egg yolk and some salt and pepper until well combined. Roll into golf ball-sized portions and set aside.
Preheat oven to 180°C.
To make the tomato sauce, heat the coconut oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the garlic and fry for 30 seconds, or until lightly browned. Pour in the tomatoes and 125 ml of water, then simmer for 20-25 minutes until the sauce has thickened. Add the basil and simmer for a further 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. You can blend the sauce if your kids prefer it smooth.
To cook the meatballs, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of coconut oil in a large ovenproof frying pan. Add the meatballs and fry until golden on one side. Turn the meatballs over and place the pan in the oven for 5 minutes until the meatballs are cooked through. Remove the pan from the oven, add the tomato sauce, cover and keep warm.
To make the vegetable spaghetti, fill a saucepan with water and bring to the boil over medium heat. Add the carrot and cook for 30 seconds, then add the zucchini and cook for a further 30 seconds, or until tender. Drain, toss with a splash of olive oil and season with salt.
Divide the spaghetti between four serving places, top with the meatballs, spoon on the tomato sauce, sprinkle with the parsley or basil and serve.

Notes

From: Evans, Pete (2015) Family Food 130 Delicious Paleo Recipes For Every Day Macmillan