GO TO: Nikki Turkey Meatballs ❤ (Swedish Meatball Sauce included)

Nikki Turkey Meatballs

I love making these in big batches. I freeze them in quart sized bags and take them out to add to spaghetti sauce, Swedish meatball sauce or just to dip into BBQ sauce. Seriously, my go-to and always have on hand. I usually make 6 pounds at a time and roll into larger meatballs so 3 for a meal is plenty!

The bold means that's what I do. 
I included my Swedish (Svenska Kottbullar) meatball sauce below. My Swedish meatballs are made with beef and pork but the sauce is amazing with these meatballs too!

Ingredients:

• 1 lb lean ground turkey (93% or leaner)
• 1 egg (or 1 tbsp Greek yogurt if avoiding eggs)
• 1/3 cup gluten-free breadcrumbs OR 2 tbsp almond flour
• 1 tbsp finely chopped or grated onion or onion powder
• 1 tsp garlic powder or 1 tablespoon fresh minced garlic
• 1 tsp Italian seasoning
• 1 tbsp fresh or dried parsley 
• 1 tbsp grated parmesan
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• Olive Oil

Instructions: 

• Preheat the oven to 400°F and line a baking sheet with a cooling rack and foil for easy clean up. You can use parchment paper but the cooking liquid from the meatballs gets funky and kind of slimy. Using a baking rack ensures that they cook and brown nicely and all around and don't sit in their own juices. Trust me on this, if you use parchment paper, you will know what I am talking about and think, "ahhh, yep, should have used the rack."
• If using grated or minced onion, saute in a bit of olive oil for 7 minutes and add minced garlic and cook for another 1-2 minutes until translucent. This ensures that it's not a raw bit in the meatball and takes the raw bite out of it. 
• In a bowl, mix dry ingredients: breadcrumbs (or almond flour), parmesan cheese, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper.
• Beat the egg and add the turkey, cooked onion and garlic to the dry ingredients. 
• I add a little olive oil to my hands to coat them slightly or you could lightly spray hands with cooking spray and roll into 12–14 small meatballs. Like I said, I make mine much bigger like the size of a mandarin orange. So you will get 1/2 the yield. You will want to make it smaller for a crowd dinner. 
• Place on the baking sheet that has a cooling rack on it, spaced evenly. (the juices get funky when on parchment paper so this way it gets browned all around. 
• Bake for 18–20 minutes or until lightly golden and cooked through. If you make them larger bake for more like 25 or more turning 1/2 through.

Notes:

• Serve over rice, potatoes, with veggies, with homemade/store bought marinara or make cream based Swedish meatballs sauce.

Swedish Meatball Sauce: 

• 1/4 teaspoon Black Pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
• 1/4 teaspoon dill (OPTIONAL not traditional but I like it, I add it to my stroganoff recipe and fell in love with it lol)
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1/3 cup Flour (GF: Bob's Red Mill 1:1)
• 2 cans beef broth, 10.5oz
• 1 cup whipping cream
• Melt butter in a saucepan, add flour and mix together for a thick paste, add beef broth and spices, constantly stirring until it thickens. Finish with whipping cream and salt/pepper to taste. 

Macros:

• MACROS: 220 calories | 26g protein | 4g carbs | 10g fat (smaller meatballs and not the sauce)
• DIET: low-fat | gluten-free | high-protein | low-carb | dairy-free (if no parmesan) | pancreas-friendly 
• Source:  Mama Bear ❤

Homemade Laundry - Powder & Liquid Detergent / Fabric Softener

Homemade Laundry Detergent 

This makes a TON of laundry soap, all free of chemicals and works like a charm. Way cheaper than store bought.

Supplies: 

Supplies Needed for Homemade Laundry Soap

• Garbage Bags
• Box Grater or Processor
• Storage Container with Tight Fitting Lid (5 gallon bucket)

Washing Amounts: 

• Small Loads - 1/4 Cup 
• Large loads– 1/2 cup
• Liquid Variation– 1/2 cup

Ingredients: 

• 3 Cups Arm & Hammer Washing Soda or 1 Box (55 oz)
• 3 Cups Arm & Hammer Baking Soda
• 3 Cups Borax or 1 box (65 oz)
• 3 Bars Dr. Bonner's Castile Soap OR Fels Naptha (Dr. Bonner's come in various scents with essential oils and are top rated - lavender will make your laundry smell good)
• OPTIONAL: 2 Boxes Oxiclean Free (3 lb. each) OR 1 Box Oxiclean (5 lb.)
• After all the dry ingredients are in your bucket, add 30-40 drops (or to your desired scent tolerance) of essential oil of your choice. Again, this is optional. You can also use scented castile soap. Dr. Bronners Brand has quite a few scents such as lavender, Citrus, almond, rose, and peppermint as well as unscented.

Instructions Powder: 

• Grate the soap bars on a hand grater or you could use a food processor if you cut the soap into small squares to help out the processor. 
• Add to a garbage bag (double the bag for extra strength) and then add all of the other ingredients.
• Tie a knot at the top of the bag so nothing can escape. Roll it around for awhile so everything has a chance to mix together. 
• Once everything is thoroughly combined, cut off a corner from the bottom of the bag and allow the mix to pour into your storage container. 
• It is best to use an air-tight container with a good sealing lid to keep out any moisture that could eventually clump and/or harden the mix.
• I put a small amount into a empty gallon milk jug or get a nice container and a scoop for a nicer display. Keep the remaining soap in a dry place and replenish as needed.

