lightened up turkey meatballs and sauce

Massena (now in FL), NY
Updated on Jun 21, 2011

This won grand prize in that's Amore contest for Taste of Home's Healthy Cooking magazine. This will appear in the Aug/Sept issue, and there will be a mini write up on me also. This week I received a surprise from the folks at Taste of Home's healthy cooking a complimentary copy of the annual recipes in hardcover. This recipe is on the cover. Basically it is a recipe for meatballs that are lightend up by using ground turkey and baking the meatballs instead of frying. They changed it bc of sodium perimiters to 1 can of tomato sauce, I would never do it that way.

prep time 35 Min
cook time 6 Hr
method Slow Cooker Crock Pot
yield 12 to 15

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 pounds ground turkey
  • 1/2 cup italian bread crumbs
  • 1 - equivelent to one egg subsitute
  • 1/3 medium onion, chopped
  • 1/4 teaspoon sea salt, or salt subsitute to taste
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • - sauce:
  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 1 medium green bell pepper, chopped
  • 1 small zuchinni, diced
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 14 1/2 ounces can diced tomatoes
  • 90 ounces six 15 ounce cans tomato sauce, i like hunts
  • 6 ounces can tomato puree
  • 2 medium bay leaves
  • 1 teaspoon each dried oregano and sweet sweet basil
  • 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper, or more to taste
  • 1 teaspoon dried parsley
  • 1/2 teaspoon each salt or salt subsitute and pepper, or to taste

How To Make lightened up turkey meatballs and sauce

  • Step 1
    Pre heat oven to 350°
  • Step 2
    Combine all meat ball ingredients.
  • Step 3
    Line a cookie sheet with aluminum foil (no cleanup).
  • Step 4
    Make meatballs as large as you like them I like mine on the small side, about 1 inches around.
  • Step 5
    Bakefor 25 to 30 minutes, until browned, turning a few times. They will finish up cooking in the sauce.
  • Step 6
    While meatballs are browning, chop all your veggies, and line the slow cooker with a disposable liner.
  • Step 7
    Put veggies in the slowcooker and all the rest of the sauce ingredients, stir to combine.
  • Step 8
    Add the meatballs and turn cooker on low. Cover and cook for 6 hours.
  • Step 9
    Nice served over spaghetti, and with a salad an garlic bread.

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