A lean, do-anything meatball: ground turkey with spinach, garlic and cheese, pan-cooked and coated in tomato sauce. Eight meatballs at 44 calories each — eat as-is, over rice, or in a sandwich.

Folding chopped spinach into the mix sneaks in greens and keeps the meatballs moist.

Ingredients

  • Ground turkey — 227 g (1 cup, 93% lean) [P 43 C 0 F 15]
  • Spinach — 1 heaping cup, chopped [P 1 C 1 F 0]
  • Egg whites — ¼ cup [P 6 C 1 F 0]
  • Low-fat cheese — ¼ cup (mozzarella or parmesan) [P 9 C 2 F 4]
  • Tomato sauce — ¼ cup [P 1 C 4 F 0]
  • Minced garlic — 1 tbsp
  • Olive oil — 1 tsp (or spray)
  • Salt, pepper, paprika, Italian seasoning — to taste

Method

  1. Mix and roll. Combine the turkey, spinach, garlic, egg whites, cheese and seasoning; form 8 even meatballs.
  2. Cook. Pan-cook in the oil, covered, 2 minutes on 4 sides (~8 minutes total) until cooked through.
  3. Sauce. Pour the tomato sauce over and coat.

What to eat it with

  • Over rice or pasta.
  • In a sub sandwich.
  • On their own with extra sauce.

Variations

  • Any ground meat: beef, chicken or lamb.
  • Spicier: chilli flakes in the mix.
  • Baked: oven at 400°F for ~18 minutes instead of the pan.

Honest notes

  • Fibre: essentially 0 — pair with veg or whole grains.
  • Protein is conservative: the listed 5g a meatball is on the low side for 227g of turkey plus egg whites and cheese — honest math is closer to 7g each, so you’re getting at least what’s on the label.
  • Batch-friendly: doubles easily for a week of meals.