Homemade Spaghetti-O’s

Fix this for your kids.  They will love it.  Or better yet, let them help you make it.

• 6 oz. ground turkey
• 3 tablespoons pesto (homemade or store bought)
• 3 tablespoons plain dried breadcrumbs
• Salt
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 onion, chopped coarse
• 1 carrot, peeled and chopped medium
• 1 small celery rib, chopped coarse
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 (28-oz.) can diced tomatoes
• 4 oz. ditalini pasta (about 1 cup)

Combine turkey, pesto, breadcrumbs, and 1/8 teaspoon salt in a bowl and mix with your hands until uniform.  Use a teaspoon to gently form the mixture into 3/4-inch round meatballs, place on a plate, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until needed.

Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat until shimmering.  Add the onion, carrot and celery and cook until the onion is softened, about 5 minutes.  Stir in garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.  Stir in the broth and tomatoes with their juice, scraping up any browned bits.  Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat to medium-low, cover and cook until carrot is softened, 15 to 20 minutes.

Transfer soup to a food processor or blender and process until very smooth, 1 to 2 minutes.  Return the pureed soup to the pot, cover and return to a simmer over medium heat.

Stir in the pasta and reserved meatballs and continue to simmer until the pasta and meatballs are cooked through, 12 to 15 minutes.  Season with salt and pepper, if desired and serve.

Serves 4.

Per 1 1/2-cup serving:  Cal 330; Fat 13 g; Sat Fat 2.5 g; Chol 30 mg; Carb 38 g; protein 15; Fiber 4; Sodium 680 mg

Recipe adapted from America’s Test Kitchen Healthy Cookbook

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