Two meatball recipes

Pesto meatballs

Ingredients

• 1 bunch fresh basil, leaves only
• 1 clove fresh garlic, minced
• 1 tsp fresh lemon juice
• 1 tsp salt
• ⅛ tsp black pepper
• 3 TBS coconut oil or butter, melted
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 2 pounds ground meat

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400'F and line baking sheets with unbleached parchment paper.
2. TO MAKE PESTO: In a food processor, process basil leaves until completely broken up. Add garlic, lemon juice, salt, pepper, and fat of choice and continue to process until well incorporated and smooth.
3. Mix ground beef and eggs together in a large bowl. Add basil pesto and mix again. Your hands do the best job.
4. Form into small balls and place onto lined baking sheets.
5. Bake for 22-24 minutes, until starting to brown.

Veggie and herb meatballs

Ingredients

• 1 pound ground beef
• 1 and ½ cups packed shredded vegetables (like zucchini, yellow summer squash, and carrot)
• 2 TBS fresh herbs, finely chopped (mix and match as you like) 
• ¼ small onion, finely chopped
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• ¼ tsp salt
• 1 egg, beaten
• 2 pinches of salt

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400'F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper
2. Place shredded vegetables into a colander in the sink. Sprinkle with 2 pinches of salt and mix well. Allow to sit for 10 minutes to let the salt pull water out, then place veggies into a very clean hand towel and SQUEEZE out all of the moisture in them. Set aside.
3. Either puree the onion and garlic in a food processor or pound in a mortar and pestle
4. Combine ground beef, squeezed out veggies, onion/garlic mixture, chopped herbs, salt, and egg in a large bowl. Mix with your hands until well combined.
5. Roll into desired sized meatballs (but not too large if you want them to cook all the way through) and place onto baking sheet
6. Bake for 25-30 minutes until brown