Gluten Free & Paleo Veggie Turkey Meatballs

Meatballs may not be the most glamorous things you make in your kitchen, but they sure can be a lifesaver when life gets busy. Make a big batch, freeze ’em, and simply reheat and eat when it’s time to get dinner on the table.

Do you ever find yourself at the end of the day feeling tired and uninspired in the kitchen? Does dinner time sneak up on you and you haven’t had time to plan what to cook? That’s where meatballs come in. There are so many ways to make quick and easy meals when you have a batch of nutrient-dense meatballs in the freezer. Dinner is saved!

You’ll Need:

• 1 pound ground turkey (preferably thigh meat)
• 1/2 cup lightly steamed broccoli florets , finely chopped
• 2 tbsp fresh cilantro, finely chopped (or basil, parsley, or dill)
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1/2 cup kale, finely chopped (or any other green)
• 1/2 cup carrots, finely chopped
• 2 tbsp butter or ghee, melted
• 1 tablespoons coconut flour (like this) **see note
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder (like this)
• pepper, to taste

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 400′ F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper OR place a cooling rack on top of baking sheet.
2. Combine all meatball ingredients in a large bowl until well incorporated.
3. Roll into about 28-30 small meatballs ( I use a small cookie scoop to get uniform balls) and place onto prepared baking sheet.
4. Bake for 15-18 minutes, until baked through and slightly golden.

NOTES:

• I HIGHLY recommend using a food processor to chop you veggies. This makes for a super nice texture in the meatballs.
• I prefer to steam the broccoli before adding it to the recipe. I’ve tried grated raw broccoli and don’t love the texture. Simply steam broccoli in a steamer basket for 3-4 minutes until slightly soft and still bright green. Be sure to finely chop for best texture.
• Most people bake meatballs right on the baking sheet (lined with parchment paper), which works fine. I find that my meatballs cook a bit more evenly if I place them on a cooling rack on top of the baking sheet.
• I use 1 tablespoon of coconut flour as a binder. You can sub any flour that you have like almond or cassava, but you will have to use at 2-3 tablespoons of any other flour. Start with 2 and add another if mixture seems too sticky to roll.

Source: savorylotus.com