Wednesdays used to be our Guest Blogger Series day; but, there’s just so many new and wonderful Paleo and real-food bloggers out there that we’ve expanded our series. We hope you enjoy the new view points and unique content; if so, we encourage you to show these guest bloggers your support by visiting their blog and social media links at the end of this post!
This week we’re visited by Simone of Zenbelly, who made a big splash in the Instagram community and has only continued to wow foodies of all interests at her site. We happen to love Simone’s cleanly styled photography and spot-on recipes; we hope to one day eat at one of her Pop-Ups or catered events! Today Simone shares a bit of her catering wisdom by providing us with a recipe for Ginger Scallion Pork Meatballs, and makes suggestions for how the base ingredients could be altered to create a variety of dishes.
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If meatballs wore hats, these would wear many.
This is one of those recipes that you can pull out at the last minute and whip up for lunch, dinner, a snack, or as hors d’oeuvres. My favorite kind of recipe is one that has big flavor with just a few ingredients. Bonus for minimal time spent. Double bonus for versatility. This recipe gets check marks for all of the above!
Are you still picturing a meatball wearing a fedora?
In all seriousness though, these have made an appearance at many parties that I’ve catered, and they’re always a hit. They are the perfect small bite. Flavor-wise, they pack a wallop. Best of all, they can be made ahead and they reheat beautifully, which is probably my #1 tip when it comes to entertaining: Make as much ahead of time as possible!
Some serving suggestions:
As hors d’oeuvres with toothpicks and a simple sauce of 2 parts coconut aminos to 1 part toasted sesame oil and a bit of grated fresh ginger. You can add honey and/or paleo friendly siracha to taste, if desired.
They make a great summer lunch with a light salad of thinly sliced cucumbers tossed with some ume plum vinegar (or your favorite variation), a drizzle of olive oil and fresh herbs such as cilantro, chives, and mint.
Or paired with cold sesame noodles: 4 ounces of sweet potato or kelp noodles tossed with 2 T tahini, 1 T coconut aminos, 1 T sesame oil, some grated ginger, and a dash of siracha if you like them spicy.
They also happen to taste a lot like the inside of a wonton, so are great in bone broth. And I’d be lying if I said I never ate them cold, straight out of the fridge.
Ginger Scallion Pork Meatballs
Makes about 20 small meatballs
- 2 tablespoons coconut aminos
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
- 2 teaspoons fish sauce
- 1 tablespoon fresh grated ginger
- 1 T coconut flour
- 1 small bunch scallions, minced
- 1 pound pastured ground pork
- coconut oil or lard, for greasing the pan
- Preheat oven to 425. Lightly grease a sheet pan with coconut oil or lard.
- In a medium bowl, combine the coconut aminos, sesame oil, fish sauce, ginger, and coconut flour. Whisk to combine.
- Add the ground pork and scallions and mix with your hands until incorporated.
- Form into 1-1 1/4 inch balls. Dampen your hands if the mixture is sticky. Place the meatballs on the prepared baking sheet.
- Bake for 20 minutes, until cooked through and golden.
Enjoy!
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Bio:
Simone Shifnadel is a self taught chef who has been in the culinary world for a decade and a half. She is the chef and owner of Zenbelly Catering, a 100% gluten-free catering company that specializes in paleo cuisine.
Since embracing the paleo lifestyle, Simone has seen drastic improvements in her health; she no longer experiences near constant brain fog, migraines, and lethargy. Her blood sugar levels have stabilized and her skin has drastically improved. Experiencing how going mostly paleo has turned her health around has made Simone passionate about nutrition. She believes that when the focus is on quality fresh ingredients, there is nothing restrictive about this way of life.
After cooking all day in the catering kitchen, Simone truly values meals that can be made at home in a flash. She shares her favorite recipes on her blog, zenbellyblog.com. There, Simone’s focus is on demonstrating just how simple and beautiful eating well can be.
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Zenbelly.Catering
Twitter: @zenbellysf
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/zenbelly/
Instagram: http://instagram.com/zenbellysf
