BBQ Meatballs (THM E, Low Fat)

Ever get a craving for something just delicious and smoky? I made these meatballs because I was just craving that smoky, BBQ flavor. I was unhappy with this sauce as it ended up being an E instead of an S like I had wanted and it was too tomato-y. BUT some of you may enjoy it! Just know that I didn't have smoked paprika on hand and that very well may be the reason why it wasn't as smoky and savory as I like. I had moose meat on hand and that is what I made my meatballs out of so it came out to an E. You could also use ground turkey! This recipe is a mash-up of My Montana Kitchen's Meatballs and Wholesome Yum's BBQ Sauce (altered to make it THM compliant).

BBQ Meatballs

SERVES 14 | SERVING SIZE 2 MEDIUM MEATBALLS

Meatball Ingredients

• 1.5 lbs ground moose or turkey

• 1/4 onion, finely chopped

• 3 Tbsp Nutritional Yeast

• 2 eggs

• 1/4 tsp thyme

• 1 tsp garlic powder

• 1 Tbsp parsley

• 1/4 cup golden flax meal or ground flax

• 3 Tbsp Heavy Cream or Unsweetened Original Almond Milk

• 1 tsp Himalayan Pink Salt

• 1/4 tsp black pepper

BBQ Sauce Ingredients

• 1 (12-oz) can tomato paste

• 1/2 (6-oz) can tomato paste

• 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar

• 2 1/4 tsp Pyure or THM Super Sweet

• 2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce

• 1 Tbsp liquid hickory smoke

• 2 tsp smoked paprika

• 1 tsp garlic powder

• 1/2 tsp onion powder

• 1/2 tsp Himalayan Pink Salt

• 1/4 tsp chili powder

• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

• 1 1/2-2 cups water (see instructions)

Instructions for Meatballs

1. Preheat oven to 375.

2. In a large bowl, mix all ingredients well.

3. Using a large spoon or your hands, form 28 medium-sized meatballs.

4. Place on a cookie sheet and bake 18-20 minutes.

Instructions for BBQ Sauce

1. Whisk all ingredients in a saucepan, adding the water last. Start with a cup of water, then whisk in a bit more at a time, until it reaches a slightly thinner consistency than regular BBQ sauce.

2. Bring to a gentle boil at medium-high heat, then reduce to medium-low.

3. Simmer, stirring frequently, for 20 minutes, or until slightly thickened.

4. Taste and adjust sweetener and spices to your preference.

Combine the BBQ Sauce and Meatballs in a crockpot and cook on low heat until ready to serve.

Nutrition Facts

Courtesy of MyFitnessPal

Calories: 125

Total Fat: 3.3g

Saturated: 1.2 g

Trans: 0 g

Polyunsaturated: 0.9 g

Monounsaturated: 0.5 g

Cholesterol: 59.5 mg

Sodium: 139.4 mgT

otal Carbohydrates: 10.9 g

Dietary Fiber: 3.3 g

Sugar: 4.8 g

Added Sugars: 0 g

Sugar Alcohols: 0 g

Protein: 14 g

Vitamin D: 0%

Calcium: 5.2%

Iron: 20%

Potassium: 599.2 mg

Vitamin A: 23.6%

Vitamin C: 9%

PERCENT DAILY VALUES ARE BASED ON A 2000 CALORIE DIET. YOUR DAILY VALUES MAY BE HIGHER OR LOWER DEPENDING ON YOUR CALORIE NEEDS.

I served this with an easy roasted zucchini recipe and some Dreamfields pasta combined with olive oil, Italian seasoning, crushed red pepper flakes, and a tablespoon of Parmesan for my daughter. You could eat this meal with the pasta without Parmesan, because the Dreamfields is a "frankenfood" that doesn't have any carb content, however it's better to just go without.