I wanted to name this article "Paleo Power", but I'm holding off, because I'm not "technically" Paleo, I still reserve the right to a Whole Foods slice of Pizza if the moods hits me, though it hasn't all year.
And I do have some grass fed cheese, and a few other things that I think aren't Paleo, I don't wanna split hairs to identify with a diet label.
Nonetheless, a lot of my meals are "technically" Paleo, and I'm approaching a year without grains after healing myself from a scary prostate ailment last Thanksgiving, where it seemed like eliminating the grains really worked for my body.
Furthermore, as I wrote in my recent article, 3000 Eggs Later, My Cholesterol Still Perfect, I have a green light to eat as many pasture raised eggs as I want…………and trust me, I want !!!!!!
This recipe has a nice Middle Eastern vibe to it, very bold and robust, the kind of thing I would cook for my boys if one of us is moving to a new house, and we gotta spend the day humping that furniture, knowing we won't have time to munch for half a day…….you feel me.
If I were you, I would try the recipe as is before you scale it down to a "Yankee" version, it's damn delicious!!! It will wake you up and get your day started with some energy……..
moroccan spiced meatballs with egg, red pepper, and tomato
16oz ground lamb mince,
this recipe works with ground pasture raised turkey, grass fed beef, or grass fed bison
(I AVOID COMMERCIAL GROUND MEATS!!!, you can get grass fed at Whole Foods)
1/2 organic onion, finely chopped
2 organic garlic cloves, crushed
Optional large handful fresh breadcrumbs
(though I eliminate the breadcrumbs, and my meatballs hold together just fine)
1 tsp ground ceylon cinnamon (as opposed to common cassia cinnamon, ceylon is healthier)
Handful organic parsley leaves, roughly chopped
1 tbsp organic virgin olive oil (I cook with olive oil sometimes, though I prefer coconut oil for frying)
13oz chopped tomatoes
(original recipe called for can of tomatoes, but I avoid tomatoes in cans
so I chop fresh organic tomatoes and add a little home made tomato sauce )
2 grilled organic red bell peppers, cut into strips
1 tsp caster sugar
(I eliminate the sugar, although I can substitute with Ultimate Sweetener Birch Tree Xylitol)
1 tsp sumac ( a Middle Eastern Spice)
(assuming you don't have this spice, the closest you can come is to add little lemon zest)
1 tbsp harissa sauce
Harissa (below) is one of the main condiments in North African cuisine, I would recommend trying it before scaling down this recipe, never hurts to learn to make a batch, here's a Harissa recipe from "Half Baked Harvest" , though you can find it at ethnic stores, Whole Foods, or Amazon
directions
Put the mince in a large bowl with the onion, garlic and [optional] breadcrumbs. Add the cinnamon, parsley, salt and freshly ground black pepper. Using your hands, squeeze the ingredients together until well combined.
Wet your hands and roll the mixture into desired # of meatballs, though smaller ones cook more nicely. Heat the oil in a large frying pan over a medium-high heat. Fry the meatballs, turning frequently, until golden-brown.
Tip in the chopped tomatoes, peppers, sugar and harissa and simmer until the sauce has thickened and the meatballs are cooked through (You might need add a little tomato paste or water to thicken or thin out sauce). Season.
Use a wooden spoon to clear four holes in the mixture and crack an egg into each one. Alternatively, divide the meatballs and their sauce between 4 individual frying pans before adding the egg. Though I admit, I sometimes prefer to make this with an egg scramble (cause I don't like uncooked yolks).
Cook on the stove until the whites of the eggs have set and sprinkle with sumac (or lemon zest) to serve.
~stay healthy~
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