Baked meatballs are so versatile, easy to make and are less messy and healthier than frying in oil on the stove. It doesn't take long at all to have a sheet pan full of meatballs ready to serve with a salad, on a sandwich or in a lovely marinara sauce with whole grain pasta. Serve some of the meatballs right away, then put some in the freezer pantry for a quick wholesome meal at another time.
I used grass fed lean ground beef for this recipe and the spinach provides a built-in vegetable. A little olive oil adds some extra healthy fat, the seasonings create great flavor and the whole wheat panko bread crumbs make them a little lighter. All of that make these meatballs great for my Embracing A Healthy Immune Boosting Lifestyle program. Click HERE for details.
THE BEEFY SPINACHY MEATBALL INGREDIENTS
First heat your oven to 400°, then in a large mixing bowl stir together the panko breadcrumbs and milk, letting the breadcrumbs absorb the milk. Next, add all the other ingredients to the breadcrumb mixture. Including the ground beef, eggs, olive oil, Worcestershire sauce, onion, garlic, chopped spinach, grated parmesan cheese and evenly sprinkle the salt and pepper over everything.
Now gently mix the ground beef until all the ingredients are evenly combined. But do not overwork to prevent toughness. After that, form the mixture into even size balls. I wanted larger portions, since I was serving them as a main dish with salad and only made 20 meatballs. Place the meatballs on a prepared baking sheet and bake for 15-20 minutes until cooked through, 165° in the center.
NOTE: You might want to make the meatballs about half the size if you are putting them in a marinara sauce with pasta.
This recipe is easy, fairly quick and makes very little mess. Just a bowl and a sheet pan to clean. Serving two large meatballs with a salad creates a beautiful plate of flavorful good quality protein and an assortment of healthy colorful veggies. Just add a whole grain for a balanced healthy real food meal that the whole family will enjoy.
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