Meatballs With Tomato and Zucchini Medley

From "The South Beach Diet Cookbook" c.2004 Use this phase 2 one-dish meal to easily add a few servings of vegetables to your day. Serve it in bowls with crusty whole grain bread or spoon it over whole wheat fettuccine.

• Ready In: 50 mins
• Serves: 8

Ingredients

• 1  lb  extra lean ground beef or 1  lb  ground turkey breast
• 1  cup  whole wheat bread crumbs
• 1⁄2 cup  liquid egg substitute or 2  eggs
• 1 1⁄2 teaspoons ground black pepper
• 1  teaspoon  dried Italian seasoning
• 12  tablespoons parmesan cheese, grated
• 2  onions, finely chopped
• 4  garlic cloves, minced
• 4  zucchini, halved lengthwise and sliced
• 2  yellow squash, halved lengthwise and sliced
• 2 (16 ounce) cans tomatoes, Italian-style cut
• 2 (16 ounce) cans crushed tomatoes
• 1⁄2 cup basil, fresh chopped
• 2  sprigs basil (to garnish)

Directions

1. In a large bowl, combine beef or turkey, bread crumbs, egg, 1 teaspoon of pepper, Italian Seasoning, and 8 tablespoons Parmesan cheese. Form into balls the size of walnuts.
2. Spray a large non-stick skillet with cooking spray and heat over medium heat. Working in batches, add meatballs and cook for 15 minutes or until browned and no longer pink inside. Remove to a bowl and set aside.
3. In same skillet as the meatball drippings over med-high heat, add the onion and garlic and cook for 5 minutes or until the onion is tender.
4. Stir in the Stir in zucchini, squash, cut tomatoes with juice, crushed tomatoes, the remaining 1/2 teaspoon pepper, the remaining 4 tablespoons of cheese, and the meatballs.
5. Heat to boiling. Reduce heat to low, cover, and cook for 20 minutes.
6. Stir in the chopped basil. Garnish with a the basil sprig.