High Protein, Low Carb, All -together Awesome Turkey Meatballs with Four Vegetable Pasta Sauce

You know, I really cannot stop singing the praises of ground turkey. You can use it virtually anyway you use ground beef, but with WAY less fat and calories. Yes, it doesn't taste exactly the same, but personally, I think it tastes better. So, when I was plotting how to use my tray of ground turkey goodness this morning, meatballs came right to mind.


I've never watched The Sopranos, but I still managed to become obsessed with The Sopranos Family Cookbook, where I first stumbled across the recipe that served as the inspiration for this recipe.Using turkey, these meatballs turn out juicy and delicious, come in under 400 calories and are super high in protein and low in bad carbs. I hope you enjoy!

High Protein, Low Carb, All -together Awesome Turkey Meatballs with Four Vegetable Pasta Sauce

Turkey Meatballs

1 20oz package 99% fat free ground turkey (I use Zacky Farms)

½ plain bread crumbs (or low-fat croutons, finely ground)

2 large eggs

2 cloves garlic, crushed

½ cup fresh parmesan cheese, grated

1 tsp dried Italian seasoning

1 tsp dried parsley

1 tsp salt

A few dashes of ground pepper

2 tablespoons olive oil

Four Vegetable Sauce

1 medium onion, finely chopped

1 large celery rib, finely chopped

2 medium carrots, finely diced in food processor if you have one (optional)

1 ½ tsp fennel seeds

4 cloves garlic (more or less, depending on your preference)

2  14.5 oz cans petite diced tomatoes with juice(salt free, if you can find it)

1 tsp each oregano, basil, and Italian seasoning

Salt and pepper to taste

To make:

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Beat the eggs in a large bowl, then use your hands to combine them with the turkey, the bread crumbs, garlic, parmesan, herbs, salt and pepper. Using an ice cream scoop (or whatever works!) form the meatball mixture into balls, about 2.5 inches across. This should make around twelve meatballs or so.

 When you’ve got all your meatballs ready and the oil is hot (but not smoking) place half the meatballs in the pan, turning to brown on all sides. This won’t cook them all the way through, but don’t worry, they’ll cook later! When they’re nice and evenly browned, remove and place on a plate; repeat with the remaining meatballs.

Browning up nicely!

When all the meatballs are done cooking, toss in the onions, celery, carrots and fennel seeds. There should be enough oil left over from the meatballs to keep them from sticking, but if you need to, spray them with a little non-stick cooking spray. Cook over medium heat until the onion is softened and golden brown; the celery and carrots will probably be a still a little crunchy. Add the garlic and sauté for about thirty seconds or so. Add the tomatoes and about ¼ of a tomato can’s worth of water, then add the oregano, basil, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper, stir to combine. Then, add the meatballs, covering them with some of the sauce, then cover with a lid and let simmer for 20 minutes. When the twenty minutes are up, insert a food thermometer into a meatball; if it’s 165 degrees Fahrenheit or higher, then the meatballs are good to go! If not, cook for a few minutes more until the meatball’s internal temperature is 165 degrees. Serve with a little grated parmesan and your favorite whole wheat pasta or my favorite, spaghetti squash!

Yumyumyum

Makes 4 servings

Nutritional Info (Calculated on Fitday)

Calories: 397      Fat: 13g      Saturated Fat: 4g        Cholesterol: 173mg        Carbs: 25g           Fiber: 2.5g    Protein: 45g