Italian-spiced Cauliflower Meatballs

These meatballs are a very flavorful gluten-free twist on a favorite dish thanks to the perfect blend of spices.

The recipe calls for beef from pasture-raised cattle. Pastured and grass-fed cattle have the highest brain healthy omega-3 fatty acid content and a more favorable omega 6 to omega 3 profile than conventionally raised cattle. The cauliflower allows for a gluten free/low carb/high protein dish which boosts the neuroprotective properties of the recipe.

You can either bake them on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper or in a muffin tin. Zucchini noodles pair very nicely with this recipe.

Ingredients

• 1 lb. organic pastured/grass-fed ground beef or organic ground turkey

• ½ large organic yellow/white onion – cut into small dice

• 3-4 cloves organic garlic, minced

• 1 cup or so very soft steamed organic cauliflower – cut up into very small pieces (instead of breadcrumbs)

• 1 tsp. sea salt

• 1 tsp. organic onion powder

• 1 tsp. organic garlic powder

• 2 tsp. organic Italian seasoning

• Freshly ground organic black pepper to taste

• ¼ cup or so fresh organic Italian minced parsley

• Organic Extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO) for sautéing

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 400.

2. Soft steam the cauliflower and set aside to cool. Once cooled, chop into small dice.

3. Sauté the onions and garlic in the EVOO over medium heat in a sauce pan until clear, soft, and ever so slightly browned. Remove from the stove.

4. In a medium size bowl add the sautéed onions/garlic, cauliflower, spices, and parsley to the ground meat. Mix very well.

5. Form your meatballs into 2-inch balls and bake at 400 for 15 minutes or until they have released liquid and are cooked to an internal temperature of 165 degrees.

6. Serve with a red sauce of your choice or enjoy them plain with some zucchini noodles drizzled with EVOO.

Source: The Functional Medicine Chef