Last year I decided to give a Whole30 a try. Chris was not up for the challenge and obviously a 3-year-old with no allergies has no reason to give up entire food groups. It took some creativity but I managed to only make 1 dinner a night to feed all of us without any complaints from the peanut gallery!
After the Whole30 success, our dinners have changed. I no longer include dairy when I know there are delicious substitutes like my favorite coconut cream or cashews. I also sneak extra veggies in whenever I can.
Cora’s 3-year-old palate is that of a typical toddler. One day she’s happy to eat broccoli the next I’m foolish for even offering it. Figuring out everyday wins is a challenge that I’m always up against.
My favorite side dish (and hers too), mashed cauliflower is the base of this meal. A couple simple swaps to this mashed cauliflower recipe keep it compliant for the adults and the addition of a dollop of sour cream keeps the toddler happy.
Sneaking Vegetables into Dinner
Getting as many veggies in each meal is another cooking strategy that has stuck since my Whole30. Weekly I shred carrots to toss into salads, stir-fries, and eggs or in this case meatballs. Rather than trashing the stem of broccoli I also shred that up and mix it into the carrots.
For years I made turkey meatballs topped with a creamy cheese sauce. Turns out I prefer cashew “cheese” sauce and it’s SOOOO much easier to make! Adapted from Pinch of Yum’s 5-minute sauce I’ve found the addition of nutritional yeast and turmeric give the sauce the flavor and look of real cheese!
Veggie Loaded Turkey Meatballs with Turmeric Vegan Cheese Sauce
Paleo and Whole30 compliant turkey meatball recipe topped with a creamy turmeric cashew cheese sauce. Perfect for freezer cooking or an easy make-ahead dinner. Even dairy lovers will be begging for more of this “cheese” sauce!
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 6 meatballs
- Category: Dinner
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Veggie Loaded Turkey Meatballs
- 1lb ground turkey (or any ground meat)
- 1/4 onion, grated
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 egg, beaten
- 1 cup shredded carrot & broccoli stem
- 1 cup frozen spinach, defrosted and wrung out in a towel
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp pepper
- drizzle of oil (I use avocado)
Vegan Turmeric Cashew Cheese Sauce
- 2 cups cashews
- 1 1/4 cup water
- 1 clove garlic
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp turmeric
- 2 tbsp nutritional yeast
Instructions
Veggie Loaded Turkey Meatballs
- Preheat oven to 400.
- Drizzle and 8×8 baking pan with oil.
- In a large bowl mix together all the remaining ingredients until well combined.
- Divide evenly into 6 large meatballs and place in oiled pan.
- Bake for 20 minutes or until internal temp is 165.
Vegan Turmeric Cashew Cheese Sauce
- Place cashews in a bowl and cover with water. Let soak for 2 hours. Drain and rinse.
- Place soaked cashews in a blender with the remaining ingredients.
- Blend until smooth, adding more water if needed.
Turkey vs. Beef Meatballs
Confession time! I’m not a fan of ground beef. It’s my one picky thing I just can’t get over and honestly most ground beef isn’t healthy so I don’t try. But ground turkey and ground pork are staples in my house. I’m able to source them from a local farmer so I trust the quality and know exactly where it comes from.
If you prefer beef this recipe should adapt just fine. Ground pork or lamb could be delicious too!
The Perfect Side Dish
While potatoes are Whole30 compliant I have found I really prefer mashed cauliflower especially with an already hearty meatball main dish.
Paleo/Whole30 Compliant Mashed Cauliflower
Prep
Cook
Inactive
Total
Yield 4 servings
Thick and creamy you won’t miss the dairy or potatoes in this easy side dish.
Ingredients
- 1 medium-large head of cauliflower, chopped into florets
- 1Tbsp ghee
- 1/4- 1/2 cup coconut cream(based on desired thickness)
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp pepper
Instructions
- Add trivet/steamer basket, cauliflower, and water to your Instant Pot.
- Close the lid and set the valve to seal.
- Use the manual setting to cook on high pressure for 3 minutes.
- Use the quick release function to release the pressure.
- Remove trivet/steamer basket and cauliflower from pot and empty out the water.
- Place steamed cauliflower back into the pot add ghee, coconut cream, salt & pepper. Or into a blender if not using a hand blender.
- Blend thoroughly with a hand blender or blender. Add more coconut cream if you’d like a looser texture.
- Serve
Notes
- These reheat easily. I’ve also kept them warm in the Instant Pot for 30 minutes prior to serving at the keep warm setting with the lid on.
- Coconut cream not thick enough? Put the can in the fridge before opening or if already open stir and refrigerate!
Courses Dinner
Cuisine American
Tips for an Easy Dinner
Is it just me or do the days just fly by! After breakfast, things can get crazy so if I get a spare moment I will quickly prep dinner as far as I can then set it in the refrigerator to cook later. Meatballs are the perfect make-ahead meal. Really everything in this meal can be made ahead and then reheated or baked when you’re ready for dinner.
For me, the key to Whole30 success was freezer meals. When you are cooking EVERYTHING from scratch it can easily fill up your day and who has time for that?
Doubling or tripling this recipe is simple and adds no time. I freeze them before baking then bake from frozen adding another 10 minutes or so to the baking time.
The cauliflower mash and cashew sauce come together in minutes. 30 minute 100% homemade Whole30 dinner for the win!
Ever tried a Whole30? What eating habits stuck for you?
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