Meatballs so good, you’ll want to make a double batch
The January Whole30 is almost complete. Did you think 30 days without wine, sugar, etc. was impossible? It sure seemed that way on day one, but I’m happy to report that not only is it possible, it’s actually enjoyable.
The point of Whole30 isn’t to torture yourself for 30 days. It’s to reprogram your relationship with food, sugar and alcohol. Not one day have I felt deprived, counted calories or felt like this was a diet. It’s just a healthier lifestyle.
I don’t mean to bore you with this new way of eating, but I do want to share a new fabulous, delicious, simple recipe. These Turkey Meatballs in Sage Cream Sauce delighted all who I served them to. When it comes to ground meat, beef usually is king around our casa, however, its heavier flavor doesn’t lend itself to letting other flavors shine through like ground turkey does. When making this recipe, doubling it just made sense. You’d think I have four children to feed, which I don’t. But my mom happened to be sick that week, so my sweet husband delivered some to her and her husband.
This recipe packs a lot of fantastic flavor – the fresh herbs, garlic and onion. Nothing could be bad with those ingredients. The meatballs are baked in the oven. So brilliant – there’s no oil to clean up on your range, no flipping of the meatballs as they brown. Just pop them in the oven and let those tasty meatballs brown right up. And you can make your savory creamy sauce that’s dairy-free while your meatballs bake.
The recipe was adapted from a food blogger whose site is called Paleo Gluten Free. She recommends serving the meatballs over cauliflower rice with kale. My husband happens to think kale is for cows, but he loves cauliflower rice. I served it over zucchini noodles and sweet potato “fettuccine.” To be fair, this creamy sauce does have a slight coconut flavor, so if you’re not a fan of coconut, perhaps try a dairy version of this.
If the sauce doesn’t excite you, these meatballs are delicious on their own. A few were consumed for breakfast without sauce, but I won’t mention who would do such a weird thing.
Adriene Rathbun is an enthusiastic Wichita cook who offers cooking classes through her business, Social. Reach her at socialcookingclasses.com or ar@adrienerathbun.com.
Turkey Sage Meatballs in Cream Sauce
1 pound ground turkey
½ cup white onion, chopped
¼ cup almond flour
¼ cup fresh sage, chopped
3 medium cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon fresh rosemary, chopped
1 teaspoon sea salt, or sub ½ teaspoon truffle salt (plus ½ teaspoon sea salt), if you have it
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
¼ cup avocado oil for cooking
Sauce
2 cups full fat coconut milk
½ small white onion, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh sage, chopped
2 medium cloves garlic, minced
Canned sun-dried tomatoes, to taste preference
Sea salt or truffle salt, to taste
Black pepper or red chili flakes, to taste
¼ cup arrowroot powder, if you desire thicker sauce
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper and drizzle it with avocado oil, about 2 tablespoons.
In a bowl, combine all ingredients for meatballs, except the oil.
Form 1½-inch meatballs by scooping up the mixture into you hand and rolling until round. Place the meatballs on the sheet pan and lightly roll in the oil. Bake for 20 minutes, or until golden.
In a saute pan, over medium high heat, saute onions and garlic in 2 tablespoons oil until golden brown. Add the remaining sauce ingredients and heat until simmering. To thicken, add ¼ cup arrowroot powder mixed with equal parts sauce, mixed in a separate bowl until smooth. Add arrowroot mixture to the sauce, and let simmer another 5-10 minute until thicker sauce is achieved. Take the sauce off the heat and pour over the meatballs.
Serving suggestions: over cauliflower rice, zucchini noodles, sweet potato noodles.
Adapted from paleoglutenfree.com