SPINACH AND LEEKS MEATBALLS

This recipe is a staple in my kitchen. What kid or adult does not like meatballs? They are cute, easy to bite, flavorful and it's very easy to hide vegetables or greens in them.

I like leeks and spinach combination but you're welcome to use any vegetable of your choosing. Be creative! These little guys are so tender and moist but they firm up while cooking and there is no need to use breadcrumbs or flour. Healthy, nutritious and delicious for the win! I also like to steam them for an extra couple of minutes after taking them out of the oven to add bay leaf flavor or coat them in tomato sauce before serving.

Leeks are a good source of antioxidants and sulfur compounds and possess a great variety of nutrients that help promote heart health.

Spinach is full of nutrients and minerals such as vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin K1, folic acid, iron and calcium. If you want to lower oxalate content in spinach you can boil, drain, rinse and squeeze out the water before adding it to the leeks. Then there is no need to overcook it so you can just mix spinach with leeks and voila, it's ready for the next step.

Nutrition Facts

SPINACH AND LEEKS MEATBALLS

Amount Per Serving (1 serving)

Calories 147 Calories from Fat 18

% Daily Value*

Fat 2g3%

Saturated Fat 1g6%

Cholesterol 52mg17%

Sodium 82mg4%

Potassium 537mg15%

Carbohydrates 17g6%

Fiber 3g13%

Sugar 5g6%

Protein 17g34%

Vitamin A 4593IU92%

Vitamin C 22mg27%

Calcium 100mg10%

Iron 4mg22%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Prep Time10

Cook Time25

Total Time35

Course: Lunch, Main Course

Keyword: kids-friendly, nutritious, vegetables

Servings: people

Calories: 147kcal

Equipment

Cooking Sheet
Frying pan

Ingredients

1 lbs ground turkey organic
2 lbs leeks cleaned, green parts removed
1/2 lb spinach organic
1 egg pasture-raised, organic
salt to taste
pepper to taste
1 bay leaf

Instructions

Remove top greens and trim away root ends leaving only the white parts. Cut the white parts in half vertically and peel off outer layer. Fill the sink with water and gently swish the white parts around to remove any dirt, soil or sand that's hiding between the layers. Let dry on a kitchen towel. Slice into half rings.
Heat ghee on a medium high heat and add leeks to the frying pan. Sautee for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent burning. Remove from the heat when leeks become tender and turn golden brown. Add washed spinach to the pan and cook until wilted. Remove from the heat and let cool.
Pre-heat oven to 400°F.
In a medium bowl, combine ground turnkey, egg, salt, pepper and leek with spinach mix.
Wet your hands under cold running water and form balls approximately 2 inches in diameter.
Add meatballs to a parchment paper lined cooking sheet 2 inches apart and bake for 20 minutes.
Put all meatballs in a pot, add bay leaf, 1/2 cup of water and steam on a medium high heat for 5 minutes.
Turn off the heat and enjoy!

Notes

Nutrition