Homemade Turkey Meatballs

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Cooking meatballs with my Mom and her BFF Nancy who I have known since my childhood! Cooking with family is the best Smile

These are hubby and baby approved too! I cut these into little bites and my one year old daughter loved them!

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Ingredients:

16 ounces pasta sauce (homemade or jarred, simmer on stovetop)

1# ground turkey – 94%lean (I use Plainville Farms, humanely raised)

1 Tablespoon ground flax mixed with 3 Tablespoons water (flax egg), set aside for 5 minutes until it gels (this is your binder) – or use 1 whole egg

1/4 cup brown rice bread crumbs (I use Holgrain Brown Rice Bread Crumbs)  – or use regular breadcrumbs

1 medium carrot (or 3-4 baby carrots) finely shredded, about 1/3 cup

1 garlic clove, crushed (or 1/4 tsp each garlic and onion powder)

1/2 tsp. basil and oregano

1/2 tsp. salt and pepper

Method:

  1. Preheat oven to 350.
  2. Combine ground flax with water to make your flax egg, then set aside for 5 minutes until it gels.
  3. In a medium-sized mixing bowl, add ground turkey, flax mixture, brown rice bread crumbs, shredded carrot, crushed garlic, and spices.
  4. Use your hands to mix together all ingredients.
  5. Use a mini cookie scooper (1 Tablespoon in size) to scoop meatballs so they are all uniform size.
  6. Line a baking sheet pan with parchment paper for easy cleanup and place rolled meatballs onto baking pan.
  7. Bake meatballs for 20-25 minutes until cooked through.
  8. Once meatballs are cooked, removed from oven then place into simmering pasta sauce to coat.
  9. cook pasta of choice (regular or gluten free) then serve with meatballs.

 

Yield: 24 mini meatballs

Baked Salmon Steaks and Roasted Veggies

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Impress your friends and family with baked salmon steaks and roasted veggies. The aroma of the dressing will fill the air in your home and please your palette. My mom and her BFF Nancy were in town for a week and we made this yummy dish together, well they basically made it and I showed them what to do, they were amazing sous chefs!

Ingredients:

4 salmon steaks or filets

12 oz broccoli florets

14 oz Brussel sprouts, stems trimmed

Dressing:

½ cup olive oil

¼ cup honey

2 T. white balsamic vinegar

Juice of 2 lemons

¼ tsp. pink salt

1/8 tsp. ground black pepper

10 sprigs fresh thyme

 

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

2. Line half sheet pan with parchment paper for roasting vegetables.

3. Line glass baking sheet with parchment paper for baking salmon.

4. Toss veggies in half of dressing and pour the rest of the dressing over the salmon to marinade before baking.

5. Spread veggies onto sheet pan and roast 35-40 minutes. Until tender crisp.

6. Remove from oven, finish with a pinch of salt to taste then cover with foil to keep warm.

7. Bake salmon for 15-17 minutes until flakes with a fork. Remove from the oven, set aside to rest 5 minutes before serving.

8. Plate onto 4 plates and 1 salmon steak per plate. Serve.

9. Enjoy!

Yield: serves 4

Crockpot Chicken Chili

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Crockpot meals are an all time favorite for me, especially as a new mom. Throw in all the ingredients and let the crockpot so all the work! Delicious meal and leftovers to boot!

Ingredients:

1.5# organic chicken breasts or thighs (add whole, shred once cooked)

1 jar (16 oz) organic salsa

1 can black beans (do not drain)

1 can pinto beans (do not drain)

2 tsp. ground cumin

2 tsp. chili powder

Topping:

Sliced avocado

Fresh cilantro

Method:

1. Add all ingredients to crockpot (juice and all from canned beans).

2. Cover and set to low and cook for 5-7 hours.

3. Remove chicken from crockpot, shred and return to crockpot, stir then serve.

4. Taste and season with more salt if needed.

5. Enjoy!

Yield: 7 cups

Roasted Vegetable Platter with White Citrus Vinaigrette

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veggie platter

Some nights you throw all your veggies into the oven to roast then for some crunch you slice up your cruciferous veggies like fennel and marinate in a tangy dressing. This is that meal and it’s oh so pretty and tasty. You could serve this at a party because it looks fancy!

Ingredients:

Fennel bulb, sliced

8oz sliced mushrooms

8 oz asparagus, ends trimmed

3 parsnips, sliced

Pinch salt and pepper

Dressing:

2 T. white balsamic vinegar

2 T. organic olive oil

2 T. juice of fresh orange juice

1 tsp. fresh orange zest

1/8 tsp pink salt and black pepper

1/8 tsp. dried thyme

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

2. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper for easy cleanup.

3. Rinse and shake off excess water from mushrooms, clean and trim asparagus, slice parsnips.

4. Arrange onto baking sheets then spray with grapeseed oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

5. Bake mushrooms for 30 minutes, asparagus for 15 minutes, and parsnips for 30-40 minutes.

6. Set aside to cool.

7. Slice fennel and toss with ¾ of dressing. Allow to marinate for 30 minutes at room temperature.

8. Arrange roasted veggies on a large platter along with fennel. Serve with dressing on the side for dipping.

9. Enjoy!

Yield: 4 servings as appetizer/snack

3-Ingredient Protein Balls

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I made this on a whim and they tasted amazing! I was lazy about it and mixed everything together in this bowl and once I rolled them into balls, stored them in the very same container so why wash it until they were all gone! #timesaver Photobomb by my daughter’s new portable snack holder! These would fit in here very nicely. She’s a little too young too eat these at the moment but she’s getting in her first 4 teeth right now so it’s won’t be too long before she’s eating my homemade protein balls.

3-Ingredients Protein Balls

Ingredients:

1/2 cup quick oats

1/4 cup sunbutter

1 T. cacao powder

2 T. water

optional, 1 T. maple syrup for added sweetness ( I did not add extra sweetener this time because Sunbutter already has sweetener in it.)

Method:

  1. Stir together all ingredients in a bowl.
  2. Scoop by the Tablespoon and roll into balls. I mixed in this bowl then covered and stored in it as well. Saved a few dishes!
  3. Enjoy!

Yield: 8 protein balls