Dairy and Egg Free Spaghetti and Turkey Meatballs, and a few housekeeping notes….

I’ve recently had a lot of requests for a dairy and egg free meatball recipe and am happy to finally get around to sharing my family’s favorite. You know me, I want easy, no-big-deal type recipes and this one fits the bill. It is so easy yet healthy and delicious. I can make this entire dinner start to finish in under 30 minutes, with kids yanking at my leg and others screaming for homework help. In other words, it doesn’t get any easier than this and your family will love it. Also, you can easily make the sauce and meatballs ahead of time and freeze.

A couple of tips:

• use dark meat ground turkey because the lean stuff tastes dry.
• omit the grated veggies and just use grated onion in the sauce if you don’t have veggies on hand. I simply like sneaking in veggies when possible.
• use GF pasta and GF panko crumbs if you need to (kinnikinnick brand carries a GF panko)
• I like to bake my meatballs for two reasons, reduce the fat in frying and it is faster and easier to bake them in the oven and add to sauce later.
• I like to serve dairy free garlic bread with this dish: DF baguette, cut in half and sliced lengthwise. Melt 2 T. DF margarine and add 3-4 minced garlic cloves. Brush on both cut sides of bread, wrap in foil and bake in a 425 degree oven for 10 minutes. Unwrap, position bread to open face and set broiler on high. Broil to toast lightly, 1-2 minutes and KEEP AN EYE ON IT!
• This spaghetti and meatball recipe can be used to make leftover meatball sub sandwiches the next night. MY personal favorite!!

Finally, a few housekeeping notes. It seems as if I have had more than the usual negative comments on my blog recently. I don’t like the negative tone and I don’t like wasting my time addressing insensitive remarks. So if you choose to leave this type of comment here, think again. I won’t read it and I won’t address it. My blog was created nearly three years ago as a forum to share my favorite recipes and offer my personal stories regarding our struggles and even triumphs regarding the world of food allergies. I didn’t start this blog to be controversial, a know-it-all or even an alarmist. I LOVE the positive and loving messages so many of you give to me in your comments and emails. Words cannot express how much they have meant to me and how it has kept me going on the REALLY tough days of advocating and writing. Your positive energy has been a true blessing and I am so grateful. For those of you that troll around and talk smack…different story. If you want to stir the pot, go write to Joel Stein or something. I have no interest in addressing ridiculous and negative comments. Also, please keep in mind that all my recipe postings are provided here for FREE because I truly enjoy creating them and love to give them to all the food allergy mama’s out there who simply want to bake and cook great food for their families. No, I am not a chef, I did not go to culinary school, I am not a nutritionist, I am not a doctor or allergist. I am simply a mom whose passions include my family, great food and working to educate about food allergies. That’s the bottom line.

DAIRY AND EGG FREE SPAGHETTI AND TURKEY MEATBALLS

For Sauce:

• 1 T. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 1 small onion, peeled and gated
• 1 c. grated, peeled veggies (I like a combination of carrots and zucchini) simply omit if your kids aren’t thrilled with the veggies)
• 1 28 oz. can crushed tomatoes (I like Muir Glen Organic with Basil)
• 1 15 oz. can tomato sauce (Muir Glen)
• 1 3/4 tsp. dried Italian Seasoning
• 1/4 tsp. dried Thyme
• 1 T. fresh Italian parsley (optional)
• Salt and Pepper to taste

F0r Meatballs:

• 1 lb. dark meat ground turkey
• 3/4 c. panko crumbs
• 1 tsp. dried Italian Seasoning
• 1/4 tsp. dried Thyme
• 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
• 1/4 tsp. fresh cracked pepper
• 2 T. water

Preheat oven to 425 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a large bowl combine the meatball ingredients until mixed together. Use your hands to roll mixture into 1 inch balls and place on parchment paper. Bake for 15 minutes or until no longer pink.

Meanwhile, heat a large Dutch oven or heavy pot over medium high heat for about a minute. Add olive oil and grate onion and/or veggies directly into pot. Add seasonings, and salt and pepper to taste and saute about five minutes or until onion is translucent. Add canned tomatoes and tomato sauce and simmer on low heat for 15 minutes (during the time the meatballs cook).

Heat a big pot of water to boiling and cook pasta according to package directions. Add cooked meatballs to sauce and simmer for five additional minutes. Drain pasta and pour into a big bowl, adding meatball/sauce mixture to spaghetti. Serve with crusty bread, garlic bread and a salad.