Turkey Thyme Meatballs with Lemony Cream Sauce - Joy Bauer Recipe #2

I have been trying to test this recipe from Joy Bauer's Slim & Scrumptious cookbook for about 2 weeks.

I feel bad, she was nice enough to send me 2 of her books, and I barely cracked them open. Now I have the perfect day to make this recipe. The Nudge is eating dinner out and I had nothing planned, soooooo....here goes.

This dish is made in one pot, vegetables and meat simmered in a broth and then a yogurt & lemon mixture is added at the end to flavor and thicken. Almost like a stroganoff but with turkey. I love the idea of a one pot meal but sometimes they have so many ingredients, they forget to let the important ones shine.

I believe that 5-6 well picked compatible ingredients is all you need to make a well composed dish.

It looks easy and kid friendly. I am tempted to add a pestata to the meatballs to add even more flavor and nutrients, but I will follow the recipe as written.

I have also been trying to cook up a new whole wheat egg noodle from Pennsylvania Dutch.
Flavored with a butter spread and lots of fresh parsley from my garden, it will go well with this dish.

I think I will make the meatballs as written, take half of the mixture, and add my touches to it. Remember, a diabetic's diet needs a tweak here and there and is never just about low carbs or low cal or no-fat, it is about pairing specific low GI ingredients with the higher ones to get a balance that controls our glucose.

I will list the original ingredients then list mine in red under them.

Turkey Thyme Meatballs with Lemony Cream Sauce
Adapted from Joy Bauer Slim & Scrumptious
serves 4
Joy: This French-inspired entree will please sophisticated palates with its rich, thyme-kissed flavor and piquant, creamy yogurt sauce. The meatballs are incredibly moist and tender and the sauce, spiked with lemon zest, adds a subtle zing to the dish.

* 1 1/4 pounds ground turkey (at least 90% lean)
I used 98% lean ground turkey
* 1/4 cup unseasoned whole wheat bread crumbs
I used 1/4 cup instant oats instead of bread and added a cup of mashed pinto beans
* 1 large egg, beaten
I used 1/4 cup egg substitute
* 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
I used 2 teaspoons of fresh thyme
* 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 used 1 large clove garlic, minced
* 1 1/2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
* 3/4 cup nonfat plain yogurt
I used 0% Greek yogurt because it is thicker
* 3/4 teaspoon salt
* 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
I always use more black pepper
* 2 cups low-fat unsalted or reduced-sodium chicken broth
* 2 cups green beans, trimmed and halved crosswise
I used 1 cup frozen peas
* 2 cups shredded peeled carrots
I used 1 cup carrots and 1 cup roasted red peppers
* 1 1/2 tablespoon cornstarch
* Grated zest of 1 large lemon

1. In a large bowl, combine the ground turkey, bread crumbs, egg, thyme, garlic powder, Worcestershire sauce, 1/4 cup of the yogurt, 1/4 teaspoon of the salt, and 1/4 teaspoon of the black pepper, taking care to not over work the mixture.
(In a food processor, add the beans, garlic, thyme, egg substitute, 1/4 cup yogurt and process until it forms a paste. Scrape the mixture into a large bowl, add the oats and turkey meat, stirring gently to just incorporate. Let sit while you get the broth heated, so the oats can moisten up.)

2. Form heaping teaspoons of the meat mixture into small meatballs. The mixture should make 30-35 meatballs.

3. In a large pot (wide enough to fit all the meatballs in, bring 1 3/4 cups broth to a boil.
(using a 1oz ice cream scoop, scoop meatballs into boiling broth)

4. Simmer for 10 minutes and remove with a slotted spoon. Cover to keep warm.

5. Add the green beans and carrots to the broth, cover and simmer about 3 minutes.
(add peas and carrots to simmering broth for about 3 minutes)

6. While the vegetables cook, whisk together the remaining broth, remaining yogurt, cornstarch, lemon zest and the remaining salt & pepper.

7. Stir the yogurt mixture into the vegetable-broth mixture and cook until it thickens. Add roasted peppers and meatballs back to the sauce. Heat through.

8. Taste for seasonings and add more lemon if desired.

Serve over No Yolk or Whole Wheat Egg Noodles.

Click on pic to view nutritionals.....

Just by adding a few choice ingredients to the same base recipe I increased the nutritional value 3-4x more.

Review of Joy's recipe: I would have preferred chicken over turkey. Too strong a taste for the delicate lemon and yogurt sauce. This dish reminded me of something my Mom would make with a can of cream of chicken, frozen peas & carrots and diced turkey meat leftover from Thanksgiving. I would never call it gourmet. A perfectly sauteed chicken breast, sliced and napped with the sauce and the vegetables served on the side would be more gourmet then turkey meatballs. I really quick meal for a busy week night that the kids will eat, does describe it well....and, it is a very healthy dish, unfortunately I don't think I will make this again.



Review of my adaptation: Even with the addition of the beans and fresh herbs to the meatballs, the turkey flavor still over powered the sauce. The meatballs were very tender and the kids would probably like the small size. I also think that if you roast the meatballs in the oven before simmering them in the broth, it would add great flavor to this dish.