RECIPE: A&Z's Gluten-Freed Healthy Meatballs

Gluten-Freed by Z: This is a recipe I made up myself for simple, healthy, gluten-free meatballs.

Ingredients

• 1 lb ground buffalo (We like to eat buffalo because it is healthier, but I know it isn't easy to get everywhere. Also, some brands taste gamier than others, which not everybody likes. So ground beef or turkey would work well too.)
• 1/2 cup steamed and pureed cauliflower (You can also use baked and pureed sweet potato or butternut squash. This idea comes from Jessica Seinfeld's Deceptively Delicious cookbook. She teaches you how to use vegetable purees in cooking to make meals healthier. I think its a great cookbook to encourage you to eat more vegetables even if you don't have kids!)
• 1/2 cup flax seed meal (I use flax seed because it is really good for you- and it is especially supposed to be good for people with RA. I think it makes a pretty decent substitute for bread crumbs. However, it does change the flavor a little bit, so if you don't like the taste you can always use less flax seed and more Rice Chex.)
  
• 2 cups crushed Rice Chex (measure after crushing)
• 1 egg
  
• Italian seasoning - to taste
• Garlic salt - to taste
• Pepper - to taste
  

Directions

1. Combine ingredients with meat until well mixed.
   
2. Form meat into balls! For me, this recipe yields about 20 good-sized meatballs.
3. Heat a little olive oil in a pan and then add the meatballs.
   
4. Cook covered on medium heat, flipping occasionally, until meatballs are cooked all the way through. About twenty minutes. (Note: if you are pressed for time, you can cook faster at a higher temperature, but be careful not to burn the meatballs!)
5. Enjoy!!
   

Total From A to Z: 5 Stars

A's Review: * * * * *

Tender, juicy, flavorful. Just simple and good. I think this recipe would work with various kinds of meat as well, such as beef or turkey or pork, even though buffalo is our animal of choice.

Z's Review: * * * * *
I love these meatballs! (But perhaps I am biased, since I created them!) They can be eaten all by themselves - a snack or appetizer - or with pasta and sauce. I have to admit that they are probably a little bit softer than regular meatballs, due to adding flax seed and vegetables to make them healthier. If you don't like the softer texture, you can always use less of those ingredients so more meat will shine through!