These little meatballs are really good! They are moist, savory, and cheesy. They also are comparatively inexpensive to make and reasonably nutritious, with lean protein and a good amount of vegetables and fiber. The meatballs make a tasty addition to a diabetic diet and are great for anyone who simply wants to "eat healthy." I sometimes make an extra cheese sauce for the meatballs, but it's optional. The sauce is great on top of broccoli (the low-carb option!) or baby potatoes or quinoa, which we sometimes have with the meatballs. The meatballs reheat well in the microwave and make nice lunches later in the week. Enjoy!
Air Fryer Turkey, Mushroom, and Bacon Meatballs (Diabetic Friendly) -- Serves 4
4 ounces of sliced mushrooms
1/2 cup of chopped onions
8-10 ounces of lean ground turkey (90-93 percent lean)
1/2 cup of plain Greek yogurt
2-4 tablespoons of bacon crumbles
1/4 teaspoon of salt
1/4 teaspoon of pepper
1 small crumbled whole-wheat English muffin or slice of bread (about 1/2-3/4 cup of
crumbs)
1/2 cup of shredded cheddar cheese (preferably sharp cheddar)
Cut a small piece of aluminum foil to fit the bottom and an inch or two up the sides of your air fryer basket. Spritz the foil with non-stick cooking spray. Put the mushrooms, onion, and a teaspoon or so of water in a large, microwave-safe bowl and microwave the veggies for 3-6 minutes or until they soften. Let the vegetables cool a bit. Add to the bowl with the vegetables the turkey, Greek yogurt, bacon crumbles, salt, and pepper and mix them with the vegetables. Add the whole-wheat bread crumbs to the mixture and half the cheese and mix them in well. Form 6 meatballs (about the size of golf balls) and place them on the foil in the air fryer basket. Spritz the meatballs with olive oil or non-stick cooking spray. Air fry the meatballs at 320 degrees for about 25 minutes or until they reach an internal temperature of at least 165 degrees. You can top the meatballs with half the cheese sauce, sprinkle the remaining cheese on top of the sauce, and air fry the meatballs for another few minutes to melt the cheese/brown the sauce (much of the sauce will slither off the meatballs, so be sure to scoop it over the meatballs when you serve them!). Alternatively, just sprinkle the remaining cheese on top of the meatballs. You can air fry the meatballs for another minute or so to melt the cheese, if you'd like. If you've made the sauce, serve the remaining sauce alongside the meatballs.
Cheese Sauce
1 1/2 tablespoons of butter
1 1/2 tablespoons of white whole-wheat flour
1 1/2 cups of milk (cold)
2 teaspoons of Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon of Dijon mustard
1/4 cup of sharp cheddar cheese
Salt and pepper to taste
Melt the butter in a small skillet over medium heat and whisk in the flour. Keep whisking for a couple of minutes or until the flour is absorbed into the butter and you have a pasty-looking mess in the bottom of your pan (it will be okay). Add the milk, the Worcestershire sauce, and the mustard to the pan and whisk them in. Add salt and pepper (I use about 1/4 teaspoon of each). Keep whisking gently until the mixture thickens. The sauce should be a little thinner than a gravy. This may take about 10 minutes. Turn off the heat and whisk in the cheese. If you want to top the meatballs with the sauce, I recommend using half the sauce to top the meatballs, then sprinkling on the remaining cheese for the meatballs and air frying the meatballs with the sauce/cheese on top for a few minutes. Or just serve the sauce alongside the meatballs, which is easier and good!
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