Turkey + Herb Meatballs

I made these meatballs recently when I hosted a meal with friends. Stuffed with flavourful ingredients, these are tasty, straight forward and filling.

You could make these as part of your food prep for the week ahead – they’re so easy to throw together and a nice change to your standard perhaps? Mix into a tasty sauce, or have plain with mixed veg/rice and you’re set!

Turkey contains an essential amino acid called tryptophan which helps create niacin (B3) in the body and also aids serotonin (our ‘happy hormone’).

Turkey is also a ‘lean protein’, meaning its fat content is on the lower side. Although animal protein typically contains more saturated fat in comparison to plant-based proteins, we needn’t worry about some saturates in the context of a balanced diet for supporting strong, cellular structures.

So if you include meat in your diet, turkey is suitable for a lower saturated fat option, along with white fish.

Ingredients (makes 20 meatballs):

400g organic turkey mince

1/2 an onion, finely chopped

2 small garlic cloves, minced

1 generous palmful of curly parsley, chopped finely

1 tsp chilli flakes or diced fresh chilli

1 small egg

2 tbsp oat flour (oats blended)

salt and pepper to taste

Method:

Chop the onion, garlic, chilli and parsley and put in a large bowl. Add the turkey mince and combine together.

Crack in the egg and add the oat flour, stirring again until a dense, giant ‘meatball dough’ forms.

Break sections away and roll into balls. About 20 should come from the mix. If the mix is a little wet, roll onto a board with some flour dusted on so it doesn’t stick.

When ready to cook, add about 1 tbsp of oil into a large pan and brown the outside of the meatballs. Transfer into an oven proof dish, cover with a fresh sauce and bake for 15-20 mins on 180 fan.

Alternatively put the lid on the pan and turn to a lower heat (without a sauce) to trap the heat in and cook through, about 10 mins. Cut through the middle to check the meat is cooked throughout – it should be white with no pink flesh visible.