This Paleo recipe was inspired by recipes from Paleo Plan and the Food Network. Makes 4 servings. Approximate preparation and cooking time: 1 hour. Serve with steamed vegetable of choice for a complete meal.

Turkey vegetable meatballs with tomato sauce and steamed broccoli.

TURKEY VEGETABLE MEATBALLS

Ingredients

• 1 lb. ground turkey
• 1 egg
• 1/4 cup almond flour
• 2 medium carrots, finely chopped
• 1 organic red or green bell pepper,* finely chopped
• 5 large mushrooms, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped
• 1/2 yellow onion, finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 tsp. each of salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tsp. each of thyme, marjoram, oregano, basil and rosemary

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Combine all ingredients except for the ground turkey in a large bowl.
3. Mix in the turkey.
4. Form 1 1/2″-2″ meatballs and place them on an ungreased cookie sheet.
5. Bake for about 20 minutes. Prepare sauce while they bake.

TOMATO SAUCE

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp. olive oil
• 1/2 onion, chopped
• 1 stalk organic celery,* chopped
• 1 medium carrot, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 large mushrooms, sliced
• 10 pitted Kalamata olives, halved
• 1 14.5-oz. can diced tomatoes
• 1 tsp. each of oregano and basil
• 1/2 tsp. each of salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 bay leaves

Directions

1. Heat olive oil over medium heat in large sauté pan.
2. Add onion, celery, carrot and garlic to the pan and cook until onion begins to turn translucent.
3. Add mushrooms and olives to the pan and continue cooking until mushrooms turn brown.
4. Add diced tomatoes and remaining seasonings to the pan, cover and reduce heat to medium-low, allowing to simmer for about 10 minutes.
5. Discard bay leaves.
6. Spoon about half of the sauce into a blender and blend until smooth and creamy. Add remaining sauce to blender and blend until smooth again.
7. Return sauce to sauté pan.
8. Add meatballs to pan, cover and continue cooking over medium-low heat until meatballs are fully cooked.

* I encourage using organic versions of these ingredients because they are on the Environmental Working Group’s “Dirty Dozen” list of the fruits and vegetables with the most pesticide residue.

I’ve linked this recipe up to Tasty Tuesday on Balancing Beauty and Bedlam.

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