Cindy’s Paleo Italian Meatballs

Make these once and you will be hooked! Promise! You can serve these with spaghetti squash or I just found Paleo Pasta. It is delicious and I recommend you try them. Sometimes I create a meatball sandwich with a medium size portabella mushroom and that is a meal you won’t forget. Other times I just like my meatballs in a bowl with my homemade sauce and just enjoy every bite!

This make a full batch of meatballs! Just freeze what you don’t use. Enjoy.

Ingredients

• 1 pound ground veal
• 1 pound ground pork
• 3/4 pound ground beef
• 1/2 cup almond flour
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 1/2 teaspoons of dried basil
• 1 1/2 teaspoons of dried parsley
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 2 teaspoons sea salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
• 3 large eggs, beaten
• 6 cups of your favorite Italian sauce (Cindy’s recipe below)

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
1. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or non-stick aluminum foil.
2. Place the ground meats, almond meal, garlic, seasonings, salt, pepper, eggs in a bowl. Combine very lightly with a fork. Using your hands, lightly form the mixture into 2-inch meatballs. (about golf ball size)
3. Place the meatballs on the baking sheet and put in the oven for 20 minutes.
4. Meanwhile in a large pot prepare your sauce. When meatballs are done put in the sauce and set to simmer for 1 hour (or more).

Cindy’s Quick Sauce

• 1 tablespoon olive Oil
• 1 small yellow onion, chopped
• 2 teaspoons minced garlic
• 1 (12-ounce) can of tomato sauce
• 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes, or plum tomatoes in puree, chopped
• 1 can of tomato paste and hot water
• 1 teaspoon dried parsley
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)

Directions

1. Heat the olive oil in a large pot. Add the onion and sauté over medium heat until translucent, 5 to 10 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute.
2. Stir in the tomato sauce, crushed tomatoes, parsley, salt, and pepper (add red pepper flakes if you decide to use). Bring to a boil.
3. Add in your can of tomato paste and fill can with hot water and using a spool scrape all of the paste. Stir until tomato paste has dissolved, cover and lower to simmer.
4. Add the meatballs to the pot and let them do their magic!

NOTE! This is also a great slow cooker meal. Prepare the meatballs the night before! Get up in the morning and put the sauce and meatballs in the crock pot on low and when you come home for dinner! Meatballs are ready!