• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Monica Swanson

the grommom

  • Home
  • Start Here
    • About Monica
    • Contact
    • Speaking
    • Travel
    • Subscribe
  • Blog
    • Parenting and Family
    • Boy Mom Podcast
    • Health/Fitness
    • Encouragement and faith
    • Home School
    • Surf
    • Recipes
      • Breakfasts
      • Snacks and Smoothies
      • Lunches and Dinners
      • Desserts
      • Gluten Free
  • Boy Mom Book
  • Boy Mom Podcast

Lightened-Up Turkey Veggie Meatballs!

by Monica 4 Comments

Share
Share
Pin59
Tweet
Email
Print

I’m not sure what started it, but lately I’ve been craving meatballs.  Spaghetti and meatballs, Swedish meatballs, you name it…
No, I’m not pregnant.

Meatballs.

I don’t remember ever making meatballs before, however my family tells me I did once.  (That’s always a little scary to me.)
Regardless, I set out to use ground turkey, and anything else remotely healthy to LIGHTEN UP SOME MEATBALLS.
Because: WHY NOT.

It took a few tries.  The first batch I tried serving with noodles and a light turkey gravy.  (That was the Swedish meatball craving.)  The family liked it.  But it didn’t receive rave reviews.   I need to get in touch with our Swedish relatives for a Swanson-family-recipe!  (Stay tuned for that.)

The next time I went for the Italian style, with a simple (store-bought,) sauce and whole wheat noodles.

RAVE REVIEWS this time.
lightened up turkey meatballs

I had a bunch of the meatballs out in a bowl for kids to “sample” before I added them to the sauce. The kids literally emptied the bowl when I turned my back.  Actually one kid alone emptied the bowl.  (I won’t name names, but that Josiah is really in the midst of a growth spurt.)

healthy turkey meatball dinner

They had no idea that they were eating VEGETABLES, QUINOA, OATS, and ground turkey.

spaghetti and meatballs

The flavors came together pretty perfectly.

thegrommom's spaghetti and meatballs

These are extra-fabulous because I blended in finely chopped (minced) vegetables.  The first batch I used only spinach. The next time, I combined carrots, and bell peppers–VERY finely chopped.  (I was out of spinach or you bet I would have snuck that in too.)  You can play around with the veggies.
Also note:  When I make meatloaf, I always add uncooked oats.  For these meatballs I decided to combine cooked quinoa (I had some in my fridge,) AND oats.  I am pretty sure you could use all of one OR the other as well.  Or neither if you are so inclined.  As always–I recommend you play around with food, and don’t be afraid to switch things up!  My momma taught me that. 😉

Here’s the printable recipe:

Lightened-Up Turkey Meatballs
www.monicaswanson.com

INGREDIENTS:

1 1/3 lbs. lean ground turkey
3/4 cup whole wheat bread crumbs (w/ Italian seasoning.)
1/4 cup parmesan cheese. (+ extra for topping.)
1/2 cup 2% milk. (or your choice of milk.)
2 large eggs
1 cup finely chopped (minced.)  vegetable (choose from carrots, spinach, bell peppers–
Or your choice of veggie.  Mix them all if you like.)
1/2 cup cooked quinoa
1/2 cup uncooked oats.
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper.
35 ounces spaghetti sauce of choice.
16 ounces uncooked spaghetti.

 

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a bowl, combine ground turkey, milk, parmesan cheese, and breadcrumbs well.
Gently beat eggs, then add to mixture.
Finely chop your veggies–(*I recommend using a food processor so they are so tiny,
small children will not recognize. :))
Add veggies to the rest.
Add the rest of the ingredients:  Cooked quinoa, oats, salt and pepper.
Use hands to combine well.

Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray>
Roll meatballs into bite-sized balls, and place on baking sheet.
Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper.
Bake for 20 minutes

While baking, cook the spaghetti noodles according to package directions.
Heat spaghetti sauce in a pan over medium heat.
When meatballs are done, add them to the sauce and cover well.  (you can leave a few out for snacking.)
Combine noodles with the sauce/meatball mixture, OR serve noodles topped with the meatballs and sauce.
Top with parmesan cheese.

ENJOY!

 

MMmmmmmeatballs!

Turkey quinoa meatballs

Much Aloha!  See you this weekend!
Grommom

Aloha, Monica
Share
Share
Pin59
Tweet
Email
Print

Categories: Lunches and Dinners, Miscellaneous, Recipes

Related Posts

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Or, you can subscribe without commenting.

Comments

  1. Sandy says

    August 10, 2014 at 5:47 am

    Hmm, I have never added cheese or milk into my meatballs. However, oatmeal or breadcrumbs yes. Sometimes panko or even matzo meal.

