Tag Archives: its whats for dinner

Creamy meatballs with spaghetti squash

I usually make my meatballs from scratch but I have half a bag of Costco meatballs left over from Christmas that need using and the creamy meatballs recipe was on the label and it caught my attention. I’ll high light what foods especially help nourish the kidney energy of winter. What I also like about this recipe is that you can add a few things to just about any recipe to give it a nutritional boost like spaghetti squash instead of pasta for example and fresh spinach and mushrooms instead of frozen or canned. The method of slow cooking and the richness of this dish is what makes it so good for winter. The spinach and artichokes ease the body’s natural ability to digest and cleanse after a rich meal.

meatball

What you need:

1 bag of spinach

can or box of cream of mushroom soup

2 cups of water

2 cups ricotta cheese

1 Tblsp balsamic vinegar (don’t tell my husband he thinks he doesn’t like it)

18 meatballs

sliced mushrooms

artichoke hearts (I used frozen because I had them, they aren’t on original recipe)

1 tsp red pepper flakes

salt and pepper to taste

parmesan cheese for garnish

IMG_0578

What to do:

Poke holes with a fork all around spaghettis squash and roast at 450 for 35-40 minutes or until soft.

In the meantime combine cheese, vinegar, soup, artichokes and mushrooms in pot and turn heat on low. Stir occasionally to combine. Add meatballs and cook until heated through. Rough chop spinach or chop in food processor and add 5-10 minutes before serving, stir well.

When squash is cooked, cut in half and deseed. Use a fork to fluff out the spaghetti squash and season lightly with salt and pepper. Pour cream sauce and meatballs over spaghetti and Enjoy!

 

1 Pot Three Bean Green Chili

This is a good recipe about balance. Its a hearty meal with lots of health benefits that I like to pair with tortilla chips and sour cream and shredded cheese. The warming nature of the chili itself along with the spices helps to counteract the cooling nature of the sour cream and shredded cheese. Because life is too short to skip the sour cream. 😉 Its also a quick and easy meal, 30 minutes or less to make. I’ve bolded the ingredients that especially benefit the kidney energy of winter.

  
What you need:

  • small onion
  • 1lb ground beef (preferably grassfed)
  • 1 red pepper chopped
  • 1/2 cup corn
  • 1 can red kidney beans
  • 1 can white kidney beans
  • 1 can pinto beans
  • 2 12 oz jars of salsa verde
  • sea salt (I use pink himalayan salt)
  • black pepper
  • cumin
  • shredded cheese
  • sour cream (or greek yogurt)
  • cilantro and avocado for garnish
  • tortilla chips
  1. In a stock pot brown meat and onions, season with salt, pepper, cumin. I eyeball this maybe a tsp each of salt and cumin and 1/2 tsp of pepper. Drain excess liquid.
  2. Add pepper, corn, beans and salsa. Simmer on low for 15 minutes.
  3. Pour into bowls and top with shredded cheddar cheese, sour cream, avocado and cilantro. Enjoy with tortillas as a side or crumble into chili.

Enjoy!