wheatless chicken meatballs with sage and spaghetti squash

After posting a recipe a week for Doug and my meatless September, I decided that I really enjoy sharing my meals with you! This month, we are no longer vegetarians, but I have been doing what I can to prepare gluten-free (and low-carb, in general) dinners for the two of us. My new go-to dish is spaghetti squash, a hearty meal without the refined carbohydrates. By using the dried cheese instead of breadcrumbs, you can skip the gluten while still giving some "hold" to your meatballs. I prefer the strong flavor of pecorino-romano, but you could use a parmigiano-reggiano as well. I like to make a big batch and eat it throughout the week - a real lifesaver for those late nights tutoring, studying, and hitting the gym. The recipe below serves about four people. Enjoy!

Ingredients: 

1 lb of ground chicken breast

1/2 C dried, extra-fine pecorino-romano

1 large egg

1/2 large yellow onion, chopped

4 cloves garlic, chopped

2 large sprigs of fresh sage, chopped

Salt and Pepper

Olive oil

 Directions for Squash:

1. Preheat oven to 375 while you cut and clean squash (I still have yet to master the act of cutting a large squash in half... Doug has had to step in and I have the scars to prove it!)

2. Lightly coat the halves with olive oil and season with salt and pepper

3. Bake with open faces down in a oven-safe pan (I used a glass lasagna pan) until golden brown, about 30 - 45 minutes.

4. Once cooled, use a fork to loosen up the "meat" of the squash, which will come out like strands of spaghetti

5. Toss with your favorite red sauce - Doug and I prefer puttanesca, but a simple marinara or vodka sauce will work, too.

Directions for Meatballs:

1. Lightly coat a large sauté pan with olive oil and cook onions over medium heat until clear

2. Remove from heat and add chopped garlic, stirring together while pan is still hot

3. While pan cools, mix together ground chicken, cheese, egg, and sage - season with pepper (I suggest holding off on the salt, since pecorino-romano is quite salty on its own)

4. Add the cooled onion and garlic mixture

5. Use your hands to shape the mixture into balls and place in a lightly oiled pan over medium-high heat

6. Brown the meatballs on all sides

7. Add the red sauce to the pan and simmer until meatballs are cooked throughout