Chicken Florentine Meatballs (SRC)

I hope everyone had a lovely Thanksgiving! I enjoyed catching up with my family in Houston and soaking up some warmer weather.

In case you are all turkey-ied out and sick of pie, I have a light meatball recipe that is good for any time of the year. It’s loaded with veggies, free of grains and low in carbs for those of you who are on overload at the moment

These flavor-packed Chicken Florentine Meatballs were inspired by Kudos Kitchen by Renee since I was assigned her blog for Secret Recipe Club this month Not only is Renee super crafty in the kitchen, but she also paints glassware and tiles…she is all-around creative! After searching through all her yummy creations, I was set on her florentine meatballs. She referred to the bacon undertones of the dish though the actual recipe is sans-bacon, I was immediately intrigued and couldn’t wait to see for myself!

It has been a while since I had made homemade meatballs, and these spinach-filled, egg-free meatballs are full of flavor and were easy to make gluten free. I substituted the breadcrumbs for almond flour + Italian seasoning, cayenne pepper and a bit of sea salt for added flavor. I also used extra fine chopped spinach, making these balls quite green (hehe), reduced the amount of nutmeg and subbed onion powder for the raw onion.

As for the sauce, I used olive oil to keep the recipe dairy-free, reduced the salt as well as the pine nuts (they are pricey little guys!). I wound up boiling the sauce for a good 3 minutes to help evaporate the alcohol in the sauce and I opted to toast the pinenuts separately and use them as a garnish to maintain their texture. Overall, a very delicious dish and I could also detect a slight bacon undertone as well at times! I think adding crispy bacon or pancetta to the sauce would be a delicious (and indulgent) addition but it’s definitely not necessary in the least!

Florentine Meatballs (lightly adapted from Kudos Kitchen by Renee)

4-6 servings – 24 meatballs (egg-free, grain-free, dairy-free)

For the meatballs:

1 lb lean ground chicken or turkey (storebought or homemade)*
1 package frozen spinach, thawed and completely squeezed out of all the water (I used extra fine)
4 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 -1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp dried oregano
1/8 tsp fresh grated nutmeg
1 tsp pink Himalayan sea salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 1/4 cups almond flour (or almond meal)**
1 Tbsp + 1/4 tsp Italian seasoning
1/4 tsp sea salt
2-3 shakes cayenne pepper, optional

For the mushroom-tomato sauce:

1 Tbsp olive oil or Earth Balance (could use butter or ghee but wouldn’t be dairy free)
1/3 cup pine nuts
8 oz baby bella or button mushrooms, sliced
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 can BPA free diced fire roasted tomatoes, undrained
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup red wine
sea salt to taste

Directions

1. Mix together the first 8 ingredients (meat through pepper) and place in the fridge at least an hour for all the flavors to meld. In a small bowl, whisk almond flour through pepper and set aside.
2. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside. *After browning you’ll be placing the meatballs in the oven to cook all the way through*.
3. Using a tablespoon or a melon baller, shape the meat mixture into golf ball size balls and roll into almond flour mixture.
4. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, add 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and brown 12 meatballs (important not to overcrowd the skillet) on all sides.
5. Using a slotted spoon, remove the browned meatballs and place onto lined baking sheet and continue with the additional meatballs.
6. Bake meatballs for 18-20 minutes until cooked through and prepare the sauce.
7. In the same skillet you browned the meatballs, toast pine nuts over medium heat for 3-4 minutes or until golden, stirring continuously to avoid burning (no need to add oil). Remove from skillet and set aside (will be added as a topping).
3. Add olive oil and heat, then add mushrooms and cook for 3-4 minutes until softened and lightly browned. Season with black pepper.
4 Add the fire roasted tomatoes, garlic and wine, bring to a boil and let cook for 3 minutes.
5. Reduce heat to a simmer and continue cooking over medium heat until the sauce reduces and becomes slightly thicker (approximately 10 minutes). Season with salt and pepper to taste if desired.
6. Serve meatballs with sauce and toasted pine nuts, enjoy!

