Mini Turkey Meatballs

Who doesn't love meatballs?!?!?! With so many variations it is hard to come up with one "go to" recipe that is easy to make and healthy for my kiddo.  I like making them small so it is easy for the kids.  It is also easier to freeze them if they are small.

I like to add veggies in my recipes where I can! To this recipe I added red and yellow bell peppers, onion and kale.  Honestly it was what I had in my fridge, but you can substitute the peppers and kale for anything else you might have. Mushrooms, spinach, corn, even carrots would all work just as well.  My only real recommendation is that you dice the veggies really small.

I like to precook the veggies for this recipe since my 12 month old only has 4 teeth and eats them way too fast!  I want to make sure everything is soft enough for him to chew. Once the veggie mixture is cooled I add all of the ingredients in one bowl. 

I grab about a golf ball size of the mixture and roll them all out.  A tip for making even meatballs....use a cookie scooper so they come out all the same size!

After the meatballs are formed there are two options you can take.  I like to brown them in a sauté pan for a few minutes then put them on a baking sheet and bake in the oven for an additional 5-7 minutes.  You can skip the sauté step and put them directly in the oven if you would like. 

Here is the final dish that I paired with Whipped Yukon Gold Potatoes. 

Ingredients

1 lb ground turkey

1/4 organic red bell pepper finely chopped

1/4 organic yellow bell pepper finely chopped

1-2 organic kale leaves stemmed and finely chopped

1/4 yellow onion finely chopped

1 garlic clove chopped

1 tbsp chopped italian parsley

1/2 cup italian breadcrumbs

1/4 cup grated parmesan

1 egg

salt and pepper 

Preheat oven to 350 Degrees F 

In a sauté pan heat a few tsps of evoo over medium high heat.  Brown each side of the meatballs approximately one minute per side. Transfer to a baking sheet and bake in oven for an additional 5-7 minutes or until fully cooked.

If you wish to skip the browning step, cook the meatballs on the baking sheet for 15-20 minutes or until fully cooked.

Serve immediately or let cool and store in airtight container in fridge.  Can also make a large batch and freeze.  

These meatballs are perfect to have by themselves or in a homemade marinara sauce for spaghetti and meatballs!

From my family to yours... We hope you enjoy this dish over conversation, laughs, firsts for your babies and creating memories around the kitchen table! Buon Appetito!