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.

The Best Chili Of Your Life

Alright. Here's the thing, most weeks I have a day set aside for meal prep. I get the bulk of prep done in that one day so that evening meals are executed like cake- I'm in and out of the kitchen in 20 minutes! This Monday, I set out to prepare our week's worth of meals, and only got one thing done. This chili:

I had the best intentions of making dessert, prep for the rest of the week, and even cleaning the house! All of this was on my list, and I didn't quite hit the mark on completion. But I'm here to declare this chili was absolutely worth it!

I'm not one to dive into lengthy recipes on a regular basis, so be warned. However, this recipe makes enough to feed a village and freezes well. Not to mention, can you imagine anything better on a cold winter day?! (No, you can't.)

This recipe has been closely adapted from Brown Eyed Baker. I knew by the picture on her blog that this was going to be the best chili of my life. LET ME TELL YOU ABOUT IT!

You start by making a homemade chili paste out of dried chilis. YESSS. I don't think I've ever been serious enough about chili to make my own chili paste- "can't I just use a great chili powder and crushed tomatoes??" NO. I promise you, you will never go back.

Moving on.

Dried chili paste made, you move on the blitzing onion and jalapeno in a food processor to the consistency of chunky salsa, which is then cooked until the water evaporates. This all creates a truly magnificent full-bodied texture.

There's also meat in this chili, steak actually. Though not a huge meat eater, it was perfect in this dish. It gets browned, and then has ample time to stew, so it literally melts in your mouth.

I mentioned stewing. The chili is started in a Dutch oven on the stove, then finished in the oven. From top to bottom, this chili took me 3 hours to cook, and I was at yoga for 1.5 of those hours while the chili stewed. Seriously, that's only 90 minutes of work.

Let's get to it!

Best Chili: Chili Negro  serves 6-8

chile de negro, cornmeal, cocoa

• 1/2 cup dried pinto beans
• 1/2 cup dried kidney beans
• 4-6 dried chili de negro or ancho chiles, stems and seeds removed, flesh torn*  (found in specialty grocery stores. I found mine in the Spanish food aisle of Haggen)
• 2 dried arbol chiles, stems and seeds removed, flesh torn*
• 3 Tbsp cornmeal
• 2 tsp dried oregano
• 2 tsp  ground cumin
• 2 tsp cocoa powder
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 2 medium onions, chopped roughly
• 2 jalapeno peppers, stems and seeds removed, chopped roughly
• 3 Tbsp olive oil
• 3 garlic cloves
• 1 (14.5-oz) can diced tomatoes
• 2 tsp molasses
• 1 lb blade steak, trimmed and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• Sea salt

Method

1. Place dried beans, with enough salted water to cover, in a pot over high heat. Bring to a boil, then cover, remove from heat and set aside. Pre-heat oven to 300 degrees F, adjust rack to middle.
2. Place chiles in a medium skillet over medium high heat. Stir the chiles frequently until the flesh becomes fragrant, careful not to burn them (4-6 minutes). Transfer to the bowl of your food processor.
3. Add cornmeal, oregano, cumin, cocoa, and 1/2 tsp salt to the food processor. Blitz until finely ground. With the food processor running, slowly add in 1/2 cup chicken broth. A smooth paste will begin to form. Scrape down the food processor walls as necessary. Transfer paste to a small bowl. Don't wash out the food processor.
4. Place onion and jalapeno into food processor bowl and pule until you get the consistency of chunky salsa.
5. Heat 2 Tbsp olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium high heat. Add onion mixture and cook, stirring as needed, until the water from the mixture has evaporated and vegetables are soft (7-9 minutes). Add garlic, and cook until fragrant. Add chili paste, tomatoes, molasses, and stir until chili paste in fully combined. Add remaining chicken broth, and drained beans. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer.
6. While simmering, heat 1 Tbsp olive oil in the same medium skillet, over medium high heat. Pat the steak dry with a paper towel and generously salt. Add the beef to the skillet and cook until browned on all sides (10 minutes). Transfer beef to the Dutch oven, stir to combine and return to a simmer. 
7. Cover the pot and transfer it to the oven to cook until beans are fully tender (about 1.5 hours). Let the chili rest, uncovered, then season with salt. 

NOTE: *when handling hot chiles, wear gloves. Capscium is the oil in chiles responsible for spice. It doesn't wash off with water alone, and even some soaps wont fully remove it from skin.