Turkey and ricotta meatballs

Other than assorted frozen dough and baked treats, the other thing I always make sure to have ready to go from our freezer are my favorite turkey meatballs! I typically make a double batch and cool then freeze them so that they are ready to reheat and eat anytime. I rely on this recipe so much in fact that it was the first thing I made when we moved into our new home. As far as meatballs go, they are very low maintenance and are baked fully in the oven, no stovetop required.

These can be made with any kind of ricotta, to no surprise they taste best with a full fat ricotta but I also make them with part skim ricotta and they are still wonderful. I also use some of the grated parmesan that comes in a plastic container, but it also tastes great with a shredded parmesan swapped in.

Though these may not be the prettiest recipe I make (are any meatballs?), they are so versatile which is why I always like to have them on hand. My favorite thing to do is eat them with Banza and some vodka sauce, but I also eat them frequently with brown rice, butter, and a sprinkle of parmesan or ricotta if I have it on hand, and they also taste awesome mixed into mac and cheese!

Ingredients:

• 1 pound ground turkey meat

• 1/2 cup ricotta

• 1/3 cup breadcrumbs (I use whole wheat)

• 2 tablespoons grated parmesan

• 2 eggs

• Parsley, garlic salt, and pepper to taste

Cooking time: About forty minutes plus cool time.

Cooking instructions:

Preheat your oven to 425 and prep a lined baking sheet with tinfoil and grease with your oil or butter of choice. I sometimes don't grease the foil, but know that you may need to use a little muscle removing the meatballs later if you choose to skip greasing it.

In a large bowl, add all of your ingredients. Begin to combine using a large spoon, and then use your hands to lightly combine the rest of your ingredients. You don't want to over mix, but do want to ensure your ingredients are evenly distributed.

Scoop your turkey meatball mixture, you can use a medium sized scoop or your hands to shape them into about a tablespoon and a half for each meatball. You should get 23-24 meatballs for each batch. Place your pan into the oven for 12 minutes. Then, turn your broiler on for 2-3 minutes to lightly brown the top of your meatballs. If you make two batches or have meatballs on two pans, remove the bottom pan and broil your meatballs one pan at a time for a few minutes.

Remove your meatballs from the oven and you have lots of options for serving. If you want to serve them right away, use a spatula to carefully remove the meatballs after a couple of minutes. You can also allow them to cool fully, and store them in the fridge for 4-5 days or place them in an airtight container and into the freezer for up to 2-3 months. To serve later, you can defrost in the fridge if frozen, and then reheat in the microwave. You can serve them warmed up, or slice them in half and pan fry them with a little bit of oil on a pan

Carb and serving info:

Servings: one batch makes about 20-24 meatballs

Carbs in full recipe: 32

Note: Carb information is calculated based on the specific ingredients I used to cook with to help guide my own insulin to carb ratio when dosing before I eat my home cooked recipes.