LOW-FAT TURKEY MEATBALLS IN TOMATO SAUCE, easy comfort food

Good cooks often forget how the simplest food has the strongest reaction...

Turkey Meatballs in Italian Tomato Sauce: low-fat/cholesterol

When 67 presented this dish to a 90-year-old, his eyes lit up like it was Christmas.  He was unbelievably thrilled.  And he probably didn't even realise how healthy it is.

For cooks, it's a dream.  The meatballs and the sauce can be prepared a day ahead (or even longer).  Come mealtime, just  re-heat the sauce, add the relevant number of meatballs, simmer gently 20 mins and pour it over cooked pasta.

Leftover meatballs can be frozen in portions of whatever size in separate  freezer bags.  The sauce recipe makes enough for a meal plus leftovers to freeze for another time.

Follow the recipe carefully and the meatballs will be soft enough to cut with a fork; 67 recommends 3 generous-sized meatballs per adult portion.

Cost: depends on thigh turkey mince; currently £2 at Sainsbury's-£3.95 elsewhere

Makes:12 good sized meatballs or 3-4 portions  

Ingreds:

1 recipe Turkey Meatballs

1 recipe Italian Tomato Sauce

cooked pasta of your choice

Method:

1. Make the sauce; set aside a generous portion for the meal; freeze the rest in one or half cup portions
2. Prepare meatballs; coax the meat into 12 good-sized balls about the size of a small fist -- keep it light; don't mash the meat into something dense and horrible to eat
3. Arrange on a baking tray; either bake immediately any 180C/350F or cling film and bake later.  The meat balls need only 15 mins in the oven; they will continue baking in the sauce, absorbing its flavours
4. Reheat sauce gently; add meatballs, simmer gently 20 mins or so; pour over pasta
5. Serve with finely chopped basil and grated parmesan

Comments:

'I love turkey and it's great seeing it used so imaginatively. You have made it taste like restaurant quality meatballs in sauce.  Turkey breeders should market them.' Political agent
'These are restaurant quality; they're perfectly moist and the sauce complements them nicely.' Designer & fund-raiser

Please leave a question in the box below 

This recipe has been developed by B M Lee/ Bright Sun Enterprises.  It may not be reproduced without the author's written permission.    

PEAR & CINNAMON MIDI-CAKE: air-fryer, dairy-free option; easy, low sugar, fresh fruit

Pack in a plastic container for a treat at work...

first posted 2019; updated 9/24

Fabulous cake for 2-3, ready in 20 mins: with pears cinnamon & walnuts

Air Fryer Cakes are fabulous for small households or packed lunches.  A 15cm/6inch tin provides just enough for 2-3 people, sharply reducing the intake of butter and sugar and avoiding leftovers.

This quick and easy Pear Cinnamon & Walnut cake is an absolute stunner - rich, fine-crumbed with a fruity crunchy topping.  

It's a matter of minutes to prep and takes only 20 mins to bake in an air fryer or a similar amount of time in an oven.  

The cake cuts costs, electricity and avoids over-indulgence.

That makes it perfect for couples, singletons, students and adult lunch boxes.

What's not to like?

See Tips (below) for baking in an oven & translating ingredients for a standard sized cake 

Cost: £2.25'ish (3/24) more for some vegan margarines 
Feeds: 2-3 depending on level of greed (a person who shall not be named has been known to consume the entire cake in 1 sitting)

Ingreds:

Cake batter
  47gm/1.6oz soft unsalted butter or vegan margarine (if using a kosher margarine like Timor, cut the butter when it is cold & solid, then wait until it is soft before blending with sugar)
  47gm/1.6oz sugar (light soft brown is ideal)
  
  1 med egg
  
  63gm/2.3oz plain flour
  1/3 tsp baking powder
  pinch of salt

  1/3 tsp vanilla

Topping:  

  1 medium ripe but not soft pear, peeled, seeds removed, sliced vertically (see photo below)
  1/3 tsp cognac, other fruit liquor, white wine or pear or white grape juice (opt)
  1/3 tsp cinnamon
  2/3 tbsp sugar

  2 tbsp finely chopped walnuts (opt)

Method:

1. Butter sides of 15cm/6inch air fryer cake tin; cut out a circle of greaseproof paper using the bottom of the tin as a guide; line bottom
2. Prepare pears (as in ingredients); add cognac if using, set aside
3. Prepare topping: mix cinnamon & sugar for topping; set aside
4. Preheat air fryer to 165c/330f
5. Prep cake batter: beat butter & sugar till white (it won't take long); beat in egg
6. Add flour, baking powder & salt all in one go; mix on low until throughly blended; beat in vanilla
7. Dollop the thick batter into tin from the outside in; spread toward the edges with a spatula; leave a slight dip in centre for even rising 
8. Preheat air fryer

   

   Cake before baking
   
   

9. Drain pear slices; dip in cinnamon sugar and arrange in a pretty pattern
10. Scatter over walnuts and any remaining cinnamon sugar
    
11. Bake 18-20 mins or until a tester in the middle comes out clean
12. Cool in tin 5 mins, then with a fish slice or tongs coax onto a cooling rack
13. When completely cool pack portions in air tight plastic containers

Comments:
'Fabulous!  Satisfies a sweet craving without going overboard' Retired writer

Tips:

• if pears are hard, sautée slices in a bit of butter in a frying pan until slightly soft; cool & drain before arranging
• Don't have an air fryer?  Bake in a preheated 180c/350f oven 20-25 mins or until a skewer comes out clean. 
• for a standard oven-baked 7"x 10"/18cm x 26 cm rectangle or 9"/18 cm square/round, triple ingredients and bake 45-50 mins at 180c/350f/gas 4.  The larger cake is not suitable for an air fryer.
• Try replacing cinnamon with cardamom
• This also works with apple slices, sprinkled with chopped walnuts 

more cakes in Recipes 1: Baking

Please leave a Comment in the box below

This recipe has been developed by B  Lee/ Bright Sun Enterprises and may not be reproduced, in any form, without the author's written permission.