I have never craved turkey a day in my life, even on Thanksgiving Day- it’s rare I’ll add it on my plate. But since I’m turning over a new leaf & it’s SO rich in protein- I thought I’d give it a shot & make a practical meal I can enjoy (& trick others into eating too!).
Today I decided to make Turkey Meatballs, as usual this was my first time! I’m learning along with you too! โบ๏ธ A few things I realized during the process- turkey dries up quickly, so be prepared & have that oil on deck! Another thing is, if you prepare your food with the right amount of seasoning, you can literally make anything taste AMAZING. Honestly I didn’t have high hopes for this but I was pleasantly surprised at how good they came out.
To accompany these little turkey meatballs, I found protein pasta online (click here to see which one I used). Angel Hair is my favorite, but they make several pasta versions! Also, Vegan friends these are packed with pea-protein! Yassss! Regardless, even if you’re a non-Veganer, this is seriously delicious by itself.
3 Reasons Why You Should Eat Turkey Too!
- It’s a lean source of protein so it’ll keep you feeling full longer & help with muscle mass
- Contains Zinc- which aids our immune system, metabolism & growth
- It’s lower in fat & cholesterol & has been proven to lower LDL (our bad cholesterol levels)
You know I had to top it off with some cheese! ๐คค
Protein Spaghetti & Turkey Meatballs
Ingredients
- 10 oz Extra Lean Ground Turkey
- 3 cloves Garlic cloves
- 2 tspn Salt
- 2 tspn Garlic powder
- 2 tspn Pepper
- ยผ cup Olive Oil
- ยผ cup Egg Whites
- 2 oz Barilla Protein Spaghetti I used the Angel Hair
- ยฝ cup Pasta sauce I like Classico's Tomato & Basil flavor
- 30 g Parmesean cheese Optional
- Italian/Oregano seasoning Optional
Instructions
- Add olive oil to a small pot & set to medium heat
- Season turkey with salt/pepper. Chop up garlic cloves & combine with ground turkey in a small bowl.
- Using your hands, form small meatballs & dip in egg whites before placing in the hot pot. (The egg whites are just going to keep it all together, you won't even taste it)
- Cook turkey in olive oil by rotating & browning all areas. I like to put the lid on to lock in moisture, allowing the meatballs to cook thoroughly & juicy.
- In a separate pot, boil water. Once water is boiled, throw in angel hair & allow pasta to cook
- Once the pasta is ready, drain water & heat up pasta sauce. I just pour basil pasta sauce to a glass measuring cup & microwave until hot.
- Once everything's good to go, add to plate & enjoy!
*These facts include the cheese & pasta sauce I used.
The more I educate myself on foods & research high protein options- the more I realize how poorly I’ve been eating MY ENTIRE LIFE. It’s no surprise to me now, why I was so lazy & tired then. I’m certain I was lacking at least 50-75% of these gainzzz before I began focusing on my protein lifestyle. Right now, I intake about 100-150g of protein daily- this has drastically improved my mood, performance & sleep… I’m just so thankful to be on this journey & I hope you all find some inspiration from the recipes I share.
And remember, you don’t need to be a chef to follow my recipes! I burn dinner at least once a week, lol. But I learn from these mistakes & keep on cookin’.
Stay tuned for the next protein dish, I’ll give you a hint- it’s the latest TikTok trend!
