Go a little Greek…

GYRO-SPICED MEATBALLS and TZATZIKI

Time for some solid, dense protein?  Need a lunch or dinner that’s full of flavor and super filling?  Something new and different?  Here ya’ go…

You can make meatballs, patties, or loaf….or even crumbly fry this off in a pan. The secret is to fry, bake, or broil the meat until it’s almost done – there will be some carryover heat and it will finish cooking out of the pan. This way your ground meats, especially, will stay nice and softly moist.

Super easy, very fast, and they are wonderful wrapped in some buttery soft lettuce leaves with my Tzatziki Sauce (recipe below).

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1 pound ground sirloin or turkey
2 large cloves garlic, crushed (thru a garlic press)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 1/2 teaspoons oregano
1/8 teaspoon allspice
2 tablespoons half & half
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

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In a large bowl combine the meat, garlic, salt, onion powder, oregano, allspice, half & half, and black pepper. Fry into two-tablespoon-sized meatballs or form into patties or loaf and bake off. Makes 6 servings.

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With ground sirloin:
Per Serving: 213 Cal; 23 g Protein; 13 g Tot Fat; 0 g Carb; 0 g Fiber; 0 g Sugar; 246 mg Sodium

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With ground turkey (mixed light and dark):
Per Serving: 133 Cal; 22 g Protein; 6 g Tot Fat; 0 g Carb; 0 g Fiber; 0 g Sugar; 294 mg Sodium

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Tzatziki Sauce

3/4 cup thick plain yogurt such as Fage (or drain plain yogurt very well)
3 tablespoons sour cream
1/2 cucumber, peeled, seeded and grated
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon Splenda
1 teaspoon dried or 2 tablespoon fresh dill weed
Kosher salt and black pepper

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In a small mixing bowl blend together the yogurt, sour cream, grated cucumber, garlic powder, Splenda, dill weed. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Chill. This is best if made several hours in advance.

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Makes 6 servings. Per Serving: Calories 31; Protein 2 g; Fat 1 g; Carbs 3 g; Sugar 2 g; Sodium 25 mg

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Meatball Stew – protein packed and easy

MEATBALL STEW

Need a quick supper? Fix this dish and even the pickiest eaters in the house will gobble it up.

Toss a crunchy salad full of dark greens and colorful red and yellow peppers, radishes, some purple onion slices, and deep black olives. Dowse it with a splash of olive oil and balsamic vinegar…sprinkle lots of freshly cracked black pepper and kosher salt.

For the family, thickly slice a crusty baguette, rub the pieces with garlic and drizzle on some olive oil, and a sprinkling of Italian herbs. Throw it under the broiler until golden.

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1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large onion, diced
3 carrots, diced
4 ribs of celery, diced
2 tablespoons pearl barley
1/2 cup water
Two 14-ounce cans reduced-sodium beef broth
One 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes, undrained
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 bay leaf
1/8 teaspoon cumin
Kosher salt and black pepper to taste
One 16-ounce pkg. frozen OR homemade pre-cooked meatballs (Vege Version: 1 pkg Trader Joe’s vegetarian meatballs…or other brand)

In a large saucepan heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onions, carrots, and celery and cook until onions are transparent. Stir in barley and sauté for 1 minute. Turn heat up to medium-high. Add water, broth, tomatoes, basil, oregano, bay leaf, cumin, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil and reduced heat to low. Allow to simmer, covered, for 40 minutes. Barley should be tender but still chewy at this point. Remove bay leaf.  Add meatballs and continue simmering for 15 minutes longer. Serve with Parmesan cheese if desired. Makes approx eight  (1 cup) servings.

Per Serving: Calories 217; Protein 13 g; Fat 11 g; Carbs 10 g; Sugar 3 g; Sodium 484 mg

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Lovin’ from your crockpot…or ANY pot for that matter.

SWEET & SOUR MEATBALLS

Regular Sweet & Sour sauce is very high in sugar… for those of us who want that wonderful flavor but few sugar grams – I think you’ll love this.

 

Stick this in your slow-cooker on low for a few hours, make up some fluffy, fragrant rice for your family…dinner’s ready!

(Also good with vegetarian meatballs.  Trader Joes has a brand that’s wonderful and will hold their shape in the sauce.)

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Vegetable cooking spray
One 20-ounce can pineapple in own juice (chunks or rings), juice reserved
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
3 tablespoons soy sauce
2 teaspoons tomato paste
1/4 cup Whey Low Granular OR Splenda Granular
3 teaspoons Whey Low Gold OR sugar free pancake syrup
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon cornstarch
Kosher salt to taste
2 1/2 – 3 cups prepared  OR homemade meatballs (prepared means FAST!)
1 onion, cut in 1 inch pieces
1 green pepper, cut in 1 inch pieces
1 red pepper, cut in 1 inch pieces

Preheat slow-cooker on low, or oven to 350 degrees. Coat pot or deep baking dish with vegetable spray.
Combine pineapple juice, apple cider vinegar, soy sauce, tomato paste, sugar sub, sf syrup/Gold, ginger, and red pepper flakes in a small saucepan and reserve 1 tablespoon to a measuring cup.

Bring to boil over high heat, stirring often. Mix cornstarch into reserved liquid and add to boiling sauce. Cook and stir just until thickened.

Place meatballs into the slow-cooker or a baking dish. Pour sauce over meatballs and allow to cook on low in the slow-cooker for 2 hours or in the oven for 45 minutes or until bubbling. Add pineapple, onion, and peppers; cook in slow-cooker for another hour or oven for 30 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Makes 6 servings.

Per Serving: Calories 268; Protein 14 g; Fat 13 g; Carbs 13 g; Sugar 6 g; Sodium 970 mg

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