Spaghetti and Meatballs

I think that for almost most people this is a child or childhood favorite dish.  It becomes hard for people with food allergies due to the pasta, and the different things that are put in most commercial spaghetti sauces.  For a long time now, Jessie and I have always made our own. I like being able to pronounce and know exactly everything that's listed, don't you?

Tomorrow will kick off our daughter Dawn's 90 GF challenge. She's exhibited a lot of signs of being gluten sensitive, included a delayed puberty, so Nana and I put a challenge to her. She eat ALL meals and snacks gluten free for 90 days, if she doesn't see a difference, then she doesn't have to stick to it outside of our home, if she does, then she will stay gluten free. She accepted the challenge.  SO I thought it would be fitting to make a favorite dish of mine that the kids like, so they can have the leftovers.

For the Meatballs:
1-1.5lbs of ground beef (or ground turkey)
1Tbs of dried minced onion\
1/2 cup of gluten-free bread crumbs (like Ener-G or Glutino), homemade bread crumbs or I personally like to use Quinoa flakes
1 large egg beaten (OR 1TBS of ground flax seed, 3 TBS of water)
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder.
1 1/2 teaspoon of dried basil
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

1. Preheat the oven to 350F.  Line a 9X13 inch baking sheet with foil
2. Using  your hands, combine all the ingredients in a large bowl and mix well.
  Shape the mixture into 12 meatballs, and place on the prepared baking sheet.
3. Bake 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool on the sheet for 15minutes. (or place in sauce)

For the Spaghetti sauce:
 2-3 cans of tomato sauce
1-2 cans of diced tomatoes (Hunt's )
1 of each baby food: Sweet Potatoes and Carrots(giving everyone some extra vitamin A)
1/4 to 1/2 a can of pumpkin (helps to thicken the sauce naturally) or 1 can of tomato paste( Hunt's)
Season to taste with the following: garlic powder, oregano, parsley, and basil. Feel free to add any other seasonings you would like.
1/4 of black pepper
1/2 TBS of sea salt.

1. In a large sauce pan, add all ingredients BUT the diced tomatoes.  Whisk all ingredients, taste with a spoon, once you like the amount of seasonings in, then add the can of diced tomatoes.  Simmer to low till the meatballs are ready, then add meatballs if desired, continue on simmer-low till your spaghetti noodles are ready.

For the Spaghetti noodles - cook according to directions.