Turkey Meatballs

It seems as though one of the challenges of eating lean protein is having it around and ready to eat. It is a great idea to have some recipes up your sleeve that are yummy and make great leftovers. This one fits both criteria. These were actually made for me by Tracy Holly and I fell in love with them right away. The night she made them, she served them with a whole grain spaghetti and a garlic dijon ceasar salad. Very good and I was hooked.

Since then, I have made the meatballs on my own and served them over all kinds of other things like wild rice blend, spaghetti squash, banana squash, yams or butternut squash. I actually prefer these other foods over pasta. I find that I, as well as many others, have a tough time with a lot of gluten and many grains. Additionally, if you have worked out earlier in the day, pasta is just too dense of a carb to have at night if you are trying to manage your body composition.

One of the bonuses of this dish is that the kids like to help make the meatballs. And since that part does my head in, I appreciate the willing help!

Turkey Meatballs

2 pounds ground lean turkey-but not too lean(~94%)

2 teaspoon powdered garlic

2 cups finely chopped onion

2 TBs Italian herb mix or basil/oregano

1 cup grated fresh romano or parmesean cheese

Salt/pepper

2 jars of no sugar added/fresh ingredients only spaghetti sauce

In a bowl, mix all the above with your hands except for the spaghetti sauce. Roll into whatever sized meatballs fits the occasion. Big ones for dinner or smaller ones for appetizers. Place on a baking sheet withe edges (there will be juice that bakes out) and place in a 350 degree oven for about 25 minutes or more. When meatballs are done, they may be added, along with all the juices on the baking sheet, to a warmed up spaghetti sauce on the stove or a crockpot. It is best to let them simmer a bit before serving.

Remember to serve with a big green salad! Most of the volume of your dinner should be the salad and the meatballs. The pasta or alternative starch should be a smaller portion than you would get in a restaurant.