Mmmmeatballs

Mmmmmeatballs!  Such an easy recipe, and it has H's stamp of approval, so it's gotta be at least decent ;)

1 lb very lean ground beef OR 1/2 lb very lean ground beef and 1/2 lb lean turkey sausage
1 egg
1/4 c finely chopped red bell pepper
1/4 c finely chopped white onion
1 Tbl minced garlic
1/2 Tbl dried Italian seasonings
1/3 c ground flax seed
1/2 tsp dried red pepper flakes (the spicy ones)
2 Tbl coconut oil or EVOO
2 cups of Tasty Tomato Sauce or any other Paleo-friendly tomato sauce

Mix meat, egg, pepper, onion, garlic, seasonings, flax, and red pepper flakes together in a bowl

 Don't be afraid to get your hands messy!  (H made fun of me for making him take this picture...)

 Once it's all mixed, roll balls into 2-bite-sized meatballs.  I use a melon-baller to get them just the right size.  My hand is in this pic so you can get an idea of how big I make mine.  Remember--the bigger you make them, the longer they need to cook.

 I put them in the freezer for about 10 minutes, just long enough for the meat to set up so they don't fall apart in the pan.  Don't let them freeze, though!  (note: You can freeze them at this point to thaw and cook later)  Pour coconut oil or EVOO into a pan and heat until it's just starting to smoke.  I also add a little minced garlic to the pan to flavor the oil before cooking, just be careful not to let it burn.  Sear the meatballs on each side until just browned--don't burn them (because they are small, they will burn easy so watch them carefully).

 Pour a little sauce in the bottom of the pan, then add meatballs and rest of sauce to cover.

Cover with foil and bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes.  If you make your meatballs bigger, you'll want to cook them longer.

xoxo, M

Tasty Tomato Sauce

Tonight I made my Paleo-friendly tasty tomato sauce!  It's so easy, and soooo yummy!

Here it is:

5 medium-sized tomatoes (we use the "on the vine" kind, but any will do)
1 Tbls EVOO
1 Tbls minced garlic
1 tsp dried Italian seasoning
1 pinch ground rosemary (yes...I said a pinch)
Salt and pepper to taste
1 small can tomato paste (make sure to read the ingredients--this should be tomatoes, water, and salt ONLY)

Start with your tomatoes...

 ...and cut them up into 8 pieces each.

 Heat oil in a pan over medium heat and add the tomatoes.

 Add the seasonings (you can use more or less to taste) and cook over medium heat until cooked down and tomatoes are soft.  It should look like this (usually 10-12 minutes):

 Once the tomatoes are cooked down, add can of tomato paste, stir well, and cook for another 10-15 minutes, stirring often.

Pre-Paleo, I'd have served this over pasta.  Now, I serve it over cooked spaghetti squash, chicken, or even on a good steak.  Heck, this stuff is good enough to just eat on its own!  Enjoy!

xoxo, M