These easy and delicious grain-free meatballs are quick enough to make for a weeknight meal. Pair them with your favorite sauce for a family favorite dish.
How We Began Our Grain-Free Lifestyle
Our journey to eating a healthier and grain-free diet began about a year ago. My Husband gets a lot of “windshield time” as he is a truck driver/car hauler, and with that windshield time comes a lot of radio time. Specifically, satellite radio. He listens to a lot of truck driver stations that have all sorts of shows on from business talk to health and wellness. Yes, not all truck drivers fit that poor stereotype we all know of.
My Husband came home one day talking about his usual show that is about health and wellness. He had been talking to me now for months about eating healthier and more specifically, a ketogenic diet. I said it was a fad and since I already eat healthy, I don’t see why we needed such a change. He continued to explain to me all of the key points of eating for a ketogenic state of wellness, and I finally looked at him and said, “fine!” It’s not like it was going to last more than a few weeks anyways, because if you know my Husband, you know that salad makes him grumpy.
Why We Eat Grain-Free Foods
Our whole family made the switch. At the time, our 3 and 1 year old were also switching pasta for zoodles (that’s zucchini noodles). I was certain we wouldn’t make it a day. We stocked up our pantry and refrigerator with yummy fats, no sugars or dairy, and loads of meat and vegetables. Like all beginning phases of diets, we were miserable that first week. I just wanted a piece of chocolate cake! However, once I realized after the first week that my Husband was still in it to win it, I shifted my mindset a little. If this meant that much to him, maybe I’ll take it a little more seriously.
So, I started really researching and diving in to the ketogenic lifestyle and what it really meant for our health and wellness. I was surprised when I found out that one of my favorite and most trusted food blogger friends was also on this same path. That was almost all of the confirmation I needed to know that this was legit. I also started listening to the same radio show about health and wellness that my Husband listens to. Hearing professionals speak and personal testimonies fully convinced me. Let’s do this then!
A few months went by so quickly. One day I stopped, looked at my Husband and said, “I really think we have made this a habit or a lifestyle switch.” It wasn’t until then that I began to self-reflect on how we all felt physically, emotionally, and mentally. Our whole family was experiencing very positive changes. We had more physical energy, greater mental clarity, and the ability to not use food as an emotional outlet. I could go on and on about the additional benefits my family has experienced, but that will have to wait for another day. We’ve got meatballs to discuss!
What Do You Need To Make Grain-Free Meatballs?
These easy and delicious grain-free meatballs are a snap to make. We typically keep the Simple Mills Almond Flour Crackers stocked in our pantry for quick snacking for the kids. A huge bonus, is that our local Costco sells a bulk box of them! So, if you’re interested, you may want to explore that money-saving avenue. Otherwise, they are stocked at most grocery stores, especially Whole Foods. Simple Mills also makes a variety of other items that are low glycemic and grain-free.
The ingredients you will need to make these meatballs are as follows:
1.5 lb ground meat mixture of equal parts pork, beef, and veal (our local butcher will sell it as a “meatloaf mix”).
1/2 c Simple Mills Almond Flour Cracker crumbs
1 egg
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp each of ground pepper, onion powder, and garlic powder
The equipment you will need to make these meatballs are as follows:
Rimmed sheet pan
Parchment paper
Large mixing bowl
Oven
How To Make Easy and Delicious Grain-Free Meatballs
Grind up your crackers as finely as possible. I put them in a sandwich bag and roll them out with a rolling pin. My 4 year old loves to help with this part. Add the crackers to a mixing bowl, then add all remaining ingredients except the meat. Mix it all together and then add the meat to the bowl. This is where I pry my rings off of my hands to dive in and mix the way my Mom always did. With my hands! Don’t be shy. Just get in there and incorporate it well.
Take a rimmed baking sheet and line it with parchment paper (or oil it well). Roll your meatballs into a 2 in. golf ball size and place on the baking sheet. Bake for about 30 mins in a preheated 375 degree oven until done, or the internal temp is 160 degrees.
Tips For Making Easy and Delicious Grain-Free Meatballs
If you read my previous post, you will know that we recently welcomed Baby #3 into our family. While I was pregnant, any time I made these, I would double the recipe to freeze half of it. They freeze so well! Just thaw in the fridge, and warm up in some sauce on the stovetop. This makes life so much easier with little kids and busy week nights.
If you cannot find the specific meat called for in this recipe, ask your butcher. Whether it be at a grocery store, private butcher shop, or farmer. They should be able to assist you, and may even mix it all together for you as well.
After I put the meatballs in the oven, I typically get a pot of sauce on to warm up. After the meatballs come out of the oven, I pop those babies in the warm sauce and put the lid on. That way, when it comes time to eat, we can just serve from one dish, and they’re nice and hot.
What To Serve Grain-Free Meatballs With?
Since we do not eat grain, pasta is usually off the list. We do VERY occasionally eat a packaged grain-free pasta, but because the specialty packaged foods are so expensive, we make it a rare thing.
You can serve this with zoodles or any other veggie spirals you want to make, over cauliflower rice, or even on their own. We will typically make a salad on the side and call it dinner. There usually isn’t any leftovers. All family members love this dish for it’s comfort and flavor.
Recipe For Easy and Delicious Grain-Free Meatballs
Easy and Delicious Grain-Free Meatballs
Equipment
- Rimmed sheet pan
- Parchment paper
- Oven
Ingredients
- ½ cup Simple Mills Almond Flour Cracker crumbs
- 1 egg
- 1 tsp salt
- ¼ tsp ground pepper
- ¼ tsp onion powder
- ¼ tsp garlic powder
- ½ lb ground beef
- ½ lb ground pork
- ½ lb ground veal
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375° and line a rimmed sheet pan with parchment paper.
- Crush the Simple Mills crackers into crumbs to equal ½ cup.
- Add cracker crumbs, egg, salt, pepper, onion powder, and garlic powder to large mixing bowl. Mix to combine.
- Add ground beef, pork, and veal to bowl and mix together. This is where using your hands to mix works well.
- Once fully combined, roll mixture to form 2” balls and place on lined sheet pan.
- Bake in preheated oven for about 30 mins, or until internal temperature reaches 160°.
- If desired, place cooked meatballs into a warm pot of sauce until ready to serve.
Other Grain-Free Recipes
Since we eat a lot of grain-free foods, I will continue to post recipes and information with that lifestyle in mind. I have a recipe on here for Grain-Free Chocolate Chip Cookies. You can click here to find that yummy treat. Those would make a great dessert option if you have room in your belly after eating these meatballs.
If you would like more information about why we eat grain-free, or how we do it as a family of 5, you can send an e-mail to [email protected] or simply drop a comment below.
Also, don’t forget to sign up for our Sprouting Community newsletter to receive early news, recipes, DIY tutorials, and natural living inspiration.
I’m glad you stopped by for a delicious treat, and will visit with you again soon!
Leave a Reply