Health, Home, and Happiness: Easy lunch: Meatballs and cooked apples

Easy lunch: Meatballs and cooked apples

Tuesday, November 10, 2009 |

Posted by Cara @ Health Home and Happiness |

Taking the grains out of our diet for the time being has simplified meals quite a bit. To make up meals I try to just make sure there is some of each: protein, fat, and carbohydrate. I figure that since we're eating a variety of all whole foods, our diet will have plenty of all the other nutrients as long as I'm not limiting to all fat, or all carbohydrate (box of wheat thins for lunch, anyone?), etc.

In this case, I melted some coconut oil (fat) in a big pan. Peeled and cut up apples (carb) and cooked until just soft so they're easier to digest. While the apples were cooking I mixed some salt and pepper into a pound of ground beef and a pound of venison that were thawed in the fridge (protein, fat). Rolled into little balls. While I was doing that, the apples were done, so I removed them with a slotted spoon and put the meatballs in. Cooked the meatballs on med-high, rolling a bit every minute or so until most of the pink was gone from the outside and then turned the burner down to med-low and covered, cooking another 10 minutes. All together, this didn't take any longer than making Mac-n-cheese from a box and only used one pan.

As a bonus, I have a bunch of leftover meatballs and apples for future meals and snacks. If hubby was eating with us, I'd just make him a roll and he'd have a meatball sandwich with red sauce (He's not doing GAPS).

See more real food posts at Real Food Wednesday and What do you eat that's gluten free?

More:
What is GAPS?
Another simple to pull together meal

Labels: GAPS, lunch, traditional food

9 comments:

alexis said...: Looks like a yummy fall meal. My hat is off too you...I could never eat a meatball without a sub bun or without pasta!; November 10, 2009 2:32 PM
Cara said...: I know what you mean. I do like breads and stuff. But I feel really good being off of them too.; November 10, 2009 8:23 PM
Rachel said...: Your meat balls were tasty! Did you use coconut oil when you made them for me? b/c I didn't notice a coconut taste... and that's really important to me- if I don't taste it, I might use it more!; November 11, 2009 10:45 AM
Cara said...: Yeah, I did use coconut oil for you :) You can get more refined versions of coconut oil too. Mine is less refined and more coconutty; November 11, 2009 3:25 PM
Linda said...: That sounds easy and tasty, especially with the venison. I like apples and onions cooked together. Thanks for linking to "What can I eat that's gluten free?"; November 11, 2009 5:31 PM
gfe--gluten free easily said...: All of my meatballs are made using ground venison (to which, only a small amount of beef fat is added when it's ground). I really enjoy cooking with venison. Meatballs are such a great thing. I would have never thought to serve meatballs with apples, but it sure looks like a tasty meal! :-)

Shirley; November 12, 2009 5:39 AM
stacey said...: you brought up something i struggle with...how your husband doesn't eat the way you and the kids do. might have to chat about that more! ;); November 12, 2009 7:26 PM
Cara said...: Yeah, it's not too bad, I'm used to it. There's some stuff that I put my foot down on, but adding some white bread to a meal isn't beyond what I think is reasonable :o); November 13, 2009 6:55 AM
Matters of the Heart said...: Taking some time to read through your blog tonight, Cara. I'm finding the GAPS info facinating.
I'm wondering if you've done a post on the bennifits you are seeing by doing the GAPS diet?; December 19, 2009 9:31 PM