Herby Mediterranean Meatballs

This hearty, protein-rich dish makes a great meal-prep! Bone broth couscous, greens, grilled zucchini and squash, and cucumber-ful tzatziki make wonderful sides for these herby Mediterranean Meatballs.

By Sarah Gorman

Ingredients

• Mediterranean Meatballs

  • 1 lb ground beef

  • 1 lb ground pork

  • 1 yellow onion, grated

  • 1 head garlic, minced

  • 2 eggs

  • ½ bunch parsley, minced

  • ½ cup breadcrumbs

  • 2 teaspoons ground cumin

  • 2 teaspoons dried oregano

  • ¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon

  • 2 teaspoons salt

  • 1 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper

• Bone Broth Couscous

  • 2 cups couscous

  • 2 cups bone broth (or water)

• Grilled Zucchini & Squash

  • 2 yellow squash, sliced longways

  • 2 zucchini, sliced longways

• Tzatziki

  • 1 cup cucumber, sliced

  • 1 cup plain Greek yogurt

  • 1 tablespoon fresh (or dry) dill

  • 1 garlic clove, sliced

  • Juice of 1 lemon

  • ½ teaspoon sea salt

  • ¼ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper

  *These ingredients can be found at the Harrisonburg Farmers Market, check What’s Fresh to see what’s in season

Method

1. Preheat oven to 400 and line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper.

2. Combine all meatball ingredients in 1 big bowl and mix to combine. It’s ok to get your hands involved (I find I mix it all up more efficiently this way, though don’t overwork the mixture - the heat of your hands will melt the fat in the meat and the meatballs won’t turn out well).

3. Form golf-ball sized meatballs and space evenly on the baking sheet. Bake for 20ish minutes, until golden brown.

4. While the meatballs are cooking, make your tzatziki. I like this blender version (less chopping and shredding). Add all tzatziki ingredients to the blender or food processor and blend away! Taste and adjust seasonings. Refrigerate until ready to use.

5. Set 2 cups of bone broth (or water) to boil in a medium pot. Once boiling, add couscous and a pinch of salt. Cover and remove from heat. Set aside (with lid on) to get fluffy and scrumptious.

6. To make things easier, you can bake your zucchini and squash in your already hot oven, but if you have the time, I suggest you grill them. Toss them in olive oil, season with salt and pepper and grill until you get those lovely grill marks and smokey flavor.

7. Plate everything up, garnish with extra parsley, add a slice of tomato or two and enjoy!