Here is the thing about me.
I don’t diet. At all.
I don’t work out, either. I actually got on my elliptical machine last Friday for 15 minutes and about died. Not pretty, you guys. Doodle and the Tall Boy were cheering me on and all I really wanted to do was jam a cupcake in my mouth.
I’m not one of those people who make resolutions at the beginning of the year about completely changing my eating habits or vow to work out a prescribed number of times per week. I can’t set myself up for failure like that. However, regardless of the sweets and goodies I tend to post here, most of the time, I do try to eat at least semi-healthy.
Not that meatballs are the epitome of health food, but if you make ‘em with ground turkey, they are at least a step in the right direction.
I have a love-hate affair with ground turkey. Early in my marriage, the Tall Boy and I attempted to make turkey burgers…and subsequently ended up ordering a pizza. While we now use ground turkey in many things (tacos, chili, etc), I haven’t yet been brave enough to try eating it again in patty-type form.
Until now.
When I found this recipe for honey-chipotle meatballs, I was intrigued. With a glaze using chipotle chilies and honey, certainly there was enough flavor in these to make these palatable for us! And as a bonus, I didn’t have to feel so guilty about eating a few of these meatball appetizers when the ingredient list was fairly short and healthy. 
What’s your favorite healthy appetizer?
- 1 pound ground turkey (or substitute ground beef, if you prefer)
- ⅓ cup yellow onion, diced
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground pepper
- 3-4 tablespoons honey, plus more for dipping
- 2-4 tablespoons chopped chipotle chilies in adobo sauce (we used 4 since we like it spicy; if you're not sure, start on the low end and add more if needed)
- 3 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Preheat oven to 375. In a medium bowl, mix together ground turkey, onion, garlic, salt, and pepper until just combined. Form into meatballs - I got about 16 meatballs when forming mine. In a separate bowl, stir together honey, chilies, and vinegar.
- In an ovenproof skillet, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add meatballs and cook until browned, about 10 minutes. Transfer skillet to oven and bake about 5 minutes. Remove from oven, pour honey mixture over the top of the meatballs, and swirl to coat. Cook until liquid is reduced and meatballs are coated.
- I do not have an ovenproof skillet, so I transferred mine to an 8x8 pan before placing in the oven. I kept my skillet warm, and then transferred the meatballs back to the skillet for glazing after removing from the oven.
- Serve with additional honey for dipping, if desired.
XO, Ashley
: I do a lot of cooking, and my current cookware is totally adequate. However, what I’m using now is not oven safe – and I’d like to find a set that can go straight from stove to oven. This set is moderately priced for the home cook, with solid, riveted handles and aluminum in base for even heating; and is safe for dishwasher, freezer, broiler, and oven to 550 degrees F.
: Good utensils are a cook’s best friend in the kitchen. Make sure you’re stocked with tongs, square turner, spoons, grater, swivel peeler, potato masher, whisk, spatula, and a meat tenderizer (even if you don’t use it on meat, it’s great for crushing hard candies, etc. for baking).
: You don’t have to worry about cross-contamination with these! This set comes with 7 mats for serving vegetables, meat, poultry, seafood, dairy and bread (color coded). Plus, the flexible mats allow easy transfer of food and are dishwasher safe. LOVE!
: If you’re doing a lot of slicing and dicing in the kitchen, good cutlery is paramount – and will save you a lot of frustration. I speak from experience, here. Dull knives = a bad cooking experience.
: While I think of myself more of a cook than baker, I use my KitchenAid stand mixer all.the.time. Mashed potatoes, bread dough, frosting, cake, cookies, you name it. I finally broke down a few years ago and traded my old stand mixer in for a KitchenAid, and after just one use, I realized what all the hubub was about. It rocks.
: Hands-down, one of my favorite cookbooks. The Tall Boy got me this for Christmas last year and this has become my go-to book. And yes, the recipes really are easy.
: And, this year for Christmas, I’m soooooo hoping the Tall Boy gets me this cookbook. It’s not just a cookbook–it’s a cooking reference with clear hand-drawn illustrations, including how to prepare the perfect omelet, carve a turkey, remove meat from lobsters, frost a layer cake, shape sandwich bread, and more. Awesome, right?
, and I kind of changed my mind. If you haven’t seen her book, it’s full of desserts you serve in jars (!) and it pretty much rocks.
