Silan Glazed Turkey Balls

Jul 20, 2020 | Quick and easy mains, Recipes

Always looking for ways to please my kids in the food department. My three year old is one of the pickiest eaters I’ve met. Seriously though. My siblings have lots and lots of kids (I think I’m at 20 nieces and nephews from my side?) and non of them have had kids this picky. At first I thought there was something wrong with her, even had her assessed for sensory issues. But overtime I came to realize that there are just picky eaters in the world. And she didn’t get it from no where 😉 But look how I turned out: foodie/nutritionist in the making! So I guess there’s hope. I recently came to realize why my mom was always so stressed when I continuously refused foods she suggested. You just want your kids to eat, and I get that so much now.

Over the years, I’ve learned a lot about kids behavior and how to support healthy eating habits. I learned that my daughter needs to be pleased with her eyes before she can agree to put it in her mouth. She needs to help in making the food decisions so that she is excited to eat the food. She needs to be told that she doesn’t NEED to eat a certain food, but only try it. When she is given the option to spit it out if she doesn’t like it, she is always more willing to try. Just some tips for those of you struggling with picky littles.

Moving on though…

These turkey meatballs have become a staple in our house. So if my picky girl can practically finish an entire pot full on her own, they must be some sort of magic. Wanted to share the wealth with you all.

The recipe itself uses a small amount of natural sweetening from silan, aka date syrup. There are a lot of brands available throughout the country, but most important to look for brand without any additives, you want the pure date syrup. This is a brand I like, and I find it readily available throughout the country. Tomato wise: I like to use the plain crushed tomatoes from Shufersal because it has no added sugar. Purely tomatoes.

For those of you who have kids who can’t handle texture, I often blend the sauce before putting the turkey balls back in. Gets rid of the onions and makes the sauce much more thick and yummy.

Let’s talk about the benefits of turkey for a second as well. People often associate meat with having the most amount of iron, but turkey actually packs in the iron with the added bonus of less fat! This recipe can definitely be done with beef though, or even a mix of turkey and beef. So all in all, this is a lovely weeknight dinner (or Shabbat) that pleases all and packs in protein, iron, and veggies without mass amounts of sugar. Pair with some rice or a side of veggies and you are looking at a superstar meal!

About Me

Hi! I’m Liat Buckman, a Real Food Women’s Health Dietitian. After years of restrictive eating, painful periods, low energy, and fertility struggles, I realized conventional medicine wasn’t giving me real solutions. I took matters into my own hands—diving deep into real food nutrition, functional medicine, and blood sugar regulation to heal my body.

Now, as a conventionally trained dietitian in Israel with holistic certifications as an NTP and RWP, I help women uncover the root causes of their hormonal and metabolic struggles using real food and sustainable lifestyle shifts. I also guide women in navigating real food eating in Israel, which is where this entire journey—and my blog—began. Read more >

Silan Glazed Turkey Balls

Servings: twenty-four meatballs

For the turkey:
½ kg ground turkey or beef/a mix of both
¼ cup spelt breadcrumbs
2 tbsp silan
1 tsp minced garlic
I cube frozen basil (or ½ tsp dried basil)
Freshly ground black pepper
1 egg

For the glaze:
1 tbsp sesame oil
1 onion, diced
1 garlic clove, minced
½ cup red wine
1 cup crushed tomatoes
½ cup silan

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius
2. Mix all the turkey ingredients together till combined
3. Form 20-24 little turkey balls and spread on a lined baking tray
4. Bake for 20-25 minutes while you prepare the sauce
5. Heat oil, add onions and garlic and sauté until they begin to soften
6. Add wine and allow to reduce in half on a medium to low flame, about 5 minutes
7. Add the silan and the crushed tomatoes and mix to combine. Allow to simmer for 10-15 minutes until the sauce thickens
8. At this point you can use an immersion blender if you want a smoother texture, but not necessary
9. Carefully place the baked turkey balls into the sauce, mixing gently to coat
10. Allow sauce and turkey balls to simmer for an additional 5-10 minutes

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