Add Anything Beatmalls

This post was added to Monday Mania at the Healthy Home Economist.

Meatballs. Balls o' meat. Somehow the concept has never really done it for me. I mean, meat in a ball. Blah. What's the point?

UNTIL...I made some. I so get it. IKEA, you ain't got nothin' on this jaded mama!

Now, the thing is, I'm doing a lot of experimenting with recipes these days and I'm not totally measuring everything, so if you're going to try this recipe, don't come back at me if it doesn't totally work. The brilliant thing is that it's so versatile, and the only thing you can't take back is the addition of too much salt (and ONLY because it will be too salty, not because it's bad for you). I'll just say that I stuffed each meat ball as full as veggies as I could, and even picky Ms. Phoenix gobbled them up. Afterwards she asked me, "What was the green?" So I answered truthfully, "Magic fairy dust."

What? Spinach doesn't scream fairies to you?

Ilana's No Fail Beatmalls

• 2lbs organic, pastured ground beef

• 3 pastured eggs

• 1 cup oat bran (you could use breadcrumbs but we're trying to go easy on the wheat around here)

• 2 tsp sea salt (table salt will kill you. No, really, it will.)

• 1 tsp cumin

• 2 cups assorted, shredded or finely processed veggies such as spinach, carrots, parsley, zucchini

Mix up all the above in a big bowl. The best way to do this is to use your hands. This way you can also judge if the consistency is right and if the mixture is likely to form ball shapes.

Form the mixture into balls, any shape you prefer. For the little ones, the smaller the better. When I told Phoenix I was making meatballs she said she wanted mouse meatballs, which I took to mean she wanted them tiny. Done and done.

In a large pan, add beef or chicken stock (the best kind is SO easy to make and so incredibly nourishing. Did you know the store bought kind is completely loaded with MSG and contributes next to nothing towards your health? Seriously, check the above link and stock up. So so easy.) to cover the bottom, to about 1/4" depth. Heat this so that it's simmering nicely. Add meatballs.

Cover and cook for about 15 minutes, or until meatballs are cooked through.

 

That's it, that's all! I serve this with plain rice and some sort of veggie, whatever I happen to have had delivered that week in my CSA basket.

If you make these meatballs, please let me know what you added or changed and how they worked for you!

 

 

Comments

[Sonia]

I'm so glad to hear you are into "Real Food". ;) I'd love to try this recipe but we are on GAPS and thus grain free.. any substitution ideas for the oat bran or breadcrumbs? I think without they might be drier? We make our own broth all the time, yum!

[A Jaded Mama]

Morning Sonia,
I'm so glad I'm into Real Food too! It's actually always been a philosophy that has resonated with me, but I spent so much time on social media that I didn't feel I had the time to cook...very very sad.

I've put some thought into GAPS friendly alternatives. I don't think any of the substitute flours, such as coconut or almond, will cut it. What I did think of, though, was maybe lima bean puree. I think this would make for SUPER moist meatballs. In that case, what I'd do is cut back on an egg, because it will be too mushy to hold together as balls. And I would only use maybe half a cup to start, and see if you feel you can add more. I'll try it out next time I make these and you try it too and let me know how it goes!

[Sonia]

That's a good thought, I'll have to give it a try!

[Rachel]

my aunt makes her meatballs with chic pea flour, which is just ground up dry chic peas. So yummy. i make mine very similar to yours. along with the cumin i add a pinch of nutmeg as well. and tumeric bc we are moroccan, and everything has to be yellow. i tried adding veggies before, but the kids saw through it and wouldn't eat them. but with the chic pea flour instead of bread or bread crumbs, i'm happy.

[A Jaded Mama]

Rachel, that sounds awesome! I'd thought about the chickpea flour but they aren't allowed on the diet Sonia is on :( In the meantime, I tried to make chickpeas from scratch to roast them and FAILED. Can you believe it? How hard can they be??

[Sonia]

Ok I made them and they were delish! I used 1/2c of lima bean puree. I also added some thyme and oregano. (Veggies I used were Kale, cauliflower and carrots.) Also, they work well without eggs! (Only because I forgot to add them, opps!)