Light Turkey Meatballs

Tip: if you're grossed out by digging into raw ground meat with your hands, wear latex gloves - that way it doesn't get into your fingernails.

You can eat these plain, glaze them with your favorite sauce, or toss them in some whole-wheat pasta and tomato sauce and you're good to go. I thought they were really good, and for someone who usually doesn't get enough protein, it's worth the initial prep time for a good, hearty go-to dinner.

Light Turkey Meatballs

modified from Everyday Food

makes about 35 meatballs

3 slices whole-wheat sandwich bread

1/4 cup skim milk

1 1/2 pounds lean ground turkey

3 scallions, finely chopped

2 small cloves garlic, minced

1 tsp dried parsley or basil

1 large egg OR 1/4 cup egg beaters

Coarse salt and ground pepper

Place bread in food processor; pulse until fine crumbs form. In a small bowl, mix breadcrumbs with milk; set aside at least 5 minutes.

In a large bowl, combine turkey, scallions, garlic, parsley or basil, egg, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and breadcrumb mixture; mix gently with a fork.

With hands, form mixture into balls, each equal to a little less than 2 tablespoons; arrange in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

To freeze, transfer baking sheet to freezer. Freeze for 1 hour to set shape; transfer frozen meatballs to an airtight container or resealable plastic bag, and freeze for up to 3 months. 

Cooking options: (I prefer baking)

Cover a cookie sheet with foil, spray it with Pam, and bake meatballs in a 400 degree oven for 20-25 minutes until cooked through. 

OR

Heat a few teaspoons of olive oil in a large skillet and cook meatballs for about 5-6 minutes, until browned nicely on the outside and cooked through.  

Enjoy!