Paleo Homemade-Fry or Baked Turkey Meatballs

Paleo Homemade-Fry or BakedTurkey Meatballs (Gluten-Free, Keto).

I like meatballs, as well as meatloaf. I use to eat them a lot when I was a child, my mom made them, we were 4 children to feed and I was the last of them.  She was a great cook in all variants, both salty and sweet, she used to make up to 2 desserts the same day. Being the last girl, I was always in the kitchen helping her, and without noticing, I was learning everything she did, that's why my food inspiration comes from. I am still able to reproduce the smells and tastes of that time, they bring me nostalgic moments.

I think am trying to feel her cooking,  I perceive the pleasure of doing it, just as she did it with love for us. She is still alive, fortunately for all of us, and she continues cooking in her wheelchair at her 98 years old but, I am missing her every day because she lives far away from me.

My culture comes mostly from Spain, the Cuban people were colonized by them, my grandma and grandpa were descendants of legitimate Spaniards who settled in Cuba, so, most food recipes, comes from them, the other part from the African slaves, and then, the mix of both cultures.

This recipe is made based on my traditional culture to make the meatballs, but  I changed the breadcrumbs for almond flour, you can´t notice the difference, and added other spices, it´s more healthy, has fewer carbohydrates and is gluten-free, also is flavorful and moist. 

You don´t have to follow the Paleo diet to make it if you want to replace the carbohydrates that have the wheat flour, or you want to go gluten-free that is more healthy, you can choose other variants like this one.

Come with me into the kitchen!. 

PALEO HOMEMADE FRY OR BAKED TURKEY MEATBALLS (Gluten-Free, Keto)

Preparation Time: 20 min
Frying time: 15-20 min
Cooking Time in the sauce: 20 min
Total Time: 1 h
The recipe makes around 13-14 balls.

INGREDIENTS                                                                                                          

1. 1 pound ground turkey thawed
2. 1 teaspoon dry oregano
3. 1/2 teaspoon ground sage                                  
4. 1 teaspoon  salt (if you prefer less salty, adjust the quantity)
5. 4 garlic cloves chopped, 2 goes inside the turkey, 2 goes in the sauce
6. 1 medium onion chopped into small pieces, the other part in julienne 
7. 3 beaten egg, 1 for the mixture of turkey, 2 for rolling the balls
8. 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
9. 1 tablespoon dry parsley
10. 1 teaspoon mustard
11. 1/4 cup almond flour, more for rolling the balls
12.  2 tablespoon virgin coconut oil, more for frying
13. 3/4 jar of tomato sauce of 24 oz
14. the juice of 1 lemon or 1 tablespoon of apple vinegar
15. 1/2 small can chopped tomatoes
16. 1/4 cup any milk
17. 1/4 teaspoon turmeric

INSTRUCTIONS

Put the ground turkey in a bowl, add all the spices, milk, and the beaten egg, stir to combine, (this step you can do it the day before as I did, doing this, the mix of spices and herb transmit more flavor and moisture into it).

With a spoon or a medium scoop, take a part of this mixing and make the balls with your hands.

Move the balls first into the beaten eggs, roll them in the almond flour. Set them aside.

Turkey Meatballs before and after cooking.

In a skillet, fry them in batches all at medium temperature.

Preparing the sauce. 

Put 2 tablespoons of coconut oil in a medium pot at medium temperature, sauteé the onions, then garlic. Add the tomato sauce, chopped tomatoes, lemon juice, milk, a dash of black pepper, and spices, stir and let it boils.

Rectify the salt. Put all the fry turkey meatballs inside.

Let them cook for 25 minutes, the first 12 minutes the pot with a lid on.

Finished Turkey Meatballs with cheese and fresh parsley.

Remove the lid, turn the balls, the top part down.

Let the sauce start to thick or take your Insta Pot with the sauce at the bottom, add the meatballs and cook them on high for 5 minutes, easy right?                                       
I put over, grated parmesan cheese and fresh parsley leaves, but this step is optional.

You are done!.                                       

Enjoy them on rice, spaghetti, with salad or plain,  etc.

They can be freeze easily, then thawed, and reheat. You can double the recipe.

Maybe you are running out of time, or you don´t like to fry them, or the tomato sauce is not good for you, is ok, here you go with this recipe.

PALEO BAKED TURKEY MEATBALLS WITHOUT TOMATO SAUCE 

Pre-heat oven to 400° F.

In a large pan, put a baking paper,  spray it with cooking oil.

Use the same recipe but remove black pepper.

Make small balls and put aside each other into them.

Bake around 20-25 minutes, or until they are fully cooked.

Eat them the way you want, plain, with your preferred sauce, mayonnaise, etc.

These meatballs are very helpful for a party with a side sauce.

Note: You can substitute 1/4 cup of almond flour for 2 tablespoons of coconut flour or cassava flour but let it rest for 10 minutes, coconut flour needs to absorb the liquid, and cassava as well.

Remember, "Your body is a temple, but only if you treat it as one".  Astrid Alauda.

If you like it, you can share it with your friends. It will be kindly appreciated by me. Thank you!.💗

If you do it, let me know in the comments below.