Robust seasonings, cheese, and a buttery garlic sauce make these delicious spicy turkey meatballs with lemon zoodles out of this world flavorful. The turkey meatballs are fabulously paired with spiralized zucchini noodles that is sauteed in light butter, lemon juice, hot sauce and a little bit of garlic & herbs. Cheesy meatballs just melt in your mouth and zesty zucchini help keep carbs low. This easy and healthy meatball dinner is low-carb, gluten free, paleo, keto-friendly and ready in 30 minutes or less, making it a clear winner with the whole family! These recipe is all around better for you without skipping out on any of the tastiness. Now this is a low-carb dinner we can feel good about. I encourage you to be willing to accept minor shifts in your nutrition habits — not to focus on your weight but to explore new possibilities and embrace fun new things that make you feel your best! After all when we are happy and healthy we feel our best and have the ability to enjoy what matters most to us.
Garlic Meatballs with Lemon Butter Zoodles: Serves 4
Ingredients:
For Meatballs:
30 oz raw ground 95 to 97% lean ground turkey
3/4 cup reduced fat mozzarella cheese ~ 3 to 6 g fat per oz
2 tbsp reduced fat shredded Parmesan
1/2 tsp Mrs. Dash garlic & herb
1/2 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1 chicken bouillon cube, crumbled (low sodium-preferably)
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 cup chopped fresh cilantro
cooking spray
For Zucchini Noodles:
6 cups raw zucchini noodles ~ cooked weight: 1080g or 38 oz
1/2 tsp Mrs. Dash garlic & herb
2 tbsp unsalted butter
1.5 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp Frank’s hot sauce
Directions:
Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a dark baking sheet with parchment paper and spray with cooking spray. Set aside.
In a large bowl, combine ground turkey, mozzarella cheese, parm (save a little parm for garnishing), 1/2 tsp garlic & herb mrs dash, basil, oregano, crumbled bouillon cube, black pepper and cilantro (save a little cilantro for garnishing).
Mix well and form 24 meatballs. I divide the meat mixture into 4 equal portions by weighing it out. Then make 6 meatballs out of each portion. Then place meatballs on the prepared baking sheet.
Place baking sheet in oven and bake until no longer pink inside, about 15-20 minutes (Rotate balls half way through).
Turn on the broiler. Place the pan of meatballs 6-8 inches from the heat source and broil until brown and crisp, 4-5 minutes (Rotate balls half way through). Flip and brown the other side also until browned and cooked through. Remove meatballs from oven and set aside.
In a skillet, melt butter. Add lemon juice, hot sauce, and 1/2 tsp garlic & herb mrs dash and whisk together. Stir in zucchini noodles and cook for 3 to 4 minutes until zucchini is done but still crisp. Move zucchini aside and add the meatballs back to the skillet and reheat for a minute or two. While heating, baste the meatballs with the mix of butter and juices. Split into 4 even portions and garnish with cilantro & parm. Serve immediately. (6 meatballs* and 1 ½ cups of zoodles per serving- I made mine slightly smaller for the kiddos, so we had doable per person pictured)
ENJOY!
1L/3G/3C/1F
PRO- TIPS:
Use REAL Parmesan! Use freshly shredded parmesan cheese in this recipe, don’t use the grated shelf stable stuff, it adds so much flavor. It has a lower quality taste and doesn’t melt the same.
Get MESSY! Don’t overwork the meatball mixture. Mixing by hand (and your fingertips) to incorporate ingredients rather than using a spoon or spatula makes it easier to mix without turning it into an overworked meat paste.
Bake & Broil even size meatballs. Baking the meatballs gives the them a little more flavor without additional oil since you are searing the outside under the broiler in your oven to make sure they get that deliciously crispy crust like pan frying gives them. Browning adds so much flavor. Use a dark baking sheet as it promotes browning. Form into evenly sized balls so they cook evenly.
Ok, now it’s your turn! Make your own healthy meatball dish with this recipe and take a photo and tag us so we can check it out!
Did you know studies show: Vegetables are an important part of a healthy diet, but VARIETY is as important as quantity. Vegetables are important sources of many nutrients, including potassium, dietary fiber, folate (folic acid), vitamin A, and vitamin C. So it's not just about making sure you get vegetables in each day, it's also super important to make sure you mix up what veggies you are eating; they call it trying to eat from the rainbow. A diet rich in vegetables can lower blood pressure, reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke, prevent some types of cancer, lower risk of eye and digestive problems, and have a positive effect upon blood sugar, which can help keep appetite in check. It's simple, the non-starchy vegetables have a low glycemic load, which prevent blood sugar spikes that can increase hunger. So eating these non-starchy vegetables can actually promote weight loss and decrease your HUNGER.
Remember it's not about depriving yourself of delicious food, it's about being mindful of your choices, portion sizes, and coming up with healthier alternatives that are just as good if not better. The goal with these healthy recipes is to show that eating healthy doesn't have to be a struggle and can be delicious and good for you and the kiddos simultaneously. Thus, our mission is to not only guide you to improving your physical health but also create a healthy mindset.
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