Love Swedish meatballs but your body doesn't love dairy? Try this gluten and dairy free version, which is still creamy and filling and delicious, but full of vegetables and no lactose! Paleo/low carb options.
- 500 g (1lb) beef mince (ground beef)
- 3 tablespoons (gluten free) bread crumbs or ground almonds
- 1 carrot, grated
- a small handful of fresh roughly chopped parsley
- 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
- a few gratings fresh nutmeg or 1/4 teaspoon ground
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- salt & pepper
- 1 egg
- 3 tablespoons odourless* coconut oil (or butter if not dairy free)
- 3 tablespoons tapioca flour or arrowroot powder (cornstarch/cornflour can also be used)
- 500 ml (2 cups) beef or chicken stock
- 375 ml (1 1/2 cups) unsweetened non-dairy milk** (or use full-fat dairy milk if dairy is not a problem for you)
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- 2 teaspoons tamari (gluten free soy sauce - use coconut aminos for paleo)
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1/2 teaspoon allspice
- salt and pepper, to taste
- 3-4 handfuls of finely sliced kale or spinach, stalks removed
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First make the meatballs: Mix all the ingredients in a bowl and shape into 18-24 meatballs. Fry in 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large frying pan until browned all over (3-4 minutes). Transfer to a plate and cover with foil to keep warm.
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For the sauce: Melt the coconut oil or butter in the frying pan and whisk in the flour. Cook for 30 seconds, then slowly whisk in the stock, milk, vinegar, tamari, mustard and allspice, whisking all the while. Simmer for 5 minutes until thickened and creamy, whisking frequently and adding a little more stock or water if it starts to over-thicken or stick. Season to taste and return the meatballs to the pan along with the kale and cook in the sauce for another 5 minutes. Serve with cooked rice or mashed potatoes and more steamed greens (roasted or steamed regular or tenderstem broccoli is especially yummy with this).
*I buy this odourless coconut oil. You could use regular virgin coconut oil but it will give a slight coconut flavour.
**It works well with unsweetened almond milk. You could use coconut drinking milk (which doesn't usually have a coconut flavour), cashew milk or a thicker milk like oat milk if you prefer.