There is nothing better than a home cooked meal. Something about it is just so comforting. You get to relax, stay home, lounge in your favorite comfy clothes, and eat a fantastic meal. Sounds great, right? Well it can only get better if you have delicious recipes to work with! I love to cook (and my roomies love when I do). I always try to cook something new, different, and healthy. So here are some of my favorite dishes that I like to make at home that warm my soul.
This week I made homemade chicken meatballs. YUM. I found the meatball recipe on Pinterest, which is my favorite way to find new recipes. I was inspired by my mom to make the meatballs. One of my favorite meals that she makes when I come home is Italian Wedding Soup. She makes homemade chicken meatballs to put in the soup and they are TO DIE FOR! So I decided to cook some of my own. They were super easy to make and are also a lean source of protein!
Homemade Chicken Meatballs inspired by Pinterest and my mama!
Another one of my favorite dishes to make is spaghetti squash! It is a healthy substitute for pasta and it is pretty simple to make. THE MOST IMPORTANT THING TO KNOW ABOUT SPAGHETTI SQUASH: caution when cutting it in half!! Spaghetti squash is very difficult to cut but once you get past that step, it’s smooth sailing. Just stick the halves in a dish with a small amount of water and bake them in the oven. Once it is done, you use a fork to fluff the squash and serve it however you please. I personally like it serve it with spaghetti sauce.
Another fun way to change up this meal is to add zucchini noodles! I bought a nifty handheld spiralizer for vegetables so I can make vegetables into noodles … I know, I know … I’m a dork. BUT IT’S SO COOL! You can also add a protein with the squash to enhance the meal!
Examples of Zucchini Pasta and Spaghetti Squash (Source: Google Images)
So if you are a loyal reader and viewed my previous post, you will remember my talk about carbohydrates. These meals are just more examples of carbohydrate-rich foods, as well as incorporating protein in your diet. Protein is another important nutrient that is beneficial for your body. Like I’ve mentioned before, carbohydrates serve as the main source of energy for our bodies. Proteins can be an energy source as well but that is not it’s main function. Your body uses protein to build and repair tissues. Proteins make up hormones and enzymes in the body as well as building blocks for bone, muscle, skin, and blood, aka take care of yourself and eat your protein!!
(Left): Homemade Spaghetti Squash & Zucchini noodles with ground turkey meat-sauce (Middle): Homemade Paella (Right): Homemade chicken meatballs with asparagus and angel hair |created by Ashley Trice|
Ashley's Appetite 