After eating out for over a week, I was ready to get back in the kitchen and make something homemade.  I don’t cook with meat all that often, but I was really feeling like eating meatballs, and because many times I don’t know whats in the ones I buy from the grocery store, I opted to make them.

Plus this gave me an opportunity to add in some additional veggies.

This is a simple – 1 bowl recipe that leaves leftovers for the next couple days.
only dirties 1 dish and leaves leftovers?  it’s a win-win.

Baked Basil & Kale Buffalo Meatballs
{makes about 12-15}

-  4 stalks kale chopped into small pieces
– 20-25 basil leaves chopped into small pieces
– 1 small onion chopped into small pieces
–  1 t cayenne powder
– 1 t ground ginger
– 2 tsp garlic
– 2 t black pepper
– 1 t salt
– 1 T stoneground mustard
– 3/4 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
– 1/2 cup egg whites
– 1.5 lbs ground lean [96/4] grass-fed buffalo or meat of choice

Preheat oven to 375.

Mix all ingredients together and roll into meatballs and place in baking dish. Depending on how large or small you make them, they can bake anywhere between 25-30 mins. I made 15 total and baked for 28 mins.

Buffalo is a very lean meat with about 125 calories and 25 grams of protein per 4 ounces of 96 percent lean ground meat.  I was able to make 15 meatballs which totaled around 59 calories per meatball.

I realized that a lot of times when I follow a recipe, I like to see visuals, so I did my best to take photos along the way.  My dslr is still broken, so it was iPhone to the rescue.

Finely chop basil + kale + onions

Mix all together

Add in all the spices, mustard, oatmeal

Mix well

Add in ground buffalo + egg whites

Make sure it is all thoroughly mixed together

Scoop and form meatballs
i placed mine in two silicon loaf pans and baked all 15 meatballs at 275 for 28 mins

Once cooled they can be store in an airtight container in the fridge for a couple days.

They would be lovely served over pasta or rice with marinara sauce, but I just ate mine plain, or with a squirt of mustard with some veg on the side.

I actually couldn’t tell there was kale in the meatballs, other than the green color, so I wouldn’t mind adding more next time, along with upping the basil as that’s my favorite herb and I didn’t really detect it.

Other than that, I thought they turned out great for a first time recipe.

Enjoy