Greek Turkey Meatballs

I took my inspiration from Greece tonight for dinner.  I made Greek Turkey Meatballs with a Tzatziki Sauce, Greek Salad and warm whole wheat pita breads.  I made the meatballs earlier in the afternoon since they needed a resting time in the refrigerator before cooking.  This dinner totally reminded me of some of the simple meals I had in Greece.  The meatball and tzatziki recipes were both from Skinny Taste so I felt fine with the calorie count even though it tasted anything but low calorie.  The meatballs actually had a grated zucchini to help lighten the calorie count and boost the nutrition.

The Greek Salad was a combination of chopped seedless cucumber and tomato along with sliced green pepper and red onion.  The dressing was a lemon vinaigrette with dried Greek oregano and once tossed, the salad was topped with feta cheese and kalamata olives.  Yum!

Greek Turkey Meatballs
Makes 4 servings (about 17 meatballs)

1.25 pounds lean ground turkey
1 cup zucchini, grated and liquid squeezed out
2 slices whole wheat bread
1/4 cup seasoned whole wheat breadcrumbs
1 large egg
2-3 garlic cloves, grated
1/4 red onion, grated
2 tablespoons fresh oregano, chopped
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon olive oil

Wet bread with water, squeezing excess out.  Tear into small pieces and place in a large bowl.  Combine with turkey, egg, zucchini, breadcrumbs, garlic, onion, mint, parsley, oregano, salt and pepper.

Using a 1/4 cup measure, form each meatball a scant 1/4 cup in size.  For best results, refrigerate before cooking to help hold their shape.

In a pan: heat olive oil in a large nonstick frying pan and cook over medium-low heat turning frequently to brown all sides for about 10 minutes total.

On the grill:  clean grill well before cooking and spray grate with oil.  Cook on low until cooked through.


Adapted from Skinnytaste.com

Our rating: