Low-Carb Italian Meatballs

My easy Low-Carb Italian Meatball recipe is a crowd pleaser and no one will know they are eating a healthy meal free of gluten and sugar. Traditional meatballs are made using soaked bread or bread crumbs which contain gluten and carbs. Outside of those with Celiac Disease, many people have intolerances to gluten and all grains. They may cause gastrointestinal upset, such as bloating, gas, cramps, constipation or diarrhea. Beyond that, eating grains can cause large spikes in your blood glucose level leading to chronic inflammation. If you’re on a weight loss journey, grains may inhibit reaching your goals for that very reason. When insulin is constantly being produced to handle incoming sugar, your cells will eventually stop responding to the insulin causing it to become stored as body fat. If you cannot do dairy of any kind, just omit the dairy in this recipe - it’ll still be tasty , nourishing and satiating.

Makes 12-15 meatballs

Ingredients

• 1 pound ground beef

• 1 pound bulk Italian mild sausage

• 2 eggs, lightly beaten

• 1 - 32 oz. jar of your favorite sugar-free marinara sauce (I use Rao’s Sensitive Sauce)

• 2 c. shredded mozzarella cheese (I use goat milk based or water buffalo based cheese)

• sea salt

• olive oil

Directions

• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.

• Use your fingers to mix the beef, sausage and eggs together until well blended.

• Oil a large saute pan with olive oil.

• Make golf sized meatballs and place in the saute pan.

• Bake for 15 minutes.

• Remove from oven and add the marinara sauce and cover with foil.

• Bake for an additional 15 minutes.

• Remove from oven and add the shredded cheese on top.

• Bake an additional 10 minutes without the foil.

• Place under the broiler for 2-3 minutes until the cheese is lighlty browned.

• Remove, let cool for a few minutes and serve.

• Serve over cauliflower rice, shirataki noodles or kelp noodles.