    Growing up mom would always use meatballs in a stroganoff (instead of ground meat). However, now I just love munching on meatballs plain. Or with hoisin sauce, or with BBQ sauce. Okay, I just love meatballs.

    Reply
    • grommom says

      August 10, 2014 at 5:52 am

      what’s there not to love about meatballs!? My family just LOVED these, and even said they wished we could have them every single night.
      It’s a little labor-intensive, but very worthwhile. And an absolute key: Dousing them w/ plenty of S&P before baking. yum–I’m w/ you–pop ’em straight into your mouth. 🙂

      Reply
      • Sandy says

        August 10, 2014 at 7:48 am

        Make up double batches every time and keep them in the fridge. Plus it is a great all-hands on deck, anyone can roll balls.

        Reply
        • grommom says

          August 10, 2014 at 7:55 am

          haha–And you can imagine how much fun they had every time I referred to rolling the balls…(;))

          Reply

Primary Sidebar

Categories

  • Parenting and Family
  • Health/Fitness
  • Encouragement and faith
  • Home School
  • Recipes
  • Surf
  • Travel
  • Miscellaneous

Recent Posts

  • Making Memories with Your Family this Christmas {Ep. 33 with Jessica Smartt}
  • Cultivating Gratitude as a Family {Episode 32 with my Husband, Dave}
  • Fall Coffee Date: Recent World Travels Edition (with great links, recipes, photos, and fun)
  • A Surf Contest Trip to Ericeira, Portugal
  • Practicing Presence during the Holidays. And Everyday {Episode 31 with Kate Merrick}
Instagram post 2191305030198793642_6153198 Good to be home. 🌅🏝🌈⁣
However, not pictured here: the honest, full picture of returning home from vacation, which includes— 2 cars breaking down 😮, Dave with some really hectic weeks of hospital work (please quit the meth, people 😫)... overwhelming piles of laundry, stacks of mail, and trying to get back into homeschool/my work when we all kind of just want to be on vacation for the rest of the year. 😂🤷🏼‍♀️⁣
Of course I love to share the pretty, happy parts of our life here (and they are real and so appreciated,) but I never want to pretend our life is always easy or pain free...it’s not.  God is good, but we live in a fallen world which includes broken cars and broken bodies and sometimes bummer days. 🙃⁣
⁣(However, ending them with a north shore sunset might help just a little...😉🙌🏼🥰✨)
Instagram post 2189681266306562567_6153198 Well, that was the bumpiest flight ever — we all thought we were gonna get sick. 🤢😳🤭But after an awesome, adventure-packed trip I’m really glad to be getting back home. 🙌🏼🌴 ♥️. We missed Dave so much. ✨ And Thor. 🐶 And the waves. 🌊 And the sun. ☀️ 🥰 — and what it’s December!? 😲🤷🏼‍♀️
Instagram post 2188790055081160067_6153198 “Support wildlife, raise boys.” My mom found this shirt at a little shop and it kinda says it perfectly. 🥰🙌🏼👍🏼.♥️🌲🐾🐿🦌🦔
Instagram post 2188220589813409640_6153198 Wherever we go these 4 end up huddled together somewhere laughing or in deep discussion (usually ending in laughter...😂)
⁣
People often ask me what I think the key is to my boys being best friends.  Though I don’t have a formula or one answer that is guaranteed to work for everyone, I am convinced that the fact that my boys have spent a lot of time together growing up has been a huge key.  Between living in the country where neighbors/play dates weren’t always an option, and homeschooling, these 4 have been “stuck together” a lot. 😂🤷🏼‍♀️ ⁣
⁣
I encourage families with young kids not to feel obligated to have friends over all the time or to sign your kids up for too many activities..⁣
⁣
Let them get bored.  Let them hang out with a sibling even when they don’t feel like it. 🤗  Even if they fight a bit, they’re learning life skills and in time they’re likely to develop a deep bond that one day might look something like laughing over espresso and ice cream during Thanksgiving break 🥰 
PS: on this topic, I’m linking in my bio to a post I wrote titled “How Brothers become Best Friends.” (Pretty sure it applies to sisters, too 😉💕) PPS:  Be assured, these 4 have had their share of battles, too.  No perfect family here. (or anywhere 😉)
Load More...

Footer

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Most Popular

  • When Your Kid Argues about Everything {5 tips}
    When Your Kid Argues about Everything {5 tips}
  • What A Middle School Boy Needs Most from His Parents.
    What A Middle School Boy Needs Most from His Parents.
  • What a Teenage Boy Needs Most from his Mom
    What a Teenage Boy Needs Most from his Mom
  • Is your Teen Pulling Away? 7 Ways You might be causing it
    Is your Teen Pulling Away? 7 Ways You might be causing it

Copyright © 2019 Monica Swanson · All Rights Reserved · Privacy Policy