*I would recommend using lean and not extra lean as these meatballs might dry out.
**If you prefer to use 1 1/2 to 2 cups gluten free bread crumbs in lieu of the almond flour mixture, please feel free

View other recipes in this month’s blog hop:

Sausage, Kale and Squash Soup

Winter is officially here! We received over a foot of snow over the past few days – a big thank you to storm Brutus. I love seeing the streets covered in white and enjoying the quiet peacefulness that the snow brings. While I’m not a fan of driving in the snow, it sure is pretty to look at

Due the 0F temperature outdoors over the weekend, my body has been craving anything and everything warm — soup of all kinds has been on the menu, including this rustic one-dish meal:

MMmmmm, there’s nothing like a warm bowl of soup after coming in from chilly weather!

This soup is filling and easy to make on a weeknight – hearty greens, spicy italian sausage and sweet winter squash come together for a quick and delicious meal that warms you to the core. The grated parmesan adds a delicious complexity to the soup that I highly recommend as a finishing element…everything is better with a little cheese, right?  If you need to omit for allergy reasons though, this soup is still delicious!

Sausage, Kale and Squash Soup

Ingredients

1 Tbsp coconut oil, olive oil, butter, ghee or Earth Balance (use oil for dairy free)
1 small or 1/2 large sweet onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
4-5 oz uncooked ground italian sausage (hot or mild) – I used chicken sausage
3-4 cups uncooked butternut, kabocha or other winter squash, peeled and cut into small 1/2 in cubes
5-7 button or baby portabella mushrooms, sliced (optional, I could add mushrooms to almost anything)
5 cups low sodium chicken or vegetable broth or homemade stock
1/2 tsp sea salt (or more/less to taste)
2-3 shakes of crushed red pepper flakes, optional (omit if you don’t like any heat)
1 small bunch of kale, washed, de-stemmed and torn into pieces
fresh ground black pepper for serving
grated parmesan for serving (omit for dairy free)

Directions

1. In a large soup pot, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook for 5-6 minutes until softened and transculent.
2. Add garlic and sausage and cook until meat is cooked through, about 5 minutes, stirring frequently and breaking up the meat into small pieces.
3. Add squash and mushrooms and cook for one minute, stirring occasionally. Add salt and crushed red pepper to taste.
4. Pour in broth, then bring to a boil. Add torn kale then cover, reduce heat and let simmer for 10-15 minutes or until squash is cooked through. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
5. Serve with freshly ground black pepper and parmesan and enjoy!

Black Cherry Rice “Stuffed” Kabocha Squash

Is any else still on a winter squash kick? I am waiting for my skin to turn orange from all the winter squash I’ve been eating at breakfast/lunch/dinner/dessert.

Example: Here’s yesterday’s eats with all my squash obsession…

Breakfast Parfait: plain Greek yogurt layered with pumpkin puree that is mixed with ground cinnamon, chopped walnuts, cinnamon Puffins cereal and a drizzle of honey

Lunch: Baked Butternut Squash Fries alongside a bunless bison burger topped with guacamole and sliced tomatoes

Dinner: This Black Cherry Rice “Stuffed” Kabocha Squash (recipe below)!

Dessert: Grain-free pumpkin chocolate chip cookies (recipe to come)

When Fall hits, I have a solid 4 months of squash lovin’ so I don’t intend on letting up anytime soon. I promise to keep the recipes to a minimum though, I won’t go overboard on the orange stuff as I assume some of you would like a little variety

Now onto today’s recipe!

While I could eat easily cooked kabocha plain, I whipped up a “stuffing” for a more complete dinner in an attempt to use up leftover rice. Yet, if you are on a squash hiatus, this rice “stuffing” would still be delicious as a side dish.

Sweet dried cherries and sauteed onions compliment the nutty brown rice and pepitas seeds beautifully. I tossed in a large handful of leafy spinach for added color and a nutritional punch so any leafy green can used in it’s place if desired.

