Sweet Potato and Meatball Pasta

It's all about the crock pot lately, but if it's chilly where you live this can easily be made on the stove top. I wanted a way to cut down on net carbohydrates in a meal that is traditionally very heavy on the pasta. This dish would also work well with butternut squash or spaghetti squash. I used a jar of Arrabbiata sauce which added a nice touch of heat to balance the sweetness from the sweet potatoes.

If you are trying to cut down on sodium the easiest way is to use homemade meatballs instead of store bought. I happened to have a bag of frozen meatballs so I used what I had, but if you have time I recommend this recipe for spicy meatballs or this recipe for traditional meatballs. Both are delicious tried and true recipes.

Sweet Potato and Meatball Pasta

      serves 6-8

• 24 ounces frozen Turkey or Beef Meatballs
• 25 ounce jar Arrabbiata Sauce
• 1.5 cups uncooked Egg Noodles
• 2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and diced
• 2 cups Water

Peel and dice the sweet potatoes and place them in the bottom of the crock pot. Top with the Arrabbiata sauce and two cups of water. Add the meatballs last, set the heat to high, and cook for 3 hours or until the sweet potatoes are fork tender. Stir in the egg noodles being sure they are submerged in the sauce, and cook for an additional 20-30 minutes. I did 30 minutes and the pasta was very tender, next time I would do 20 so they're more al dente. My hubby and I found it to be a little bland because of the turkey meatballs, but sprinkling salt and pepper right on top made all the difference. Top with lots of parmesan cheese and enjoy! 

Per serving for 6 people: 350 calories, 13 grams of fat, 26 grams of carbs, 7 grams of sugar, 25 grams of protein.

Per serving for 8 people: 263 calories, 10 grams of fat, 20 grams of carbs, 5 grams of sugar, 19 grams of protein.