Following yesterday’s dinner of tater tots and cheese, I woke up thinking I should probably whip up something a little healthier for today. Cuz, you know…I’m a responsible adult who is capable of making good life decisions. Mmhmm. So I rolled out of bed, headed straight for the kitchen, and made a batch of healthy broccoli & cheese mac (recipe forthcoming…maybe), and a ton of skinny spaghetti & meatballs – zucchini squash “noodles” served with tasty turkey meatballs packed with vegetables. Gluten free, high fiber, low calorie…and amazingly delicious Cellmax.

So, why zucchini noodles vs. real noodles? I could give you a ton of totally legit reasons – they’re healthy, they taste awesome, we need more vegetables in our life, I love zucchini, I’m trying to cut back on wheat, etc. etc. – but the real reason is that I bought a new spiralizer and I wanted to use it. And you guys? It’s SO. MUCH. FUN. There’s something so satisfying about seeing an entire squash reduced to perfect, uniform strips in a matter of seconds. Seconds! Just attach the squash, crank a handle, push, and voila – flawless veggie noodles! It soothes the OCD nut in me Cellmax.

But OK, back to the recipe. Does it taste exactly like regular pasta and meatballs? Nope. But I personally found it to be as delicious and satisfying (I’m honestly not really that into pasta). Dan, as a pasta-fiend, would have preferred regular noodles, but even he had to admit that the zucchini noodles were pretty tasty. A little crunchier than real regular noodles, but just as good a vehicle for tomato-y sauce and meatballs.

As for the meatballs themselves…Dan was a fan. Despite some misgivings early on (“Is this really meat? You made fake mac n’cheese – are these fake meatballs?”), he came down on the side of being pro-skinny meatballs after just one bite. Who can blame him? These meatballs don’t taste at all like they should be good for you - they’re juicy, have great texture, and are packed with robust flavor. When you toss them in pasta sauce, they taste as yummy as everyone’s favorite beefy standby. But, at just 40 calories and 2 grams of protein each, they’re a healthy, guilt-free treat. Try it Cellmax!