Good For You Turkey Meatballs

Once again Run Fast Eat Slow comes through. This past Friday I had a longer run on my schedule and to be honest, after a very active and sleep deprived vacation, I was dreading it since I was feeling the effects of traveling.  

To my surprise, it went OK.  Not my best training run but I finished it with no breaks in spite of the heat and my heart rate remained pretty steady, except for the pick-ups.  I love breaking up my long runs with these 20 second pick-ups.  It’s a fun way to add in a little speed without over doing it.  Let me know if you try them?.

To fuel for this long run, I decided to try out another new recipe from Shalane Flanagan’s cookbook.  I modified her recipe using ground turkey vs ground bison.  Go ahead and use bison, or even beef if you prefer.  I happened to have ground turkey on hand so I went with it.  They turned out prefect!  As good as these to be honest!

They may not be as high in iron as the ones made from bison, but they sure are tasty. I paired them with my Simple Marinara sauce and gluten free pasta. Healthy and delicious and a perfect balance of carbs to protein.  Even Rob loved them and was disappointed I didn’t make enough for seconds. OOPS!

My rock-star meatballs are not only loaded with protein, but good for you fennel and greens too making them even healthier.  Did you know fennel not only adds incredible depth to these meatballs, but fennel also helps digest the fat in meat.  I just love the philosophy of those wonderful Italians!  I love fennel even more?.  And you all know I am in love with Italy. Will there be another Rome Marathon in my future? 

So when you make these, let me know how they turn out and if you used ground bison, beef or turkey; and please don’t forget the fennel?.

VEGETABLE LOADED TURKEY MEATBALLS

Ingredients:

• 1/2 yellow onion diced
• 1 tablespoon of olive oil
• 1 egg beaten
• 1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for garnish
• 1 cup finely minced kale or micro greens (remove stems from Kale)
• 1/4 cup almond meal or fine bread crumbs
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds
• 3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1 pound ground bison, beef or turkey (not real lean)
• 2 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 recipe of my Vegetable Marinara Sauce
• 12 ounces of dried gluten free pasta
• 8 fresh basil leaves, torn

Directions:

1. In a large Dutch oven, sauté onion in olive oil till soft, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and continue to sauté for another minute.  Add in your other spices. Stir. Let cool.
2. In a large bowl, stir together the egg, Parmesan, micro greens, almond meal, the onion mixture and your meat of choice.  Use your hands to thoroughly combine the meat.  From the mixture into 12 meatballs, about 2 inch in diameter.  Roll each meatball firmly in your hands to ensure they hold together.
3. In a large Dutch oven or wide heavy-bottomed pot with a lid, warm the oil over medium-high heat.  Place the meatballs in the pot in a single layer without crowding them, and cook, tuning the meatballs so they brown on all sides, about 5 minutes.  Scrap the brown bits off the bottom of the pot as you go.   Bake for about 20 minutes. Set aside if you need to make Marinara. (Or use your favorite jarred marinara)
4. In the same pot, make the Simple Marinara Sauce.  Add the Meatballs.  Reduce the heat to low and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens, 30 to 45 minutes.  Cover and keep warm over low heat until ready to serve.
5. While the sauce is simmering, cook the pasta according to the package directions.
6. To serve, divide the pasta in warmed pasta bowls and arrange the meatballs on top along with a generous ladle of sauce.  Garnish with Freshly grated Parmesan and fresh basil.  YUM

[reminder]Do you prefer, Bison, Beef or Turkey Meatballs? Do you cook often with Bison? Do you have a favorite Bison Recipe? Have you run Rome?  [/reminder]