Turkey Meatballs

I got the original recipe for these turkey meatballs from Jamie Eason’s Live Fit program. She calls them “turkey muffins” because she makes them in muffin pans. I found that it’s much easier (for cleanup) to make them on a cookie sheet with parchment paper. I hate cleaning muffin pans. My friend came up with the idea to use the cookie sheet (she’s a genius!) and I haven’t made them in muffin tins since then.

I have changed up the spices for these to add some variety to our meals. You can add any kind of spices you like but the recipe below has our favorite blend of herbs and spices. I have also added different vegetables (like broccoli or bell peppers chopped up in my food processor). I’ve made them as “zucchini meatballs” when I have zucchini coming out of my ears in the Summer. Most recently I came up with a grain free version which you can get the recipe for by clicking here.

Jamie Eason’s recipe is a bit spicy and I like them that way, but recently I have been making an Italian season style that are better for my kiddos’ pallet and work well in salads, pastas, as well as with my favorite zucchini noodles made with a spiralizer.

These meatballs are quite large and I often eat 2 of them mashed up over a salad or with a heaping plate of veggies for dinner on nights when I don’t feel like cooking much.

My husband takes 2-3 in his lunch for work each day (along with his black bean soup soup, and some fruit).

If you like spice click on the link to Jamie Eason’s Turkey Meatloaf Muffins and try them out. The link includes a video tutorial. I often double the spices too when I am in an extra spicy mood.

Here is the “Italian Style” recipe I have been using lately. I use whole eggs rather than the egg whites Jamie Eason calls for in her recipe. There is SO much nutrition in the yolks of the egg.

Ingredients:

• 2 lbs ground turkey (preferably organic free range with nothing added)
• 1 cup organic rolled oats: steel cut oats WONT work, regular oats are best but quick oats work as well. We buy ours at Thrive Market.
• 2 eggs (preferably soy free and farm fresh)
• 2 tsp garlic powder or 2 cloves of garlic (a friend of mine brought to my attention that 1/8 tsp of garlic powder is equivalent to a clove so feel free to just add 1/4 tsp but I like to use 2 tsp when I use garlic powder. I really like my garlic)
• 2 tsp oregano
• 3 tsp fennel seeds (crush them before adding: I just use the back of a spoon) or anise seed (I’ve come to prefer this over fennel)
• 1 tsp pepper
• 1 tsp Redmonds Real Salt: We buy ours at Thrive Market.
• 2 celery sticks chopped up finely into tiny pieces
• optional delish add ins: bell peppers, or mushrooms (chopped small), or a little zucchini (grated), or broccoli (chopped in the food processor)

Directions:

1. Place parchment paper on a cookie sheet and preheat your oven to 375 degrees.
2. In a giant mixing bowl add your oats (or almond flour) and spices (garlic powder, oregano, crushed fennel seeds,  salt, and pepper) and mix.
3. Add 2 eggs and mix with oat/spice mixture.
4. Chop up veggies and add them to the mix.
5. Add ground turkey and mix with your hands to get everything mixed together well.
6. Form 12 meatballs and place them on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper
7. Bake for 40 min or until a meat thermometer reads at least 160 degrees.

This recipe makes 12 meatballs. I often double the recipe and freeze the meatballs that I won’t eat in the next three days. I like to place 2-3 meatballs in each sandwich bag, then place those in a bigger freezer bag to keep in the freezer. Then my hubby or I can take them out the night before to defrost if we plan to eat them the next day.

I then place all my frozen individual serving protein (like turkey burgers, seasoned chicken, or hamburgers) in a plastic storage box in the freezer for quick premade lunches and snacks.

Double batch!

My husband and I have literally eaten these almost daily, for years. We never tire of them. They are so good and super versitile. We hope you enjoy this recipe as much as we do!

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