Gluten-Free Quinoa n Meatballs

Gluten-Free Quinoa n Meatballs

I made one of the best meals ever last week. Childhood favorite meats gluten-free heaven.

That’s right…Quinoa n’ Meatballs- 100% gluten-free and absolutely delish! This was the first time I attempted homemade meatballs. My mom’s recipe is absolutely to die for, but uses breadcrumbs, so I had to find an alternative. Can you guess what I used in substitution?

Oatmeal!

Ingredients for Gluten-Free Quinoa n Meatballs

• quinoa
• water
• ground turkey
• egg
• gluten free oats
• italian seasoning
• salt
• ground pepper
• spaghetti sauce
• parmesan cheese, to taste

You’d never even know, either! I used ground turkey, but ground beef would be just as delicious (if not more  ).

**Italian Spices: I use Tuscan Sunset by Penzy’s: The rich sweet flavor of basil and oregano with the added zest of garlic, bell pepper and black pepper. 

Leftovers of this meal just ROCKED my socks. I love Italian flavors, I really do. Throughout the week I added broccoli and beans to spice things up a bit. 

I wanted to end this post by giving my Grandma Marie a big shout out. She makes THE BEST (hands down) spaghetti and meatballs. And homemade pizza too! I don’t know what that woman adds to hers, but oh YUMM. It definitely isn’t gluten free, but spaghetti (quinoa) and meatballs just brings back so many memories of my childhood! 

What was your favorite childhood meal?

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Gluten-Free Quinoa n’ Meatballs

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• Author: Lee Hersh

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Ingredients

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• 1 cup quinoa, rinsed
• 2 cups water
• 1 pound ground turkey
• 1 egg
• 1/3 cup quick cooking gluten free oats
• 2 teaspoons italian seasoning (see below for more information)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground pepper
• 2 jars of your favorite spaghetti sauce
• parmesan cheese, to taste

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Instructions

1. Begin by preparing your quinoa. Bring 1 cup quinoa and 2 cups of water to a rolling boil. Then, reduce heat to low and let simmer until all water is absorbed. Set aside.
2. Next, in a large pot, begin heating up your spaghetti sauce. Turn burner to low.
3. To create meatballs, thoroughly mix together meat, egg, oats, and spices in a large bowl (I use my hands for this part). Using your hands, scoop out mixture and mold into a ball the size of your palm. Repeat 8 – 10 times.
4. Heat a large pan to medium-high heat and place meatballs onto pan. Sear for about 3-4 minutes, letting brown on all sides of the meatball. Then, turn burner to low, and cover meatballs for about 5-10 additional minutes, turning frequently.
5. Transfer meatballs into the spaghetti sauce and let cook for an additional 30 minutes to ensure they are cooked all the way through.
6. Serve meatballs on a bed of freshly cooked quinoa with parmesan cheese!