Baked Meatballs with Mozzarella and Arugula
Ingredients
For the meatballs
- 1 lbs beef extra lean
- 1 lbs pork extra lean
- 1 egg
- 1 tsp of each dried basil and oregano
- ¾ cup/75g breadcrumbs
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp olive oil
For the sauce
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2-3 garlic cloves minced
- 4-5 fresh basil leaves chopped
- 2 X 14 oz/400g cans chopped tomatoes
- 3 tbsp basil pesto
- salt to taste
Additional ingredients
- 2 cups/100g arugula/rocket
- ½ cup/125 g fresh mozzarella balls small
- 4 cherry tomatoes halved
- 4-5 basil leaves optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400F/200C
- In a large bowl combine beef and pork, beaten egg, basil and oregano, breadcrumbs and salt, mix well and shape into 20 meatballs. (Alternatively you can use store-bought meatballs and skip this step.)
- (Baking method) Place meatballs on a parchment paper lined rimmed baking sheet and bake in the preheated oven at 200C/400F for 10 minutes. (The meatballs will not be baked all the way through.)
- OR….(Frying method) Heat olive oil in a large frying pan and brown the meatballs over medium heat but don’t cook all the way through. Remove from the pan and set aside.
- To the same pan add 1 tbsp of olive oil, chopped garlic and basil and cook briefly for 1 minute, then add canned tomatoes previously processed in a blender until smooth or leave chunky for extra texture if desired. Then add 3 tbsp of basil pesto and salt, bring to a boil, then lower the heat and let it simmer for approximately 5-7 minutes.
- Return the meatballs to the pan with the sauce, add arugula and mix, then scatter mini mozzarella balls, halved cherry tomatoes and basil leaves on top.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes until the sauce is bubbly and mozzarella is melted and golden.
- Serve with pasta or a side of your choice.
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Healthy Shrimp Scampi with Zucchini Noodles
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 shallot finely chopped
- 4 cloves garlic minced (about 1 1/2 tablespoons)
- 1 pound large raw shrimp peeled and deveined with tails on (fresh or frozen and thawed)
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 cup low-sodium chicken broth or white wine
- Zest of 1/2 lemon
- 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1 1/2 pounds zucchini noodles from about 4 medium zucchini
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves
- 2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan
Instructions
- Heat the butter and olive oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add the shallot and cook until beginning to soften, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 30 seconds. Add the shrimp, salt, red pepper flakes, and black pepper. Sauté for 3 minutes, until the shrimp are beginning to cook but are still somewhat translucent.
- Add the chicken broth, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Bring to a boil and cook for 1 minute, just until the shrimp are completely opaque and cooked through. Stir in the zucchini noodles and parsley. Toss the noodles with the shrimp so that they are coated with the garlic-lemon sauce and heat just until warmed through. (Do not overcook or the zucchini noodles will become mushy.) Sprinkle with parsley and Parmesan. Serve warm.
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