Tasty Tuesday: 21 Day Fix Tomato Sauce and Meatballs

Happy Tuesday everyone! I am almost one week into my month long Isagenix cleanse, and so far so good! I drink two shakes a day for breakfast and lunch, then a 600 calorie or less dinner. It really hasn't been too bad so far. I was surprised, however, by how much I crave the actual act of eating. The shakes keep me pretty full, but I miss the act of physically biting, chewing, and eating. At least I'm not starving 24/7 like I thought I would be, and the all natural supplements they have you take give me CRAZY energy! Like I mentioned last week, a bunch of my friends and I are making the month of April our get healthy/get in shape month, so I'm especially glad that I have my sister in law Deanna's recipes to help me with my 600 calorie dinner plans! 

Speaking of my sister in law...today Deanna is sharing with us her spin on the "Grandma's Tomato Sauce" from the 21 Day Fix, Fixate Cookbook, as well as some basic turkey meatballs to go with it!

Hi, I'm Deanna! I'm a wife to an amazing husband and mommy to our adventurous 2 year old son, Matthew. I live for family, nutrition & fitness, and of course a good book- especially the kind that help me make delicious food! I have a BS in Health Science, I became a Beachbody coach in June 2015, and am currently working on my Holistic Nutrition degree!

When I started doing Isagenix I was really surprised to find how easy it was to go over 600 calories in one meal! When I first read up on the diet plan I thought 600 calories would be no problem to stay under for dinner! But then you start adding in calories with dressings, and cheese, and sauces, and before you know it you are well over the 600 calorie mark! Fortunately, Deanna is a Beachbody/21 Day Fix recipe expert, and I have loved using her recipes as a source for healthy dinner eating! Today Deanna is sharing her version of the 21 Day Fix "Grandma's Tomato Sauce" and Turkey Meatball recipe!

Fixate Cookbook's Grandma's Tomato Sauce

Ingredients:

 

2 Tbsp. olive oil

1 medium onion, chopped

4 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 (6-oz.) can tomato paste, no salt added

¼ cup red wine (I used a Cab/Syrah mix)

2 cans (28oz) whole peeled tomatoes, crushed or pureed in blender

2 Tbsp. agave nectar

1 tsp. sea salt (or Himalayan salt)

¼ tsp. ground black pepper

1 (3oz) Parmesan (or parmigiana) cheese rind- I used the closest part to the rind from a high quality wedge and put the whole chunk in.  But a nicer deli may have excess rinds.

3 Tbsp. finely chopped fresh basil

Directions:

 

1.      Heat oil in large saucepan over medium-high heat.

2.      Add onion; cook, stirring frequently, for 5 to 6 minutes, or until onion is translucent.

3.      Add garlic and tomato paste; cook, stirring constantly, for 2 to 3 minutes.  Do not let the tomato paste burn.

4.      Add wine; cook, stirring constantly, for 2 to 3 minutes.

5.      Add tomatoes, agave, salt, and pepper.  Bring to a boil, stirring frequently.  Reduce heat to low; gently boil, stirring occasionally, for 3 minutes.

6.      Add cheese rind; cook, stirring occasionally, for 1 hour.

7.      Add basil; mix well.

TIPS:

·        -Choosing the right canned tomatoes can be tricky.  Look out for tomatoes that appear pale and watery, or taste bland and overly acidic.  Also, choosing whole peeled tomatoes and blending/ crushing them will give you the best chance for great flavor! (Companies save the best tomatoes for whole canning!)

·        -The parmigiana rind is not completely necessary if you cannot find one/ don’t want to buy a cheese wedge.  It is in here because it ads great flavor for very little calories.

·      -  You can cook the sauce for longer to further develop the flavors, but when doing so, add 1 to 2 cups water, ¼ cup at a times to achieve desired consistency; cook, on very low heat, covered, stirring about every 5 to 10 minutes for 4 to 6 hours.

*I personally allowed the sauce to cook about 1 hour after adding the parmesan chunk.*

*I also highly suggest having every ingredient pre-made and portioned ready to be added in.  When you have to stir the pot constantly so the paste and wine don’t burn, you will NOT want to have to walk away to grab the tomatoes to blend them.*

And here are some delicious Turkey Meatballs to pair with the tomato sauce...

Back to Basics: Turkey Meatballs

INGREDIENTS:

1lb Extra Lean Ground Turkey
1/2 purple onion, finely chopped

1 Cup spinach, finely chopped

1/3 Cup feta cheese, crumbled

1 Tbsp. garlic powder

1 tsp. cumin

1 Egg

¾-1 cup quick oats (start with ¾ and add ¼ if the mixture is too wet to roll)

1 tsp. Himalayan Pink salt

½ Tbsp. cracked pepper

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Place 1lb turkey into a large mixing bowl.  Add chopped spinach, feta cheese, spices, egg and oats.  Mix well.

I like to use an old fashioned potato masher, but using your hands works just fine.

Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.  Roll mixture into approx. 1-inch balls and onto lined baking sheet. 

Cook at 350 for 30 minutes, flipping halfway through.

ENJOY!

*Add ‘Grandma’s Tomato Sauce’ and serve over your favorite whole grain noodles or spaghetti squash for a well-rounded, healthy meal!