Turkey Meatballs

This time of year is the time I start looking at carbs like they are my bestest of best friends. Pasta, garlic bread, rice you name it. Hey I can't really help it when it's a mere 20 degrees outside my belly wants to be warm and carb full?! Doesn't yours???? Pheew so glad I'm not alone! ;)

Well I know that isn't the best for me nor my waist line. I want my hard work at the gym and barre class to pay off. Kinda my 'just say no to muffin top-ville' movement this winter! So in an effort to make weeknight meals easy for myself I've started prepping ahead on the weekends. This week Turkey Meatballs.

Made ahead of time, they are easy to heat up when I get home from work or the gym exhausted, and starving! I've paired them along side a big salad one night and steamed veggies another. And I have to say I'm pretty proud - I can't get enough of them!!

Ingredients :

* 2 lbs ground turkey - I ended up with 1.75lb of ground turkey breast
* 3 egg whites
* 1 cup quick cooking oats
* 1/2 tsp ground cumin
* 1/2 tsp dried thyme
* 2 tsp dry yellow mustard
* 2 tsp black pepper
* 1 tsp chayanne pepper - this ended up being a little much, if you don't like a small bit of heat, less is more, but I like it! 
* 1 tsp salt
* 2 tbsp garlic powder or 2 fresh garlic, minced
* 1 small onion (finely chopped)
* 2 celery stalks (finely chopped)

Directions:1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Spray pan with canola or olive oil.
3. Mix all your ingredients together in one large bowl.
4. Roll the mixture into balls and place on pan. 
5. Bake for 35-40 minutes.


Makes 16-18 meatballs (I was able to make 18, I had to use one more small sheet to bake a few that didn't fit on the tray shown above)


*Ground white meat turkey is generally found to have less fat, cholesterol, calories etc than ground beef. But I am no expert, this is just basic knowledge I learned from web and food shows. :) 

**Last night I had them along side a mixed greens salad with crumbled blue cheese, and a super small side of low fat blue cheese dressing to dip them in. Just enough to get a small hint of flavor and not to drench the meatballs.