Just one of those days...

Tuesday was one of those days....and Wednesdays are my days at work that I go in late. I usually will do errands, or clean the house but yesterday I treated myself to some "me time". I did some shopping, we needed some things for the house, and then I made my way to one of my favorite new clothing stores. You wouldn’t believe how much better my day got when I saw a sale wrack of winter jackets! Not that I needed one but their prices ranged from $3.99-9.99. NO your not reading that wrong, WINTER coats for that cheap! As I inspected a beautiful Navy Blue jacket, I thought life is good :).

Another thing that always makes me feel great after a long stressful day is a nice warm plate of pasta. Whether it’s with red sauce or a simple oil and veggie dish, pasta is the ultimate comfort meal.

Although Spaghetti and Meatballs is a comfort food, that doesn’t mean it has to be unhealthy or greasy! Spaghetti and Meatballs at a restaurant can have anywhere between 700-1000 calories, depending on how its prepared and the portion size that they give you. By simple broiling the meatballs instead of frying them, by using uncomplicated ingredients, your Food Fashionita Spaghetti and Meatballs will more than fulfill your craving for comfort and will be close to guilt free.

Traditional Spaghetti and Meatballs

Meatballs:
1 lb ground beef, pork and veal mix
1/2 cup Italian style bread crumbs
1/4 cups grated Romano cheese
1 tbsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 egg

Preheat broiler. In a large bowl add all ingredients and use hands to mix together thoroughly. Roll mixture into balls, about the size of golf balls. Place meatballs about 1 inch apart on a baking sheet. Broil until golden brown on all sides, about 10 minutes per side.

Sauce:
2 tbsp olive oil
2 large cans of crushed tomatoes (unflavored, no salt added)
1 large onion, diced
2 cloves fresh garlic, diced
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
salt and pepper to taste
1 tbsp onion powder

In a large pot add 2 tbsp olive oil, heat and then add onions, sauté for 5 minutes. Add garlic and sauté another 5 minutes. Add salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, onion powder and tomatoes. Add cooked meatballs and simmer sauce for 10 minutes. To finish add fresh basil or thyme leaves (optional).
Serve with pasta and grated cheese. Serves 4-5 people.