Turkey Meatballs With Mushroom Gravy

Catfuzz's Note:

This is a yummy, easy and healthy recipe born out of the need for something flavorful but within my "cleanse" diet guidelines. Though I used the 85/15 ground turkey, you can use the leaner, and save some fat calories. The mushroom gravy sits great on top of the meatballs which you can serve over brown rice, (how I ate it) or over egg noodles, (how my husband ate it). I think this would be a real treat with portabella mushrooms for the gravy, but didn't have them on hand. Hope you enjoy it!

• Total Time: 1 hrs 10 mins
• Prep Time: 10 mins
• Cook Time: 1 hrs

Ingredients:

Serves: 4

Yield: 8.0 Meatballs

• 1 lb ground turkey
• 3 tablespoons brown rice flour
• 1 celery rib
• ¼ cup red onion
• 3 garlic cloves
• 1 teaspoon ground mustard
• 2 egg whites
• 1 tablespoon italian seasoning
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
• ½ teaspoon sea salt
• 1 (4 ½ ounce) jar sliced mushrooms (drained)
• 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1 cup chicken broth or 1 cup vegetarian broth

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Chop celery and red onion thinly, nearly a mince. Mince the garlic. Reserve 1minced clove for mushroom gravy.
3. Combine the ground turkey, onion, celery, (2) garlic cloves, spices and egg whites together in a medium sized mixing bowl.
4. Add 2 tbs of the brown rice flour. (You could use about a 1/4 to 1/2 a cup of cooked brown rice in place of flour). After mixing all ingredients very well, shape meat mixture by hand into 8 - 2" to 2 1/2" meatballs.
5. Coat a 9" x 12" casserole dish with vegetable oil spray and place the meatballs into the casserole. Place in the oven and bake for 1 hour.
6. 15 minutes before the meatballs are finished baking, start the mushroom gravy by placing the 3rd minced clove of garlic into a saute' pan with the olive oil and saute' until tender. Add the mushrooms and saute' for a few minutes over medium heat and then gradually add the brown rice flour and stir until there is a coating on the mushrooms. Add the chicken broth and reduce heat. Stir until slightly thickened and let the broth reduce to a gravy at a simmer, about 5 minutes, stirring as necessary.
7. Serve the meatballs and mushroom gravy over hot brown rice or egg noodles.