Eat This! Aromatic Moroccan Cinnamon Tomato Sauce and Turkey Meatballs with Zuccini noodles and Couscous

I have been receiving a ton of recipe requests to go with the zucchini vegetable spirializer that apparently a lot of you have gone out and purchased.(I know… totally additive!!) So this week I am making Moroccan Meatballs in an aromatic spicy cinnamon tomato sauce to be served over the zucchini noodles and with a side of couscous. This dinner is so filling but incredibly low in calories and barely any fat!! One full cup of couscous 1 cup of zucchini and two meatball comes in at about 297 calories! (and that is like a man sized portion) And the left overs make for a perfect change of pace in the office lunch department! I recommend making extra zucchini and don’t cook it but instead steam it when you go to heat up the meatballs.

These meatballs would typically be made with ground lamb..but today we are using some lean ground turkey breast in place.I do of course recommend whole wheat couscous…Regular couscous is made from semolina wheat, while whole-wheat couscous derives from the whole grains of durum flour. This flour derives from durum wheat, which is high in protein and commonly used for other fare like pasta and pizza dough. Whole-wheat couscous has only 1 gram of total fat and 0 grams of saturated fat and cholesterol per 55 grams. So if you can make it out to whole foods I would recommend picking some up. A second runner up would be Knorr’s chicken flavored couscous…you literally boil water and then it sits for 5 minutes and its done. Here is the link for the zucchini noodles if you do not have a vegetable spiraler then use a mandolin to create sheer thin zucchini ribbons.

Ingredients:

• 1 can ground tomatoes
• 1 tsp Coconut oil
• ¼ cup diced small onion
• 4 to 5 cloves of garlic, pressed
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley, divided
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 2 teaspoons paprika
• 2 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon turmeric
• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper or black pepper to taste
• Bay leaf
• 1 packet Goya seasoning SAZON

Meatballs

• 1/2 kg (1 lb.) ground turkey
• ½ cup diced onion
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons paprika
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon (optional)
• 1 clove garlic, pressed
• 3 to 4 tablespoons chopped mint

Combine the meatball ingredients. Shape into small meatballs about 20. Then put on a baking sheet and bake in a 425* oven about 15 minutes.

In large sauce pan sauté garlic and onions in coconut oil. Add remaining ingredients and bring to boil simmer then add the meatballs and continue simmering for about 15 minutes. Serve with zucchini and couscous.