Easy meatballs - low FODMAP

I love meatballs. The kids love meatballs. Who doesn't like meatballs? These meatballs are made with low-fat heart-smart lean mince beef and IBS acceptable tomato sauce. This serves 4 with pasta of your choice. You could use gluten-free pasta for celiacs. Or alternatively serve it with rice.

Ingredients:

• 500g lean heart-smart mince beef
• 1 tablespoon gluten-free rice crumbs
• 1 egg
• Tablespoon of sauce or paste of your choice. I find tandoori paste is excellent, but if your tummy can't handle that, a thick sauce of your choice, ie BBQ, thick soy, curry paste, chilli paste, etc
• 2 tablespoons good quality olive oil
• 1 carrot peeled and finely chopped
• 1/2 capsicum finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon celeriac (turnip) peeled and finely chopped
• 1/4 cup stock of your choice
• 680g tomato cooking base (with no hidden ingredients) * see note below
• 1 tablespoon thyme

Method:

1. In a bowl place the egg and whisk briefly, add the mince, sauce/paste and rice crumbs
2. Mix with your hands really well until everything is mixed together
3. In the palm of your hands roll mince into 2cm diameter meatballs. 500g of mince should yield 40-42 meatballs of this size
4. Heat the oil in a large pan and cook the meatballs in batches until browned on both sides. It took me three batches in the pan I was using. It would be faster if you used a large electric frying pan
5. Once you've browned all meatballs on both sides, remove them to a plate
6. To the juices in the pan, add the capsicum, carrot and celeriac (turnip) and the stock
7. Scrape the bottom of the pan so all the bits of browned mince mix with the vegetables and stock
8. Add the thyme and mix well
9. Add the tomato cooking base and mix well
10. Carefully add the meatballs to the sauce, gently pushing them under the surface
11. Bring to the boil, then turn down to a simmer while your pasta or rice is cooking
12. Serve whilst hot either on rice or pasta and your favourite (tummy safe) grated cheese. I used Grana Padano...D-E-L-icious  XD

Note: It's important to check your tomato bases and pasta sauces at the supermarket. Most of them have garlic and onion in them, so if you are following the low FODMAP diet and/or suffer from IBS, you will need to avoid these. This tomato base is the CHEAPEST in Woolworths and is low FODMAP. You can add whatever herbs and spices your tummy can handle while preparing the sauce for your meatballs...or for any bolognaise dish you are making.

Challenge 2: Chicken Meatballs

I haven't made chicken meatballs today, in fact I've never bought chicken mince before! This is challenge recipe number 2 from the 'Low-fat' cookbook.

Ingredients:

• 500g chicken mince
• 3 tablespoons fresh breadcrumbs
• 2 teaspoons finely chopped thyme
• 1 tablespoon oil
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 2 x 425g tins chopped tomatoes
• 2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
• 1 cup chicken stock
• Grated parmesan cheese to serve

Method:

1. Combine the chicken, breadcrumbs and thyme in a large bowl and season well
2. Roll tablespoons of the mixture between your hands to make meatballs
3. Heat oil in a large non-stick frying pan and cook the meatballs in batches for 5-8 minutes, or until golden brown
4. Remove from the pan and drain well on paper towel
5. Add the onion to the pan and cook for 2-3 minutes, or until softened
6. Add the tomato, vinegar and stock, return the meatballs to the pan, then reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes, or until the sauce thickens and the meatballs are cooked through
7. Serve with pasta and a little parmesan

Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 30 minutes
Serves: 6
Score: 2 out of 5 stars
Comment: I don't like breadcrumbs so I used Organ Gluten-free All Purpose Rice Crumbs. I thought 2 tins of tomatoes were too much, so only added one tin. I also made the meatballs larger than stated so let them simmer for 15 minutes instead of 10. It served 4 of us not 6. I wonder if I used smaller meatballs and the extra tin of tomatoes it would serve 6? The sauce didn't thicken up! The flavours were lovely and I added chopped basil as garnish as well as the parmesan cheese, however the actual meatballs were bland. Not a fan of chicken meatballs I've realised and I definitely won't make this again.

Mum's special meatballs

I love this recipe...I have since I was little. My mum used to make this for me and this is the first time I've cooked it. I followed the recipe nearly exactly - I replaced the breadcrumbs with rice crumbs because breadcrumbs upset my tummy! It's beautiful, however it's not the same as mum, because it doesn't have mum's love in it. But even so, it is delicious. It serves 6 generous helping with rice.

Ingredients:

• 1kg mince beef
• 1 cup apple sauce
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup soft breadcrumbs (I used Organ Rice Crumbs which are gluten-free)
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1 onion chopped
• 1/2 cup chopped celery
• 1/2 cup chopped carrot
• 1 green capsicum, chopped
• 1 tin 375g tomato soup
• 1/2 cup stock, or water - I used chicken stock.

Method: 

1. Combine mince, apple sauce, eggs, breadcrumbs, salt & pepper and shape into meatballs
2. Brown meatballs on 2 sides and transfer to a large deep casserole dish
3. Saute vegetables in the pan drippings
4. Combine soup and water (stock) to the vegies and stir through
5. Pour the sauce and vegies over the meatballs in the large deep casserole dish
6. Bake uncovered for 1 hour at 180 degrees celsius fan-forced.
7. Serve with rice.

D-E-L-icious  XD