I say it all the time, but it has been amazing to see how far gluten- and dairy-free products have come… not only in the past 10-20 years, but even as recently as the past 5-6! I first started experimenting with gluten- and dairy-free products in high school 10 years ago. There wasn’t a whole lot out there, but everyone told me it was so much better than 10 years before that.
Then, my freshman year of college, I was getting sick all the time and had chronic stomach upset and bloating. I went to a doctor who ran some tests, put me on an elimination diet, and I found out I had bona fide wheat and milk allergies. Since then I’ve been obsessive about researching and keeping up-to-date on every new product on the market. Anything that could make my life easier. I hated that most of the gluten-free products out there were super refined (basically the equivalent of white bread), and nutrient-poor. I hated that most of the vegan cheeses out there had a 20-something ingredient list with lots of words I couldn’t pronounce, and tasted rubbery and artificial.
But again… we’ve come a long way! I want to do a round-up of my favorite gluten- and dairy-free products on the blog soon. In the meantime, here’s a product I recently discovered and can’t get enough of: Kite Hill’s new almond milk ricotta. Last week, I used it in a chicken sausage, tomato, and ricotta frittata. This week, I made homemade Ricotta Turkey Meatball subs. You’ve got to add these to your dinner rotation STAT!
INGREDIENTS
- 1 lb. lean ground turkey (I like Trader Joe’s 99% lean, but I’d recommend anything upwards of 80/20)
- 3/4 cup Kite Hill Almond Milk Ricotta
- 2 egg yolks
- 5 tbsp. almond flour (use unblanched for the most fiber and nutrients)
- 1 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 tsp. minced garlic
- 1/2 tsp. dried oregano, plus more for topping
- Salt and ground black pepper, to taste
- 32 oz. marinara sauce
- 6 small rolls, or 4 larger ones – Sliced in half lengthwise and toasted
- Optional: Nutritional yeast for topping
INSTRUCTIONS
- Preheat your oven to 450º F.
- In a large bowl, mix with your hands all ingredients except the marinara sauce and rolls.
- Lightly grease a baking sheet with olive oil. Roll the batter into meatballs and place on the baking sheet. You should get 12-16 balls, depending on how large you make them. I found the ricotta gives the meatballs a great consistency and helps them bind nicely. But if yours are not staying together, cover your bowl and place the batter in the refrigerator for 20 minutes – 1 hour. Take out, and try rolling them again.
- Bake the meatballs for 7-10 minutes. They should be lightly browned on the outside when they come out. The higher fat content of the ground turkey you chose, the more color they’ll get (and vice versa).
- Use tongs to transfer your meatballs to a large pot. Pour marinara sauce on top, cover with a lid, and cook on medium heat for about 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, slice and toast your rolls. Once the meatballs are done on the stove, assemble your subs, making sure to spoon out some extra sauce for on top. Dress with extra dried oregano and (optional) nutritional yeast.
