That's Amore...

You are on your first date with that rakishly handsome guy from the "other side of the tracks". The moon is glowing, the stars are twinkling, and you find yourself falling just a little bit in love. Dinner is a casual, yet romantic, affair at a cozy little Italian cafe where he is a regular. You decide to share a meal, claiming you are not that hungry, but knowing he can't really afford to pay for two meals. You can tell everyone adores him, which only adds to his appeal. The strains of an Italian love song begin to play as you gaze into his deep brown puppy dog eyes. He playfully nudges the last meatball in you direction. You nudge it back. He slowly leans forward and licks marinara sauce from your nose.... WAIT A MINUTE!

This sounds like a scene straight out of Lady and the Tramp! It must be time for Dinner With Disney!!!!!!!!


In honor of this month's Go Ahead Honey, It's Gluten Free theme, Dinner With Disney, I decided to recreate a classic Disney meal, Meatballs! Who can forget spaghetti scene between Lady and the Tramp?



My twist on the recipe is probably quite a bit healthier than the meatballs they enjoyed, but just as tasty.

Turkey and Spinach Meatballs


Ingredients:
- 2 pounds 94% lean, Ground Turkey
- 12 oz. frozen Spinach, defrosted and drained
- 1/2 small Onion, diced
- 3 medium clove Garlic, minced
- 1 large Egg
- 1/4 cup low sodium Vegetable Stock
- 1/2 cup Brown Rice Flour
- Toasted Breadcrumbs from 2 slices of Gluten Free Bread (I used 2 sheets of Van's gluten and dairy free mini waffles, toasted them and processed them into a crumb in the food processor)
- 2-3 tablespoons Nutritional Yeast Flakes (Redstar is Gluten Free)
- 1/2 teaspoon Rubbed Sage
- 1/2 teaspoon Rosemary
- 1/2 teaspoon Thyme
- 1/3 teaspoon Nutmeg
- Salt to taste
- freshly ground Black Pepper to taste

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.
Line a baking sheet (with a lip) with foil and spray with non-stick cooking spray.
Now, it's time to get messy! Roll up your sleeves, take off your rings, and dig in! Use your hands to thoroughly combine the ingredients in a large bowl. No liquid should remain.
Roll meatballs into balls about 1 inch in diameter and place on your prepared baking sheet.
Bake in a 400 degree oven about 20 minutes, until cooked through.
Serve over pasta or as a sandwich.

These meatballs freeze beautifully! Just let them cool completely, toss them in a freezer bag, label and date them, and place them in your freezer. Simple as pie1

Enjoy!