Florentine Mac and Cheese and Roast Chicken Sausage Meatballs

Health score
34%
Florentine Mac and Cheese and Roast Chicken Sausage Meatballs
40 min.
4
1264kcal

Suggestions

Ingredients

  • servings bell pepper black
  • 0.8 cup bread crumbs plus more, if needed*
  • tablespoons butter 
  • pound cavatappi corkscrew shaped hallow pasta 
  • cup chicken stock see 
  •  eggs 
  • teaspoons fennel seeds 
  • tablespoons flour all-purpose
  • sprigs rosemary fresh finely chopped
  • cloves garlic grated
  • 1.5 pounds ground chicken 
  • 0.1 teaspoon nutmeg grated
  • tablespoons olive oil extra-virgin divided
  • 1.5 cups parmigiano reggiano divided grated
  • teaspoon pepper flakes red crushed
  • cup ricotta cheese 
  • servings salt 
  • cup milk whole
  •  boxes frozen chopped

Equipment

  • baking sheet
  • oven
  • whisk
  • mixing bowl
  • pot
  • microwave
  • kitchen towels

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
  2. Place a large pot of water on to boil for pasta. When it comes to a boil, salt it and add the pasta to cook to al dente. Strain pasta reserving 1 cup cooking liquid.
  3. While the water is coming to a boil, in a large mixing bowl combine the chicken, salt and pepper, rosemary, fennel seeds, garlic, crushed red pepper flakes, ricotta cheese, 1/2 cup grated Parmigiano - a rounded handful, egg and bread crumbs. *If the mixture seems too wet, add a handful of bread crumbs and mix together.
  4. Form 8 large round balls, about 3 to 4-inches. Coat balls in a couple of tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil and lightly grease a baking sheet with 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil. Arrange balls on the baking sheet and roast 17 to 18 minutes until juices run clear.
  5. Defrost spinach in microwave 8 to 10 minutes on "defrost" setting depending on the microwave.
  6. Place the boxes in a shallow dish to catch any run off.
  7. While the meatballs roast, in a medium sauce pot over medium heat, melt butter, whisk in flour, cook 1 minute then whisk in stock and milk, season with salt, pepper and nutmeg and thicken 5 to 6 minutes. Stir in the remaining 1 cup grated Parmigiano and reduce heat on lowest setting.
  8. Wring spinach completely dry in clean kitchen towel then separate as you add it to the sauce. Also add the reserved 1 cup pasta cooking liquid.
  9. Toss pasta with the spinach-white sauce and adjust seasonings.
  10. Serve Florentine Mac-n-Cheese with 2 meatballs per person along side.

Nutrition Facts

Calories1264kcal
Protein23.33%
Fat41.04%
Carbs35.63%

Properties

Glycemic Index
97.75
Glycemic Load
38.26
Inflammation Score
-8
Nutrition Score
40.713043783022%

Flavonoids

Naringenin
0.01mg
Apigenin
0.01mg
Luteolin
0.01mg
Kaempferol
0.01mg
Myricetin
0.04mg
Quercetin
0.04mg

Nutrients percent of daily need

Calories:1263.5kcal
63.18%
Fat:57.33g
88.2%
Saturated Fat:24.33g
152.06%
Carbohydrates:111.97g
37.32%
Net Carbohydrates:106.65g
38.78%
Sugar:8.77g
9.74%
Cholesterol:276.02mg
92.01%
Sodium:1305.99mg
56.78%
Alcohol:0g
100%
Alcohol %:0%
100%
Protein:73.32g
146.64%
Selenium:119.24µg
170.34%
Phosphorus:1025.26mg
102.53%
Calcium:748.76mg
74.88%
Vitamin B3:14.31mg
71.53%
Manganese:1.43mg
71.3%
Vitamin B6:1.26mg
62.81%
Vitamin B2:1.02mg
60.27%
Zinc:6.75mg
44.97%
Potassium:1495.76mg
42.74%
Vitamin B1:0.61mg
40.41%
Magnesium:145.79mg
36.45%
Vitamin B12:2.13µg
35.49%
Vitamin B5:3.2mg
32.04%
Copper:0.59mg
29.33%
Iron:5.28mg
29.33%
Vitamin A:1201.7IU
24.03%
Fiber:5.32g
21.28%
Vitamin E:2.88mg
19.21%
Folate:70.24µg
17.56%
Vitamin K:14.12µg
13.45%
Vitamin D:1.2µg
8.02%
Vitamin C:1.08mg
1.3%