Instructions Liquid: 

• Add 1/2 gallon of water to your 5-gallon bucket.  Stir in 1 cup of borax and 1/2 cup of washing soda.
• Shred 1 castile soap bar with the cheese grater. Melt soap shreds in 1 cup of water over medium heat. Stir often.
• Add melted soap to the bucket and stir well.
•  Add 30 to 50 drops of the essential oil of choice.
• Fill the bucket the rest of the way with water.  Stir until all ingredients are well combined.
• Let it sit overnight and then shake the bucket really well.
• NOTES: I like to pour the detergent in a 1/2 gallon jar to make use easier. You can also store it in old laundry soap containers. Shake well before each use.  Use 1/2 cup of detergent per load.

Natural Fabric Softener: 

• Add 1/2 to 1 cup distilled white vinegar to loads of laundry. This will work as a fabric softener so chemical fabric softeners won’t be necessary. This also works to help eliminate smells from dirty clothes.
• Add wool dryer balls into the dryer with wet clothes. You can also add a few drops of essential oils to the dryer balls as well for the sweetest-smelling fresh laundry.

Source: https://homemadeonourhomestead.com/effective-and-toxin-free-laundry-soap/

Cottage Cheese Protein Pancakes (Carolyn)

 Cottage Cheese Protein Pancakes

These Cottage Cheese Protein Pancakes are a great way to fuel up for the day. Sweet and tender, with a hint of lemon, they pack a full 20g of protein per serving!

Ingredients: 

• 1 cup (112 g) almond flour
• 1/2 cup (54 g) unflavored whey protein powder
• 3 tbsp (30.43 g) granular sweetener
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp xanthan gum
• 1 cup (210 g) cottage cheese
• 3 large eggs
• 2 tsp lemon zest
• 1/2 tsp lemon extract, or vanilla extract
• 2 to 4 tbsp (30 ml) lemon juice, (or almond milk or water)
• Butter or oil for the pan

Instructions: 

• In a medium bowl, whisk together the almond flour, protein powder, sweetener, baking powder, and xanthan gum. Whisk to combine and break up any clumps.
• Combine the cottage cheese and eggs in a blender and blend until smooth. Add the lemon zest and lemon extract and blend briefly again.
• Add the flour mixture and blend until well combined. Then add just enough liquid (lemon juice, almond milk, or water) to thin that batter so it's easily scooped onto the griddle.
• Preheat a griddle to medium or set a large non-stick skillet over medium-low heat. Brush lightly with butter or oil.
• Use about 3 tablespoons of batter for each pancake and spread into a 3 or 4 inch circle. Cook the pancakes until bubbles begin to appear on the tops and the edges are set and dry, 2 to 4 minutes.
• Carefully flip the pancakes and continue to cook until golden brown on the second side, another 2 to 4 minutes. Repeat with the remaining batter, adding more butter or oil to the pan as needed.

Notes:

• Storage Information: Store the pancakes in a covered container in the fridge for up to a week. They can also be frozen for several months. 

Macros:

• Serving: 3pancakes | Calories: 201kcal | Carbohydrates: 6.6g | Protein: 19.5g | Fat: 12.6g | Saturated Fat: 2.2g | Fiber: 2g
• Source:  https://alldayidreamaboutfood.com/cottage-cheese-protein-pancakes/#recipe

Chocolate Protein Muffins (Carolyn)

 

 Chocolate Protein Muffins

Start your day off right with these easy protein muffins. Packed with fiber, healthy fats, and 12g of protein per serving. And plenty of chocolatey goodness too!

Ingredients: 

• 1 cup (256 g) pecan butter, (or any nut/seed butter)
• 1/2 cup (91 g) Swerve Brown
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 3 large eggs
• 1/2 cup (54 g) chocolate collagen protein
• 3 tbsp cocoa powder
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp (0.25 tsp) salt
• 1/3 cup (60 g) dark chocolate chips, sugar-free

Instructions: 

• Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a muffin pan with 12 silicone or parchment paper liners.
• Place the nut butter in a large bowl and stir well to mix in the oils. If it is very stiff, you can microwave it or heat it gently in a pan until it is more liquid.
• Whisk in the sweetener and vanilla extract until well combined, then whisk in the eggs until smooth.
• Add the collagen, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt and stir until well combined. Stir in the chocolate chips.
• Divide the mixture evenly among the prepared muffin cups and bake 18 to 25 minutes, or until the muffins have risen and are just firm to the touch on top.
• Remove and let cool in the pan.

Notes:

• Storage information: Store the muffins in a covered container on the counter for up to 5 days or in the fridge for up to 8 days. You can also freeze them for 3 to 6 months.
• NOTE! Many have tried this recipe with peanut butter and found that it can make the batter very thick. I am not quite sure why it does this, but you simply need to add more liquid (try 1/4 cup to 1/3 cup warm water) and perhaps another tablespoon of oil. 

Macros:

• Serving: 1muffin | Calories: 181kcal | Carbohydrates: 5.2g | Protein: 12g | Fat: 13.6g | Fiber: 3.6g
• Source:  https://alldayidreamaboutfood.com/protein-muffins/#recipe