Turkey Meatballs
Share this recipe with friends: www.fullspectrumhealthandwellness.com/blog/turkey-meatballs
I found myself eating organic chicken meatballs from Costco recently due to my busy schedule - it’s quick, clean, and it’s PROTEIN, which is something I’m making sure to get in these days. But what if I could fine-tune these meatballs and do even better? Surely something I make by hand is going to be more nutritionally sound than something I buy packaged in plastic from a warehouse illuminated with fluorescent lighting.
The ingredients are simple, and I tailored this meatball recipe for the seasonal transition we’re walking into - some warming herbs, some yin, robust green flavor, and mouthwatering savory appeal.
This recipe is GLUTEN-FREE, NUT-FREE, + DAIRY-FREE. So many meatball recipes use a flour or egg to bind the ingredients. The quinoa does a great job here, and it tastes amazing.
I also went with turkey because it agrees with me better than chicken - so that is your call when you make these. Whichever ground poultry makes the cut, my best advice is to be very thorough in each step that involves mixing so there are no pockets of cayenne or turmeric or quinoa when you bite through the meat.
If you try this recipe, share it on IG and tag me so I can repost! I seriously cannot get enough of these. I’m going to batch prep 3 pounds (this recipe is for 1 pound) to get me through the upcoming week.
Many wishes of good health + tasty meatballs,
Follow me on Instagram for more great ideas for your health:
What you need:
1 pound of organic ground turkey
1 cup of cooked organic quinoa
2 TBSP extra virgin olive oil
1.5 tsp of minced garlic
1.5 tsp pink Himalayan sea salt
1.5 tsp ground turmeric
1 tsp ground cayenne pepper (1.5 tsp if you like the heat)
1.5 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp thyme
Juice of a lemon slice
Preheat the oven to 400° and warm a cast iron skillet on the stove to medium high.
In a separate bowl, mix the ground turkey and the cooked quinoa (either by hand or with an electric mixer). Be sure to mix thoroughly and completely to ensure that there are no clumps of quinoa.
After mixing the turkey and quinoa, add the minced garlic, olive oil, + salt. Again, be sure to mix well.
Next, blend the spices + herbs and lemon juice into the mixture. Mix very well so that the spices are distributed evenly and so that there aren’t concentrated areas in the mixture.
Ensure that the mixture is well-combined before proceeding.
Start to roll the meatballs by hand - 1-2 inches in diameter will ensure that the meat cooks throughout.
Add a dash of cooking oil and the formed meatballs to the preheated skillet.
After about 3-4 minutes, flip the meatballs in the pan to get them browned on all sides.
Total time in the skillet should be about 5-6 minutes.
Transfer entire skillet to the oven and bake for about 10 minutes.
Allow to cool, and enjoy on a bed of your favorite vegetables or pasta!
*For step-by-step images, see below
Variations
Meatballs are variations - the spirit of the meatball is to blend your personality and your preferences into the recipe. They’re kind of like a miniature casserole.
I love turkey, so that’s why I opted for it, but it could very easily be exchanged for ground chicken.
Are you more of a beef person? Try this one with minced onion instead of garlic, and go for a hearty cumin + coriander blend. Or for a more traditional meatball profile, you could do the ground beef with oregano, thyme, basil, red pepper + garlic.
The cook times should be about the same for each variation - the size is what is going to determine the cook time.
I’d love to know how you enjoyed your meatballs! Message me with your ideas, pics, or suggestions!
To share this recipe with anyone, copy this link: www.fullspectrumhealthandwellness.com/blog/turkey-meatballs
Any questions? Drop them in the comments!