Veggie Infused Marinara & Grass-Fed Meat Balls

One thing I love about marinara & meatballs… is that the WHOLE family enjoys it.

It's an easy dish to batch cook, make in large quantities, to feed us a couple of meals. This is my top tip to eating healthy. 

When you are making a healthy meal, make more of it to bless your future self with leftovers. 

Kids tend to take time trying new foods., at least mine do… especially those with LOTS of veggies!

I make this to accompany a yummy clean pasta, grilled sourdough bread, spiralized zucchini noodles, or top on the top of steamed veggies!

I always douse it with tons of high-quality parmesan cheese too! Yummy! 

I add lots of veggies! You can pick and choose what you like, but garlic, onions, and peppers are never optional in my mind :)

A little tip I love to share too is that you can blend, using a blender or immersion blender, up to 1/2 of the mixture so a thicker texture. 

Let’s do this.

Veggie Infused Marinara & Grass-Fed Meat Balls 

Marinara Ingredients (source organic as much as possible):

• 4 tbsp avocado oil (or your favorite sauteing oil)
• 1 medium yellow onion (diced)
• 3 large garlic cloves (minced or use a press)
• 1.5 cup shredded carrots 
• 1.5 cup shredded zucchini 
• 2 tbsp oregano
• A hand full of basil or 3 tbsp of dried basil
• 2 cups chopped mushrooms
• 1 large bell pepper (red or green and chopped)
• 28 oz. roasted or stewed tomatoes
• 8 oz. vegetable or bone broth broth
• 2 tbsp of high-quality balsamic vinegar (this is my secret ingredient and is an amazing addition enhancing flavor profile)
• Salt, Pepper, and Red Pepper to taste
• 1/2 cup organic and raw Parmesan cheese
  

   Directions:

  • Heat a large pot over medium heat
  • Add in avocado oil
  • Once heated add onion and garlic
  • Allow cooking until garlic is fragrant and onions are transparent (about 2-3 minutes)
  • Add in remaining ingredients
  • Mix well, bring to a quick boil, and allow to gently simmer for up to 2 hours.
  • To create a thicker texture, put 1/4-1/2 of sauce into a blender and blend until completely mixed. Add back into the pan and allow to cook for 20-30 minutes longer.
  • Sprinkle Parmesan cheese just before serving.

  Grass-fed Meatballs Ingredients: 

  • 1 lb 100% grass-finished ground beef (or protein of your choice)
  • 1 large egg
  • ¼ cup freshly ground flax, almond meal, or clean gluten-free flour
  • 1 garlic clove
  • 1 tbsp dried oregano
  • 1 tbsp dried thyme
  • 11/2 tsp pink Himalayan salt
  • 11/2 tsp onion powder or ½ cup diced fresh onions
  • 2 tbsp fresh minced or dried parsley
  • 1 tbsp chopped fennel seed (optional)
  • 16 ounces of marinara sauce 

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees
• In a large bowl, use your hands or a wooden spoon to combine beef, egg, flax/almond meal, garlic, oregano, thyme, salt, onion powder, and 1 tbsp of the parsley. Mix until smooth but not over-mixed.
• Form the mixture into meatballs about 1 inch in diameter and place them on a rimmed baking sheet lined with unbleached parchment paper.
• Bake for 12 minutes until browned and cook through.
• Transfer meatballs into the marinara sauce and let simmer in the sauce for 20-30 minutes. 
• Serve with gluten-free pasta, steamed broccoli, or spiralized zucchini noodles.
• Garnish with remaining parsley and parmesan cheese.
• Enjoy and eat mindfully! 

Although this dish requires a lot of ingredients and time to create... it's completely worth it when you make a lot and it feeds you many times! 

You can also repurpose it into soups, homemade pizza, or just reheat for another delicious and satiating meal! 

Do you love meatballs and marinara? I'd love to know! 

Remember nourishing our bodies is self-love so make it a priority! 

In love, 

Becky Wells
NTP, Clean Living Educator & Advocate
Host of the Hippie Moms Podcast
www.thehippiemoms.com