Join our Kids Cookery Class - Turkey Burgers with tomato sauce and courgetti or pasta

Whose joining us cooking with their kids. I’m so excited that so many parents are learning to cook healthy, wholesome dishes with kitchen cupboard staples while in this current situation. I know it’s a devastating situation for so many but one of the positive things that is coming out of this whole episode is that people are turning back to wholefoods as a nutritional source and away from processed ready meals. My mission of changing the health habits of a generation one family at a time is alive and well!

On Monday 20th April we’re cooking Turkey Meatballs with Tomato Sauce and Courgetti or Spaghetti/pasta. Join us live on the free conference app Zoom - use ID 678816362 and we’ll be able to see you cooking along with us and answer any questions about ingredients, techniques etc or watch and join in on the Face Book page – Rise with us.

These are super simple, taste delicious, are packed with hidden veg and can be made to go further with the addition of a jacket potato, baked sweet potato or rice served on the side if you’re making them on a bed of courgetti.

You’ll need

2 Large saucepan

Frying pan

Spoons

Oven proof dish

Ingredients

Meat balls

500g lean turkey mince (you could use beef if that’s all you’ve got!)

2 onions finely chopped

1 pepper finely chopped – red or yellow make it sweeter but if you’ve only got green that’s fine

A small bunch of fresh oregano or 1 tbs dried oregano

A small bunch of fresh basil torn into pieces or 1 tbs dried basil

2 garlic cloves - crushed or chopped

1 tablespoon chopped rosemary – fresh or dried

1 tbs tomato puree

2 eggs beaten

Sauce

1 garlic clove – crushed or chopped

A small bunch of fresh oregano or 1 tbs dried oregano

2 tins chopped tomatoes

1 tablespoon chopped rosemary – fresh or dried

1 tbs apple cider vinegar (or other non malt vinegar)

1 tbs tomato puree

2 mushrooms chopped (or any other veg you have)

1 leek washed and chopped

Salt and pepper to taste

Coconut oil or rapeseed oil or other vegetable oil for frying

3 courgettes spiralised, grated or cut into think ribbons with a sharp knife or vegetable peeler or enough spaghetti for the number of people you are serving.

Directions

Preheat the oven to 180dgree c fan, 350degrre F or Has Mark 4

For the meat balls

Put the turkey, onion, the crushed garlic cloves, red pepper, basil, rosemary and oregano in a bowl and season with salt and pepper. Mix well to combine then stir in the eggs and tomato puree.

Once combined wet your hands and form into small balls a bit smaller than an egg.

Place on a plate and put in the fridge while you make the sauce.

For the Sauce

Heat a saucepan and melt 1 tbs spoon of oil. Fry the onion and garlic for 1 – 3 minutes until it is clear but not browned.

Add the mushrooms and leek (or other veg you are using) and cook until the leek has softened – about 5 minutes

Once the leek is soft add the tinned tomatoes, cider vinegar, tomato puree, oregano and season with salt and pepper.

Leave simmering on a very low heat so that it thickens or if already quite thick turn off the heat and set aside.

Go back to the meat balls

Remove the meatballs from the fridge.

Melt 1 tbs oil in a frying pan.

Sear the meat balls on all sides in the hot pan making sure they are browned on all sides. Transfer to the casserole dish as they brown if you are doing this in batches.

Once all the meatballs are browned and in the casserole dish pour over the tomato sauce.

Bake in the centre of the oven for 40 mins.

Check after 25 – 30 mins and if browning too quickly on the top cover with silver foil to prevent burning.

Now make the courgetti or Pasta

If you’re having the meat balls with pasta, cook the pasta as per the instructions (usually 10 – 15 mins) allowing for the pasta being cooked and drained as the meat balls come out of the oven. Serve the meatballs on a bed of pasta.

For the courgetti

In a large pan or heat proof bowl, 5 minutes before the meatballs are cooked blanch the courgetti in boiling water until soft. Drain and serve the meatballs on a bed of courgetti.