Pasta and Meatballs Without Tomato Sauce

This is one of my favorite recipes to make when I crave pasta during a flare-up. It was actually inspired by a good hospitalisation (in the summer of 2016), where I actually got to order my meals in advance from a special menu. To avoid being sick, I asked for pasta noodles and a plain hamburger patty.

Ingredients:

-1 package (about 450g) of ground beef, pork, turkey, or chicken (unfrozen)
-1 egg, or 1/2 cup of dry bread crumbs

-1/2 900g package of pasta noodles
(If you have a gluten intolerance, try making this dish with rice noodles instead.)

-1 tablespoon (15 ml) of dry parsley
-1 tablespoon (15 ml) of dry oregano
-1/2 teaspoon (2.5 ml) of salt
-1/2 teaspoon (2.5 ml) of ground black pepper 1/3 cup (80 ml) of olive oil
-1 tablespoon (15 ml) of balsamic vinegar

-Parmesan cheese (optional)

Recipe and cooking instructions:

-Preheat the oven (or toaster oven if you have one) to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.

-Cover a cookie sheet with aluminium foil.

-Put the unfrozen ground beef, pork, or chicken in a medium sized bowl.

-Crack an egg into the bowl, or add 1/2 a cup of dry bread crumbs. Mix together with your clean hands.

-Wash your hands after mixing.

-Add 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of dry parsley, 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of dry oregano, 1/2 teaspoon (2.5 ml) of salt, and 1/2 teaspoon (2.5 ml) of ground black pepper.

-Mix everything together again with your clean hands.

-Roll meat into balls (should make about 12 medium sized ones) and place them on the cookie sheet.

-Clean your hands after preparing the meatballs.

-Put the cookie sheet of meatballs in the hot oven or toaster oven, and cook for 20 to 30 minutes. (It takes more time to cook in a conventional oven.)

-When the meatballs are ready, remove the cookie sheet from the oven or toaster oven using oven mitts, and turn the oven off.

-Pour water into a pot to cook your pasta or rice noodles. (Follow the cooking instructions on the package.)

-When your pasta or rice noodles are ready, drain them.

-Return the pasta or rice noodles into the pot and add 1/3 cup (80 ml) of olive oil, and 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of balsamic vinegar.

-Mix together.

-Dish out the pasta or rice noodles and serve with the cooked meatballs on top.

-If you can handle dairy, sprinkle parmesan cheese on your dish (Not recommended when you are flared-up!)

Other suggestion:

-Rather than take the time to make meatballs, I sometimes just fry the ground meat in a frying pan, drain it, then mix it with the cooked pasta. (Be careful about cooking the poultry or pork well! Unlike red meat, undercooking it can make you very sick.)

-Add 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of dry parsley, 1/2 teaspoon (2.5 ml) of salt, 1/2 teaspoon (2.5 ml) of ground black pepper, (90 ml) of olive oil, and 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of balsamic vinegar.

-Mix together, and serve.

(My family sometimes likes to heat up store bought Alfredo, Rose, or meat sauces when they want "real" pasta during times that I can't eat it, but I tend to stay away from them; especially when flared-up. But, it doesn't mean your family can't enjoy them.)

-If you can handle dairy, sprinkle parmesan cheese on your dish (Not recommended when you are flared-up!)