Chicken Basil Meatballs + My Take On Protein

One of my favorite foods, by far, are these chicken basil meatballs. I made them for the first time last year when I was a team captain for Studio Z's 21 Day Fitness Challenge. The Challenge diet consisted of 5 daily meals, each with a palm of protein+2 fistfuls of vegetables+1 thumb of unsaturated fat. I put together a collection of recipes for our team. This gem is one of my favorites from that collection. 

As you can probably tell by this blog, I'm not a huge carnivore. This is for a number of reasons, one being that great quality meat- the kind that's not pumped full of antibiotics, growth hormones, and cage-raised, is expensive. I'm also not a huge fan of cooking and handling meat. I would much rather pick through lentils and peel vegetables.

Protein: Our Culture of Excess

When I was coaching the 21 Day Challenge at Studio Z and partaking in this diet, I felt heavy in my digestion. We need a lot less protein than many people think, in fact our bodies can only assimilate about 8-10 grams of protein per hour. Most meals work their way through your system in 2-3 hours, so what happens to that excess protein? It gets excreted by the body or stored as fat.

We have such a culture of believing more is more.

I disagree here.

I look at body builders at the gym and I think, is this sustainable health? The amount of food that you have to take in simply to sustain that mass is outrageous. I would much rather, eat within my means, get all of my essential nutrients from a variety of plant based foods, and well-sourced lean meats.

So how do you know you're meat is coming from a quality source?

There are a few resources you can look into. I would first check out your local farms, butchers, etc. The great thing about going to the source is that they know exactly how their animals were raised. Ask your local meat processor. Even if they don't have a direct source of locally produced organic meats, chances are they know someone who does.

Consider talking to your local co op or green grocer. Someone from the meat department is bound to have the inside scoop about the best quality local meats.

My favorite way to enjoy these meatballs is over spaghetti squash with hearty marinara. In a pinch, I've also enjoyed them with some simple steamed broccoli- which was more of a 21-Day Challenge meal ;) However you choose to serve these, they impress every time. I have had great success taking them to potlucks- especially with this whole Paleo craze happening. People love that these are made with almond flour, and no breadcrumbs. Paleo and gluten-free. You'll be able to feed a number of people, no matter their dietary preferences!

Chicken Basil Meatballs serves 3-4

almond meal, basil, garlic

• 1/2 cup almond meal
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1.5 Tbsp fresh parsley
• 2 Tbsp fresh basil
• 1/2 Tbsp dried oregano 
• 1 shallot, minced (about 1/3 cup)
• 1 clove garlic, minced 
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 3/4 tsp black pepper
• 14oz ground chicken

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, combine egg and almond meal, stir until fully incorporated. Add parsley, basil, oregano, shallot, garlic, salt and pepper, mix well. Use clean hands to gently mix in ground chicken.
3. Using wet hands, roll meatballs, about 3 Tbsp in size, onto parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake for 20 minutes, remove and let cool. If adding to a sauce, transfer meatballs right into simmering sauce.