Spicy Meatballs

We found a really good buy on extra lean ground beef a little while back and I picked up 6 pounds,  brought it home, divided it into 1-pound packages and then put it into the freezer… I have been trying to decide what to do with it ever since.

I did make a meatloaf that we thoroughly enjoyed with 1 pound of it. And I used 2 pounds to make a huge pot of spicy chili so we  have lots of that in the freezer for easy meals on days when I am busy or uninspired to cook!

I decided to make some meatballs, so I took one of the packages out of the freezer and thawed it in the refrigerator overnight.  The next morning I put together a few simple ingredients and made up the meatballs, baked them in the oven and then let them cool a bit before putting then into a storage container to refrigerate.

We had some of them later for lunch… I decided that 3 each would be a good lunch portion and I heated them for 1 minute in the microwave oven…  they are very good... very meaty, and the texture is actually a bit drier than I thought it might be.

In the past when I made meatballs, I used oats or breadcrumbs and egg in the mixture. I knew I didn’t want grains in these so I left out the egg as well and hoped that they would hold their shape.  And they do, quite nicely!

I have been eating them on fried cauliflower 'rice' and on pizza, and The Captain has enjoyed some on noodles and in soup... I am going to be making another batch very soon.

 

Spicy Meatballs
Makes 16 meatballs

• 1 pound extra lean ground beef
• 3 cloves garlic, peeled, smashed and minced
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/8 tsp ground black pepper 

1. Preheat your oven to 350° F.
2. For easy clean up, cover a baking sheet with foil and lightly coat it with a non-stick spray.
3. Mix all the ingredients together well in a medium bowl.  Get in there with your freshly-washed hands and make 16 golf ball-sized meatballs and place them on the baking sheet.
4. Bake for 23 to 25 minutes, till cooked through.
5. Allow to cool slightly and then remove from baking sheet.

Per meatball.
Weight Watchers P+ = 1.
Calories 52; Protein 6g; Carbohydrate 0g; Fat 3g; Fibre 0g.

 

Ready to pop into the oven.

 

 

And after baking and cooling a bit.

 

 

I had mine on a bed of cauliflower ‘rice’.

 

 

Just right for a lovely and filling lunch!

 

Printable Recipe

 

A couple of people suggested that I try lettuce wraps with some of this ground beef, too.  Do you have a recipe or a method you would share?