Turkey & Zucchini Meatballs with Feta Sauce

Ingredients:

Meatballs

  • 1 lb ground turkey or chicken
  • 1 zuchinni grated and squeezed into paper towels to remove some moisture
  • 1/2 shallot grated
  • 1 cup panko breadcrumbs separated into 2 – half cups
  • 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
  • juice of half a lemon
  • olive oil to drizzle

Feta Sauce

  • 1/4-1/2 cup of plain Greek yogurt
  • 6 oz of feta cheese
  • fresh herbs like parsley or dill
  • juice from the other half of the lemon
  • pinch of smoked paprika

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Combine all of the ingredients for the meatballs in a bowl and mix with your hands to combine. Use 1/2 panko for meatballs and reserve 1/2 cup. Coat your hands with olive oil and roll the meat into tablespoon size balls. Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Cut the squeeze half lemon into slices and place the slices around the meatballs.
  2. Bake the meatballs for 10 minutes. Remove the meatballs from the oven and slide the meatballs to one side of the pan.
  3. Toss the 1/2 cup of panko with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and red pepper flakes. Spread the breadcrumbs on the opposite side of the baking sheet from the meatballs. Return to the oven for 5-7 minutes. The breadcrumbs should be toasty brown.
  4. Combine all the ingredients for the feta sauce on a food processor. Blend until creamy.
  5. Spread the meatballs on a dish, sprinkle with the breadcrumbs and drizzle with the feta sauce. You could also serve this dish with roasted chunks of squash and zucchini.