Lite Turkey Meatballs and Easy Marinara

Serving Size- 3 Meatballs

Makes 4 servings

Prep Time- 20 minutes

Cook Time- 20 minutes

*Plan to make the meatball mixture 2-24 hours before cooking for best results*

1 lb Ground Turkey (white meat is leanest, but you can use dark or a mix of the two)

10 ounce mushrooms (baby portabellas or whites button mushrooms will work)

5 ounce of frozen, drained spinach

1 egg, beaten

½ cup breadcrumbs, divided in half (gluten free can be substituted)

½ cup Parmesan cheese

¾ tsp Salt

1 tsp Garlic Powder

½ Black pepper

¼ tsp Red Pepper Flakes

½ tsp Basil, dried

¼ tsp Oregano, dried

Nutmeg, dash

Oil for baking sheet-spray on or wipe on with a paper towel

1. Wash and wipe down the mushrooms. If you have a food processor, process the mushrooms to the slightly larger than rice. If you do not have a processor chop finely with a knife.

2. Add all ingredients to a large enough mixing bowl, remember to hold back on ¼ cup of the breadcrumbs.

3. Carefully mix the ingredients using mostly your fingertips and do not overmix.

4. Very Important! Place mixture in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours and preferably 24 hours. This will allow the moisture from some of the ingredients to distribute.

5. Preheat oven to 400-degrees

6. The mixture will appear very dark from the oxidation of the raw mushrooms, this is normal, just give a quick mix before forming the meatballs.

7. Wear gloves for this part if possible, this will insulate the heat from your hands from the mixture and will make it easier to form the meatballs. Form cold mixture into 1 ½ ounce balls, you can use a measured scoop or a scale.

8. Once they are portioned gently roll them in the reserved breadcrumbs and place them on a cookie tray lined with foil and lightly oiled.

9. Bake in a 400-degree oven for 20 minutes.

This recipe can be doubled or tripled and the meatballs frozen either cooked or raw and held for 1 month. Be sure to freeze them solid on a cookie tray first and then place in a bag or container.

Vegan Meatballs

Serving Size- 3 Meatballs

Makes 4 servings -approximately 12 1 ½ ounce meatballs

Prep Time- 20 minutes

Cook Time- 25 minutes

Preheat oven to 375 degrees

· For some people tempeh (which is fermented), has a slightly bitter taste. To neutralize the flavor of the tempeh you can cut into 1-2 inch cubes and steam it for 15 minutes or wrap the whole piece in a wet paper towel and microwave for 4 minutes. Be very careful when removing the tempeh from the microwave and let it sit for a few minutes.

1 TBSP ground flax seeds

2 ½ TBSP water

I TBSP Olive or Canola Oil

½ cup chopped onion

3 cloves of garlic finely chopped or pressed

8 ounces of whole or sliced mushrooms, button, cremini or Portabella will all work

1 TBSP Gluten Free Tamari

1 (8 ounce) package of tempeh cut into 1-2 inch chunks (I used the plain soy tempeh but you can use one the multigrain) you can also sub 1 cup of chickpeas or black beans for tempeh

1/3 cup vegan parmesan cheese

1 cup vegan breadcrumbs divided in half (may sub gluten free breadcrumbs or almond meal (chop raw almonds to a breadcrumb like texture, by hand or in a blender or food processer)

*if breadcrumbs are seasoned adjust the next 5 ingredients*

½ tsp dried basil

½ tsp dried oregano

¼ tsp red pepper flakes

¼ tsp black pepper

¾ tsp salt

Instructions

1. Mix 1 TBSP ground flax with 2 ½ TBSP of water in a small bowl and set aside

2. Sauté onions in olive oil on medium heat for 2-3 minutes, add the garlic cook 2 more minutes

3. Rinse mushrooms and pat dry with a paper towel

4. Place mushrooms in the food processor and pulse to break down, scrape the sides and process till the size of rice

5. Add mushrooms to the pan with the onions and cook for 3-4 more minutes

6. Add 1 TBSP of tamari, toss the mushroom mixture and then turn off and set aside

7. Put tempeh chunks into the food processor (no need to clean the bowl from the mushrooms) and pulse to break down to dough like consistency

8. In a large mixing bowl add the tempeh, spices, breadcrumbs or almond meal, vegan parmesan cheese and the flax and water mixture. Mix together

9. When cool enough to handle, add the mushroom and onion mixture to the large mixing bowl. Mix all ingredients and form meatballs.

10. Coat meatballs with the other ½ cup of breadcrumbs or almond meal.

11. Oil a sheet pan and bake meatballs for 20 -25 minutes depending on size

12. I finished these a few ways, I rolled them in regular breadcrumbs, gluten free breadcrumbs, I left a few of them plain and I rolled a few in ketchup and then baked them. I liked them best in the regular breadcrumbs, you can experiment and see what you prefer.

· Meatballs can be frozen before baking and will keep for a month in the freezer, also will keep in the refrigerator for 3-4 days though best out of the oven.

Equipment

Large mixing bowl

Food processor or a knife and cutting board

Measuring cups and spoons

Smaller bowls to hold measured ingredients

Sheet pan, cookie tray or shallow baking dish

Scoop or spoon to portion meatballs- or you can freestyle it

Scale- helpful but not necessary

Easy Marinara

Serving size- ½ cup

Makes about 7 servings

Prep time 5 minutes

Cook time 20- 25

· 1 28-ounce can whole tomatoes

· 1 cup of water (use to rinse can)

· ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil

· 5-7 garlic cloves, (depending on size) peeled and slivered

· pinch crushed red pepper flakes, add more if you like the heat

· 1 teaspoon salt

· ½ tsp dried basil, ¼ teaspoon dried oregano, more to taste

Pour tomatoes into a large bowl and crush with your hands. Pour 1 cup water into can and slosh it around to get tomato juices. Reserve.

In a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat and then add the garlic.

Keep stirring the garlic and do not let it brown. Add red pepper flakes, basil, oregano and salt. Carefully add the tomatoes and then the reserved tomato water. Stir gently as not to spatter or spill.

Taste sauce after 10 minutes of simmering, adding more seasonings if needed. Simmer sauce for about 15-20 minutes.