Homemade Meatballs

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Whoever first thought to roll some ground meat into a ball was a genius!  I love meatballs!  They are so versatile…you can top your spaghetti with them, throw them on a sandwich, mix and match some sauces to change them up or even eat them cold the next day.  Along with being super tasty you also get a good dose of fiber, vitamin B1, vitamin B2, vitamin B6, vitamin C, vitamin K, biotin, potassium, thiamine and beta-carotene!  Oh, and did I mention only 60 calories and less than 2 grams of fat?!

~Sarah

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 pounds organic grass fed lean ground turkey, chicken or beef (To make a vegetarian/vegan version check out this recipe)
• 3/4 cup finely chopped onion
• 1 medium carrot, finely chopped
• 1 egg or 3 egg whites
• 3/4 cup Homemade Breadcrumbs
• 1 tbsp dried parsley
• 1 tbsp dried basil
• 1 tbsp oregano
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 2 tbsp flaxseed

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
   

   Egg, breadcrumbs and spices mixed together

2. In a large bowl mix together egg, breadcrumbs and spices.
   

   Finely chopped carrots and onions being added to mixture

3. Now add the remaining ingredients and mix well.
   

   All ingredients added and mixed together

4. Using a small spoon scoop out about 2 tablespoons worth of meat mixture and roll with hands into a ball.  Place each ball on a cookie sheet – I line my sheet with non-stick foil for super easy clean up!
   

   Formed meatballs on foil baking sheet

5. Place formed meatballs in hot oven and bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown.

Nutritional Info:

Makes 55-60 meatballs.

Serving size 4 meatballs.

Nutrients per serving:  Calories: 60, Cal. from Fat: 13, Total Fat: 1.5g, Sat. Fat: <.5g, Carbs: 4g, Fiber: .5g, Sugars: .5g, Protein: 11.5g, Sodium: 62.5mg, Chol: 36mg

Notes:

For a gluten free recipe make sure to use gluten free breadcrumbs.

My husband loves having these meatballs in his lunch the next day – they really are yummy as leftovers!  You can also use them in a sandwich – place 4 meatballs in a pita pocket and top with some pizza sauce for a delicious sandwich.  My kids LOVE eating these with little plastic toothpicks and using Homemade Ketchup as a sauce. I dip them into Homemade BBQ sauce and they are to die for!  They are delicious dipped in Homemade Ranch Dressing too!  Experiment with your favorite sauces and dips and create an ever changing meal!

To freeze simply place meatballs in a freezer bag and store in a freezer.  Thaw in the refrigerator about 5 hours or defrost in a microwave.

If you’re wondering why the Halloween theme is used in the picture it wasn’t just to highlight the pretty color of the carrots in the recipe!  We served these meatballs for my kids combined birthday party and we did a Halloween theme.  These are a terrific dish to serve at a party or potluck.  Place the cooked meatballs in a slow cooker or crockpot and set to warm until ready to serve.