Za'atar Meatballs with Spinach and Almond Couscous

These are SO easy to make and great for meal prep. I found za’atar seasoning at Sprouts, but you can also find it online if your local stores don’t have it available. You could also look up how to make your own as well of course! I was just too lazy for that, lol.

This whole meal came together in 30 minutes. I turned oven on, prepped my balls and set them on a baking sheet. As I was waiting for my oven to heat up I started in on the couscous. By the time my oven was ready, I covered my couscous and let them both do their thing for 15 min so they ended up finishing at the same time.

FOR THE MEATBALLS:

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 lb ground turkey

• 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs

• 1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese

• 1 egg

• 3 garlic cloves, minced

• 2 tbsp za’atar seasoning

• 1 tsp kosher salt

• 1/4 tsp cayenne (optional)

• DRESSING:

  • 1 cup sour cream or greek yogurt

  • lemon zest from 1/2 of lemon

  • lemon juice from 1/2 of lemon

  • 1 tbsp water

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 425F

2. In a large bowl, combine all of the ingredients, excluding the ingredients for the dressing.

3. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Using a 1.5 tbsp cookie scoop (to make life easy, you can eyeball it as well) scoop up the meatball mixture, roll it into a ball and place it on the baking sheet. Place in the oven and bake for 15-20 minutes, or until the internal temperature of the meatballs reaches 165F.

4. While the meatballs are cooking, mix up your dressing. Start light on the lemon and adjust according to your preferred tastes. You can add more water to give it more of a drizzling consistency if needed.

FOR THE COUSCOUS

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 1/3 cup israeli couscous

• 1 tbsp olive oil

• 1/4 cup sliced almonds

• 3 garlic cloves, minced

• 1 3/4 cup chicken broth

• 2 cups spinach, finely chopped

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Heat medium pot to medium heat. Add olive oil and almonds. Stir frequently for 1-2 minutes until almonds are lightly toasted.

2. Add couscous and continue to stir frequently for another minute. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

3. Add chicken broth, turn heat to high and bring to a boil. Once boiling, cover and lower heat to medium-low (gentle simmer) for 15-20 minutes.

4. Add spinach and incorporate until wilted. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Macros for meatballs per serving (4 servings)
Protein - 23g
Carbs - 5g
Fat - 14g
*macros for dressing not included. Use non-fat greek yogurt for extra protein or greek yogurt with fat/sour cream for extra fat macros.

Macros for couscous per serving (4 servings)
Protein - 10g
Carbs - 48g
Fat - 7g

Created by: Emi Mraule, Nutrition Coach