These spicy meatballs and dip are great as a party finger food, or can be served with a salad for a light meal. Meatballs will often contain breadcrumbs or flour to bind them, which increases the carb content and may affect blood sugars. Instead, we use ground almonds to keep the carbs low. Serve with a tangy Greek yogurt dip!
Serves: 16 meatballs | Prep time: 10 minutes (plus 40 minutes chilling time)| Cook time:10 minutes
Ingredients
600g minced beef
60g ground almonds
4 garlic clove, minced
1 lemon, juice only
2 tbsp tomato paste
2 tbsp harissa paste (see Notes)
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
200g plain full fat Greek yogurt
Fresh mint, finely chopped
Method
* In a bowl, combine the mince with the almonds, garlic, lemon juice, tomato paste, and harissa. Mix together well.
* Scoop portions of the mixture with a tablespoon and shape into 16 meatballs using wet hands. Cover and refrigerate for 40 minutes.
* Meanwhile combine the yogurt and the mint in a bowl and mix well.
* Heat the oil in a frying pan. Add the meatballs in batches and cook for 7-8 minutes turning occasionally until cooked through.
* Serve the meatballs with the dip.
Tips:
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat or serve cold with your dip.
Freeze for up to 2 months with baking paper separating the meatballs. Defrost and reheat before serving.
Notes:
To ensure this recipe is gluten-free, please check the label of the harissa to ensure there are no sources of gluten if your diet requires this.
For more healthy lifestyle tips and recipes, head to The Fast 800
Gabrielle Newman is the Nutritionist and Recipe Developer for The Fast 800, an online programme devoted to helping people live healthier, better quality lives by offering healthy recipes, meal plans, organisational resources and a science-based framework for a healthy lifestyle.
