Zucchini Pasta, with Vegetarian "Meatballs" and Butternut Squash Infused Marinara Sauce

I am a HUGE fan of recipe experimentation and recipe modification. Something about exchanging oil for applesauce or an egg for flaxseed gets my heart beating faster. Maybe the excitement is from replacing fat and calories with vitamins and minerals. Maybe its the lack of guilt that follows after consumption. Or maybe it's the act of creating--like a work of art. Sometimes these recipes turn out good...sometimes not so good. For example, Scofield's valentines cookies. Somehow they ended up as a pie. Then the taste was so awkward that I tried to cover it up with a layer of chocolate pudding. This caused the texture to be off, so I tried freezing the "pie." That was especially strange...

But I've learned from my mistakes. I mean, that's what mistakes are for, right? And though this recipe still might seem strange to some, awkward it is not. It definitely fits into the category of good...success...work of art. No guilt, no awkwardness, no question.

Once again, on the Whole30 program, pasta is a no-go. But after trying this recipe for Zucchini "pasta", I am hooked. Not to mention these bean-free falafel "meatballs." I could have a meal of these alone, they are so filling. And then to top it off...Butternut Squash infused marinara sauce that we created in my culinary course at Clemson. Heaven.

Butternut Squash Infused Marinara Sauce

• 2-3 tbsp. olive oil
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 3 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 28-oz. jar of diced Italian tomatoes
• 2 tsp. basil
• 1 tsp. oregano
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 2 tbsp. tomato puree, or tomato paste
• 2 tbsp. pureed beets
• 1 tbsp. flaxseed
• freshly grated parmigiano reggiano

Heat oven to 350. Cut the butternut squash in half. Scoop out all the seed and discard.  Rub outside of squash with oil and place on a baking pan. Wash fresh beets. Cut off the stems and cut into quarters (wash beets after cutting to avoid staining clothes). Rub outside with oil and layer on a separate baking sheet. Place the squash and beets in the oven for 45 minutes.  In the mean time, heat the olive oil in a large saucepan. Cook onions over medium high heat until they are tender and translucent (about 5 minutes). Add the garlic and cook for 1-2 minutes, do not brown.  Set aside. Carefully scoop out squash and peel the beets. Place squash in food processor and puree till smooth. Add to onions and garlic. Carefully puree the beets, separately. Add tomatoes, basil, oregano, flaxseed, salt and pepper to the onion mixture.  Remove excess beets (leaving two tbsp.) and add squash and onion mixture back to the food process. Process until smooth and there is a uniform red color all the way through the sauce. Place back in the sauce pan, bring to a boil, then simmer until ready to serve. Top with freshly grated parmigiano reggiano cheese.

I chose to leave out the cheese due to present dairy restricitons, but it adds the perfect punch. Fresh parmigiano reggiano may be expensive, but it is SO worth it.

Zucchini Pasta

• 4 medium zucchinis
• 2 tbsp. olive oil
• salt and pepper to taste

The preparation is so easy. Simply peel the zucchini all the way to the core using a potato peeler. Allow all the peels to fall into one large bowl. Add two tablespoons of olive oil to a large pan and allow to warm on medium high heat. Add all of the zucchini to the bowl and stir continuously. About 5 minutes into the cooking you will want to add 1-2 tbsp. of water to steam the veggies a bit. Once most of this water has evaporated and the zucchini is cooked through, remove from heat and add salt and pepper to taste.

For this recipe, I like to keep the flavor of the "pasta" simple, since the falafel and marinara sauce bring so much flavor to the table.

Bean-Free Falafel "Meatballs"

Adapted from I Breathe... I'm Hungry...

• 1 cup raw cauliflower, pureed (this is a little less than a whole head)
• 1/2 cup roasted almonds, ground
• 1/2 tbsp. cumin
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 tbsp. dried parsley (or 2 tbsp. fresh parsley, chopped)
• 2 large eggs
• 3 tbsp. coconut flour
• 1/2 medium yellow onion, cooked
• 1 zucchini, grated

Preheat oven to 375. Chop the cauliflower up with a knife, and then add it to your food processor. Once ground, remove and add the almonds. Pulse the almonds a few times so that they still have a choppy consistency. Combine the cauliflower and almonds into a large mixing bowl, then add in all of the other ingredients, mixing well. Once mixed, use your hands to form meatballs the size of your choice. Place them on a cookie dish and place them in the oven for 20 minutes, flipping once after 10 minutes. Remove from heat and serve warm over the zucchini pasta. Top with marinara sauce.

So here's to spaghetti and meatballs....Eat your heart out.