Black Cherry Rice “Stuffed” Squash

Ingredients

For squash
1 medium kabocha squash, cut into quarters, deseeded or 2 acorn squash, halved and deseeded
Earth balance, olive oil, coconut oil, butter or ghee for brushing
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

For stuffing
3 tsp coconut oil, butter, ghee or Earth Balance, divided
1/2 medium red onion, thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, minced or finely chopped
2 cups cooked brown rice (white rice, wild rice, millet or quinoa can be substituted)*
1/3 cup unsweetened or juice-sweetened dried black cherries (dried bing cherries or dried cranberries can be used)
1 large handful fresh baby spinach or other leafy green (ex. kale or chard)
2-3 Tbsp pepita seeds, raw or lightly toasted (or other seeds or nuts)
freshly ground black pepper and sea salt to taste

Directions

1. To bake squash, preheat oven to 375F. Brush the squash quarters with olive oil/melted butter/Earth Balance, sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste and place cut sides down in a lightly greased baking dish. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes until flesh is soft to the touch.
2. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat 2 tsp oil/butter/Earth Balance over medium heat. Add onions and saute for 6 to 7 minutes until soft, stirring often. Add garlic cloves and saute for another 2 minutes until fragrant. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
3. Add remaining 1 tsp oil, rice and cherries to the pan and saute rice for 2 minutes stirring frequently.
4. Add in spinach and cook until wilted, about 1-2 minutes.
5. Stir in pepitas, adjust seasoning with salt and pepper to taste.
6. To serve, divide “stuffing” amongst cooked squash quarters and enjoy!

Serves 4

*If you cook your rice (or other grain) in vegetable stock, it gives this dish an additional flavor boost!

Chipotle Chicken Tortilla Soup

I have been in quite the soup mood lately. I’m blaming it on the rainy, cold and windy weather.

All I want is to be bundled up on the couch with a blanket and a giant bowl of soup — with this chipotle chicken tortilla soup to be exact. It’s delicious, warms you to the core and fills you up!

Mmmmm comfort in a bowl

This soup can be made on the stove top or on in the Crockpot for an easy meal that will be ready when you get home after a long day. I opted for the quicker stovetop version made with a store-bought rotisserie chicken for an easy weeknight meal that made for scrumptious leftovers for lunch too!

I even made my own tortilla strips for an extra special touch! If you want a quicker route, you can easily substitute tortilla chips.

Chipotle Chicken Tortilla Soup (adapted from Food.com)

Ingredients

1/2 Tbsp olive oil, ghee, butter, or canola oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 jalapeno pepper, minced
1 small onion, diced
4 tomatoes, diced
2 tbsp minced cilantro
1 tbsp chili powder
2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/2 tsp chipotle chili powder
1/2 tsp sea salt
6 cups homemade chicken stock or low sodium chicken broth (one 48 oz carton)
8 oz gluten free red chile enchilada sauce (I used All-Natural Frontera Red Chile*)
1 (15 oz) can no-salt added diced tomatoes
4 cups cooked and shredded chicken
1 can diced fire-roasted green chiles (or regular)
1 15-oz can no salt added black beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup yellow corn kernels, frozen (or no salted added canned, rinsed and drained)

For Topping/Garnish

Shredded monterrey jack and cheddar cheese (omit for dairy free)
1 avocado, diced
Cilantro, chopped
Lime wedges (this brightens the flavors! I wouldn’t leave this out)
6 corn tortillas, cut into 1/4 inch strips OR gluten free tortilla chips, crushed
Coconut oil or olive oil for sauteeing and sea salt (omit if buying chips)

Directions

1. In a large soup pot, add oil/butter over medium heat. Add garlic, jalapeno, and onion and saute for 2 minutes stirring frequently.
2. Add spices and saute for 30 seconds until fragrant and pepper and onion are fully coated.
3. Add remaining ingredients (stock/broth through corn) and bring to a boil. Cook for 2 minutes then reduce heat and simmer for at least 30 minutes to allow flavors to meld (60 minutes is recommended).
4. Meanwhile, (if you are making homemade tortilla strips) heat 1/2 tsp of oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add a handful of strips at a time and cook stirring frequently until crisp like a chip, about 3-4 minutes. Sprinkle with salt remove from pan. Repeat with remaining strips.
5. Serve soup in bowls and garnish with avocado, cheese (if desired), a squeeze of lime, tortilla strips and a sprinkle of cilantro. Enjoy!

Serves 6

*If you don’t have enchilada sauce, you can always substitute tomato sauce but the flavor will be altered

Recipes Notes: If you (or the kiddos in your family) don’t like texture or certain vegetables in your soup, puree the tomatoes, green chiles and onions with a bit of the stock/broth for a smoother base

For a crock-pot preparation, throw all of the ingredients except for the garnishes into the slow cooker and cook on low for 8-10 hours or high for 5-6 hours.