It is unknown to me just how many variations of meatballs there
are in the world but it has to be a large number. Most of us are familiar with
Swedish or Italian meatballs but they are also made in various countries from the
Middle East to Scandinavia. Here is a recipe for Hawaiian style meatballs that
is simple but flavorful. It is easily extended by adding vegetables like
carrots or peppers and sautéing them after the meatballs have been cooked.
Meatball Ingredients:
1 ½ lbs Ground Chicken
½ C. Gluten Free Bread Crumbs
½ C. Canned Coconut Milk
1 t. Sea Salt
½ t. Pepper
½ t. Ginger
½ t. Crushed Garlic
3 T. Safflower Oil (Or another high-heat oil like Grapeseed)
Sauce Ingredients:
1 20oz. Can Pineapple Chunks
¼ C. Arrowroot
2 T. Gluten Free Soy Sauce (For soy-free you could try
Coconut Aminos)
1 T. Coconut Sugar
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350°
- Combine the ground chicken,
breadcrumbs, milk, salt, pepper, ginger and garlic. Mix well.
- Shape the above mixture into
balls approximately 1 ½ - 2 inches in diameter.
- In a large cast iron or other
oven safe skillet, heat the oil over a medium high heat and brown the meatballs
all around.
- After the meatballs have
browned, drain off the oil.
- Begin preparing the sauce by
draining the can of pineapple chunks. Reserve the juice in a liquid measuring
cup. Add water until you have one cup of liquid.
- Add the Arrowroot, soy sauce
and sugar to the juice/water mixture and mix thoroughly with a fork or whisk.
- Pour the juice mixture into a
sauce pan and stir constantly over a medium high heat until the sauce thickens.
- Pour the sauce over the
meatballs in the skillet.
- Put the skillet in the
preheated oven and cook, uncovered for 25 minutes
-Serve over white or brown rice.