Happy Tuesday, bring on the Swedish meatballs! Comfort food is a must in these freezing cold temperatures. Isn’t it crazy how 20 degrees can feel “warm” this time of year? Well, “warm” is relative, really it just means my hands take longer to turn into ice cubes than when the temperature is -20. Our heat crapped out last night so it was really nice to have a warm meal and a fluffy dog to snuggle with. Here’s hoping they can come repair so JJ and Bode don’t have to brave the cold while I’m in Boston the next 2 days with the Designed to Fit crew.
When it’s this cold, I love heating up the oven and cooking. It serves as a way to warm the house AND my hands. Does anyone else stick their hands in the oven to take out the food and linger? Or is it just me? Ok, enough about my freezing cold hands…time for the delicious meatballs.
Swedish Meatballs
My brother in law had mentioned he made Swedish Meatballs for the family for Christmas and I was admittedly jealous. Frankly, I get jealous of food and meals quite often. Call me a food-obsessed foodie, I’m okay with that. Anyway, when I heard he made the meatballs, I knew it was good we weren’t there since JJ is highly lactose intolerant and I’m gluten-sensitive. With Swedish meatballs, it’s our perfect storm, gluten & lactose central. So we’ve never made them before for obvious reasons.
When I hear of food that sounds delicious but would most likely make us feel not the best, I start googling and Pinterest-ing to see if it is possible to make said item gluten and/or dairy-free. Well, this one wasn’t all that hard, swap out the cream with coconut milk & butter with ghee and it’s already dairy free.
Next up, just use cornstarch instead of flour and serve over gluten-free items like mashed potatoes (or in the pictures below, mashed parsnips & celeriac) or rice and boom, we have a dish.
Meaty Goodness
Since I partner with Whole Foods Albany to bring new recipes to my Instagram every month, I usually try to shop the sales there so that I don’t break the bank. I also want others to see how to eat healthy on a budget. This week, they had grass-fed ground beef on sale, so I couldn’t resist grabbing some for myself and trying out a new recipe.
When buying your meat, you should prioritize quality as much as possible to ensure the most nutrients with the least amount of toxins. Check out fellow RD, Diana Rodger’s blog to learn more about why the quality of your food (esp. meat) matters.
If you cannot fit it in your budget, you have two options, 1. try again and re-prioritize your food over things like TV, Amazon Orders, etc. or 2. buy lean meat to reduce the exposure to toxins found in the fat of not-so-healthy meats. Kapeesh?
O-M-GHEE
I think the real MVP in this recipe is the Ghee, it is rich in flavor and void of lactose. Now, I have no problem (thank goodness) digesting lactose, but when JJ even looks at lactose, he’s in big doo-doo. Okay, that’s exaggerating, but it’s not that far off, so I try to avoid it in the meals we share.
I found (and fell in love with) 4th & Heart Ghee when at Expo East last fall and have since been obsessed with it. It is so creamy and rich in flavor and cooks so nicely. They have a few flavors, for this recipe, I just used the Grass-Fed Ghee Butter.
Pro tip:If you like a smooth consistency for your meatballs, pulse in a blender or food processor, yes it makes more to clean up BUT the texture is so worth it.
1/4 cup bread crumbs, gluten-free (optional gluten-free)
1/4 cup onion, minced
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp dried or 1 tsp fresh parsley
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
Sauce
1/4 cup ghee (or butter)
2 Tbsp corn starch
2 cups broth (beef or chicken)
1 cup full-fat coconut milk
1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp Dijon mustard
Salt, pepper, fresh parsley
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350°F and grease a roasting pan, set aside
In a medium bowl mix all ingredients for meatballs by hand or use a food processor (~10 seconds) until evenly combined
Form into 16-20 meatballs and evenly space on roasting pan, cook in oven for 20 minutes, turning once halfway through
Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan or cast iron skillet, over medium heat, melt ghee, add in cornstarch and whisk constantly until golden brown
Carefully (may bubble, be careful!) add in broth, coconut milk, Worcestershire sauce, Dijon, salt & pepper
Bring to a simmer & allow to thicken for ~5 minutes
Add in meatballs and allow flavors to combine for an additional 5 minutes, top with parsley and serve over mashed potatoes/root veggies, rice or pasta.
[…] When I add new snacks and meals to their menus, I immediately want them on my plate. I told you on Tuesday, my food jealousy is real. When I see others eating it, I want […]
[…] When I add new snacks and meals to their menus, I immediately want them on my plate. I told you on Tuesday, my food jealousy is real. When I see others eating it, I want […]