Turkey & Cranberry Meatballs

Sorry for the blurry, dark photo!

Everyone is asking for my meatball recipe, so here is the link to view it! The recipe is from the Well Fed 2 paleo cookbook written by Melissa Joulwan. There are a dozen meatball variations in the cookbook. This is the only one we've tried.

I told my husband that I dislike the new lingo "amazeballs." However, in this instance, the term qualifies. These are ahhhh-mazing!

I will have to admit, I have adapted the recipe on several occasions.

The most recent time, I used lean ground beef instead of ground turkey. It's cheaper and we had some frozen at the house. I always double the recipe. We didn't (until yesterday) have cream of tartar or baking soda, so I un-Paleo'd the recipe and used some leftover Panko crumbles. I also didn't have an orange, but have orange peel as a seasoning, so added lots of that. Finally, it is impossible to find unsweetened cranberries in our area or even at Trader Joes, so I used the ones with the least sugar or added ingredients (I also didn't chop them, but lef three whole).

These are soon delicious! I hope you enjoy them!!

I am also copying the recipe (and article) below from Melissa Joulwan's blog, The Clothes Make the Girl.

Turkey & Cranberry Meatballs

Serves 2-4 | Prep 10 minutes | Chill 20 minutes | Bake 20-25 minutes
As you’d expect, these taste taste amazingly good with some kind of sweet potatoes and a pile of greens on the side. Try these little guys with a side of mashed sweet potatoes, a hash made with roasted sweet spuds and scallions, or a pile of Crispy, Oven-Baked Sweet Potato Fries. For the greens, try simple garlicky greens, Creamy Spice Market Kale from Well Fed, or Crisp, Sweet Collards from Well Fed 2.

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons warm water
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 pound ground turkey
1 tablespoon orange juice
2 cloves garlic, minced (about 2 teaspoons)
1/4 cup dried cranberries (unsweetened), coarsely chopped
1/2 tablespoon rubbed sage
1/2 tablespoon orange zest
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 400F. Cover a large, rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
2. In a small bowl, mix baking soda and cream of tartar in water. In a large bowl, mix turkey, orange juice, garlic, cranberries, sage, orange zest, salt, and pepper. Mix well to combine, then add the baking soda mixture to the bowl, and mix again. NOTE: For a smoother, more tender texture, use a food processor or a standing mixer – fitted with the paddle attachment – to blend the ingredients. For more a traditional texture, mix the meat by hand.
3. Place meat in the fridge to chill for 20-30 minutes. Roll about 1 tablespoon of meat into a 1-inch ball. I like to use a 1-tablespoon scoop to speed up the process.
4. Slide the baking sheet into the oven and bake meatballs for 20-25 minutes, until browned and sizzling. Serve with your favorite sides — or recreate a Thanksgiving leftovers sandwich by wrapping a meatball in a butter lettuce leaf with homemade mayo, salt, pepper, and a few fresh parsley leaves.

You Know How You Could Do That?

1. Replace the ground turkey with ground chicken or pork.
2. Shape the meat into burger patties instead of balls (BALLS!), bake at 400F for 20-25 minutes, and then serve on the Sweet Potato Waffles in Well Fed 2.
3, About the cranberries: If they’re sweetened with apple juice, they’re still Whole30 approved. Any other ingredients makes them quesitonable. If you can’t find unsweetened dried cranberries near you, these unsweetened cranberries from Amazon look like a good option — or you can replace cranberries with dried cherries, other tart dried fruit, or even raisins or dried apples.