Meatballs and Cauliflower Mash

Ilana Muhlstein incorporates vegetables into her meatball recipe for more fiber, vitamins, and minerals. (Beachbody LLC)

Serves 3 to 5

• 1 pound (455 grams) ground lean ground beef, turkey, chicken, or vegan alternative
• 1/3 cup (32 grams) almond, coconut, or oat flour
• 1/4 cup (60 milliliters) beef or chicken stock
• 1 teaspoon (5 milliliters) avocado or olive oil
• 1/2 yellow onion, finely chopped
• 1 cup (100 grams) fresh mushrooms, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 egg
• 1/4 cup (16 grams) fresh parsley, chopped
• 1 teaspoon (2 grams) dried basil
• 1 teaspoon (2 grams) dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon (5 milliliters) Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon (2.8 grams) salt, divided
• 1/2 teaspoon (1 gram) pepper, divided
• 1 large head or 2 small heads of cauliflower
• 1/2 cup (120 milliliters) coconut milk
• 1/2 teaspoon (2 grams) dried thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon (0.8 grams) garlic powder
• Salt and pepper to taste for cauli mash

To make the meatballs:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and spray with oil spray.

Fill a large pot with water and bring to a boil. Add whole head of cauliflower or cut up florets and cook until fork tender, about 6 to 8 minutes.

In a large bowl, combine the flour and stock and whisk together with a fork or spatula until well combined.

Heat a skillet over medium heat. Add the olive oil, mushrooms, and onions and cook down for 2 to 3 minutes. Add in garlic and cook until fragrant. Season with half the salt and pepper.

Meanwhile, add the meat, egg, Worcestershire sauce, seasonings, herbs, and remaining salt and pepper to the flour and stock mixture.

Add the cooked vegetables to the meat mixture and mix well to combine.

To streamline the process of forming the balls, form a square with the meat mixture on a baking sheet. If you like bigger meatballs, score four lines across and three lines down, creating twelve even portions of meat; shape them into meatballs.

If you prefer smaller meatballs, score four rows by four columns to make 16 even sized meatballs, and then shape each portion.

Cook for 18 to 22 minutes or until fully cooked through. Exact cooking time will vary based on the size of your meatballs.

To make the cauli mash:

Strain the cauliflower and add to a food processor or blender with coconut milk, thyme, and garlic powder.

Add more coconut milk if needed to reach desired consistency.

Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve 2 to 3 cups (250 to 375 grams) of cauli mash along with your meatballs, garnish with parsley and lemon (optional), and enjoy.

Notes:

I highly recommend doubling the recipe for meal prep.

If you are using kosher beef, it is usually pre-salted, so I’d recommend leaving salt out as an added ingredient.

You will be so happy you used the mushrooms. They really stretch your dollar because you make more meatballs for less money. When doubling the recipe, use the whole box of mushrooms.