Healthy Vegetable Spaghetti Sauce with Lean Meatballs - Easy Recipe

INGREDIENTS

1‑1/2 cups sliced fresh mushrooms 1/2 cup chopped onion plus 2 tablespoons finely chopped onion, divided 1/2 cup chopped carrot 1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper 2 cloves garlic, minced 2 cans (14-1/2 ounces each) no-salt-added stewed tomatoes, undrained 1 can (6 ounces) no-salt-added tomato paste 2‑1/2 teaspoons dried Italian seasoning, divided 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon black pepper 1 egg white 2 tablespoons fine dry bread crumbs 8 ounces 95% lean ground beef 4 cups hot cooked spaghetti

PREPARATION:

1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Coat large saucepan with nonstick cooking spray; heat over medium heat. Add mushrooms, 1/2 cup onion, carrot, bell pepper and garlic. Cook and stir 4 to 5 minutes or until vegetables are crisp-tender. Stir in stewed tomatoes with juice, tomato paste, 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning, salt and black pepper. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low. Cover and simmer 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
2. Combine egg white, bread crumbs, remaining 2 tablespoons onion and remaining 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning in medium bowl. Add beef; mix until well blended. Shape into 16 meatballs. Place in 11X7-inch baking pan. Bake 18 to 20 minutes or until beef is no longer pink. Drain on paper towels.
3. Stir meatballs into sauce. Return sauce to a boil; reduce heat. Simmer, uncovered, about 10 minutes more or until sauce thickens slightly, stirring occasionally. Serve over spaghetti.

This recipe appears in: Italian NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION: Serving Size: 1/4 of total recipe Fiber 7 g Carbohydrate 56 g Cholesterol 25 mg Saturated Fat 2 g Total Fat 5 g Calories from Fat 13 % Calories 341 Protein 21 g Sodium 381 mg DIETARY EXCHANGE: Vegetable 3 Starch 3-1/2 Meat 1-1/2