Mom's Turkey Meatballs

So I am a wee bit behind on posting this recipe (SORRY), but it has been a little hectic the past week or two. I'm finally getting a chance to breathe, so get ready for some recipes coming your way!

Growing up, my mom made the best meatballs in my opinion. We aren't Italian. In fact, my mom is German and Irish, so literally nowhere near Italian. So I'm not going to pretend these are super authentic Italian meatballs. But I grew up eating them, and they will forever hold a special place in my heart.

Back when I was a kid, mom would make these using ground beef. If you haven't seen me mention it in previous posts, she is now a vegan. So clearly she isn't enjoying these anymore (sorry mom), but I still am. I have adapted them to use ground turkey instead because I just don't eat red meat all that often. But if you're into beef, go for it! Other than the turkey and a couple of other minor changes, these are exactly my mom's recipe. So I can't take too much credit for them, but I hope you enjoy them as much as I do!

Here's What You'll Need:

-1 lb of ground turkey (Anywhere between 1 and 1.25 lbs will work just fine with these exact measurements)
-1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
-2 eggs
-1 tbsp dried parsley
-1/2 tsp dried onion
-1/4 tsp sea salt
-1/8 tsp black pepper
-2 tbsp unsweetened almond milk (or any milk of your choice)
-1 clove garlic
-1/2 cup whole wheat bread crumbs
 

Instructions:

1) Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.
2) Mix all ingredients together in a bowl using your hands. Mix thoroughly to try to get everything as evenly spread as possible.
3) Use a 1/4 cup measuring cup to measure out the meatballs, and form into balls with your hands. Place the meatballs evenly on a greased baking sheet.
4) Once the oven is preheated, place the meatballs into the oven and cook 12 minutes per side (flipping half way through)
5) Remove the meatballs from the oven, and enjoy!

There are so many ways to eat these meatballs. Throw them in with some pasta or zoodles, add them to a nice veggie bowl, or even have one in the place of a breakfast meat. The options are endless! I'd love to hear how you ate them and what you think in the comments below!

Sriracha Ginger Turkey Meatballs

I'm basically a sriracha fiend by nature, and recently I was introduced to Fix Hot Sauce which has put my sriracha game on an entire new level. It's literally the perfect hot sauce, and I basically want to pour it all over everything.

So Monday nights are The Bachelor nights for my friend Emily and I and have been for literally years at this point. We get together, cook dinner, and watch the show. Sometimes we plan exactly what we are going to make, and sometimes it's a look in the fridge and see what can be put together kind of deal. This week was one of the latter. I knew I had ground turkey, but I really wasn't feeling the standard tacos or burgers. So I thought why not meatballs...and sriracha? And really the rest is history.

I felt like this one was a bit of a gamble, but Emily's first bite was followed by, "These have to go on the blog!" So I knew we had a winner. They have a nice little kick but nothing too overwhelming for those of you non-spicy fans. Seriously, these guys are a must try. I know you might be a little hesitant, but do it! You won't regret these, I promise.

Here's what you'll need:

-1 lb ground turkey
-1/2 cup panko or whole wheat bread crumbs
-1 egg
-1/4 white onion, chopped
-1 clove garlic, minced
-1 tsp fresh ginger, grated
-1 tsp sesame oil
-1 tbsp tamari or low sodium soy sauce
-1 tbsp sriracha
-1 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped (or 1 tsp dried)

Instructions:

1) Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
2) Mix together all of the ingredients in a bowl. Mix it really well, spreading out everything as evenly as possible.
3) Using 1/4 cup measuring cup, form the meatballs and place evenly on a baking sheet (I sprayed mine with coconut oil). This should make about 8 meatballs.
4) Put the meatballs into the oven and cook for 12 minutes. Take them out, flip them, and place them back in the oven. Cook for another 12 minutes.
5) Remove the meatballs, serve, and enjoy!

I served mine over some some sauteed veggies and topped it all with a quick, throw together sauce made with more sriracha, tamari, garlic, and ginger. It was perfect! Let me know what you think below.