These dinner bowls have it all, they are packed with flavor, texture and fresh ingredients! Each component of this recipe was carefully chosen to create a colorful, balanced meal that will satisfy your hunger as well as your taste buds.
What’s in it?
This bowl has sweet potato, Brussels sprouts, turkey meatballs, and a rice-quinoa pilaf. For texture and crunch, I added bacon, nuts and seeds. Finished with a drizzle of gravy to bring it all together. Let’s take it one step at a time.
Make the Meatballs
- ¾ lb. ground turkey
- 1 egg
- 1/8 tsp. thyme
- 1/8 tsp. sage
- 1/4 tsp. salt
- 2 tbsp. potato flakes
- 2 tbsp. rolled oats
- 2 tbsp. gluten free breadcrumbs
- 1/4 tsp. maple sage seasoning
Combine all of the ingredients in a bowl and mix thoroughly with your hands or a potato masher. Line a sheet pan with foil and mist with cooking spray. Form 16 small meatballs and arrange in the pan with space in between. Broil 4-5 minutes per side.
Roast the veggies
- 16 oz. sweet potato, peeled and cut into chunks
- 12 oz. Brussels sprouts, halved
- 2 tbsp. light oil (light olive oil or canola)
- 2 strips bacon
- salt and pepper, to taste
- 1 tbsp. chopped nuts (almonds/pecans)
- 1 tbsp. seeds (pumpkin/sunflower)
On a second sheet pan, spread the potatoes and Brussels sprouts in an even layer. Toss with oil and season with salt and pepper. Top the Brussels sprouts with bacon cut into 1″ pieces, 1 tbsp. nuts and 1 tbsp. seeds. Roast at 425º for 25 minutes.
Cook the rice/quinoa
- 1/3 cup rainbow quinoa
- 1/3 cup white rice
- 2/3 cup chicken broth
- 2/3 cup beef broth
- 2 tsp. butter
- 1/2 tsp. salt
Melt butter in a small saucepan. Add the rice and quinoa, stirring to coat. Add the broth and salt, bringing to a boil. Cover and simmer on low for 20 minutes.
Make the gravy
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
- 1/2 cup beef broth
- 1 tbsp. butter, softened
- 1 tbsp. arrowroot
- 1/4 tsp. onion powder
- 1/4 tsp. garlic powder
Stir the arrowroot and softened butter together to form a paste. In a small saucepan, combine the broth, onion powder and garlic powder. Bring to a boil then whisk in the butter mixture. Simmer 5 minutes to thicken.
Arrange your serving platter.
I set up my platter like this, to show off the different colors and textures. The gravy was served in a small gravy boat.
This took a little time to put together but it was definitely a hit. Leftovers were just as good the next day.
Notes ♪♫ Many supermarkets offer fresh veggies that have been prepped for cooking. I got sweet potato peeled and diced, and Brussels sprouts that were pre-washed and halved. Such a convenience, I just had to spread them out on a baking sheet and add my toppings!
The preparation begins with a coating of cornstarch and egg. The wings are then quickly pan fried and drizzled with a sticky sweet syrup and baked in the oven. Yes, it is a bit labor intensive but oh my goodness! I could not stop eating them!
Whisk together the sugar, mirin, ketchup, tamari and chicken broth in a small saucepan. Add a pinch of salt. Bring the mixture to a simmer, whisking frequently then cover and set aside.
Set up 2 breading trays, one with the cornstarch and the other with 2 beaten eggs. Heat a large nonstick skillet with enough canola oil to coat the surface completely.
Dredge the wings in the cornstarch, then dip in the beaten eggs. Add to the hot skillet, leaving space in between (fry them in batches if needed). Turn the wings to get a crust on all sides.
Mist a casserole dish with cooking spray. As the wings finish cooking, arrange them in a single layer. Preheat the oven to 350º.
Spoon the sauce evenly over the wings and bake for one hour, turning halfway through.
Serve hot, spooning a little of the pan juices over the wings.
Ingredients:
After the bacon was poached and drained, I browned it in a 
I added all of the wine, stock, tomato paste and seasonings. Honestly, there was a bit too much liquid and I would cut back next time. Julia did not add carrots in her recipe, but I went rogue and put a few in. Lid on, time to simmer!
I transferred all of the liquid from the sauté pan into a stock pot and whisked in the beurre manié until it was smooth and silky.
I added the onions and mushrooms to the sauce, then poured it over the chicken, bringing to a simmer one last time before serving.
There it is. So many little steps to develop the flavor profile of this famous dish. Yes, it was delicious. Yes, I will take a few shortcuts next time, but I do intend to make this again.
When the pan is hot, add the chicken and cook for 6-7 minutes per side, turning once.
I served it with 
Notes ♪♫
The recipe is easy and straightforward; made with common ingredients. Fresh tomatoes and basil are a must here (don’t use canned!). If you grow your own or can get them from a farmer’s market that would be great. But for everyone else, plum tomatoes from the grocery store are the best choice.
Preparation:
Place the diced tomatoes in a small bowl, and toss with 1 tbsp. olive oil, the balsamic vinegar, sea salt and ground pepper. Cut one large basil leaf into thin strips (chiffonade) and stir into the tomatoes. Let the mixture stand for about 30 minutes at room temperature.
Preheat the oven to 350º. Coat a baking dish with cooking spray and arrange the cod with space in between. Drizzle with the remaining olive oil and a pinch of sea salt.
Top each piece of fish with 1 tbsp. of breadcrumbs, then divide the diced tomatoes evenly over each piece.
Bake for 25 minutes. That’s it! Plate with a garnish of fresh basil leaves.
I served my Bruschetta Cod over risotto, and it was SO delicious. If you don’t know how to make risotto, jump over to 
Notes ♪♫ 
Continue cooking with the cover off, allowing the liquid to bubble up and thicken.
Chicken is finished when it reaches an internal temperature of 165º. Transfer to a serving dish and drizzle some of the pan juices over the top.
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Spoon sauce over the veal shanks and garnish with Italian parsley.
Remove the sausage casings and cut the sausage into small pieces. Add to the skillet with the veggies.
When the sausage starts to brown, push the meat and veggies to the sides of the pan and add the tomato paste in the center.
Let it toast for a few minutes, then stir it into the sausage and veggies.
Add the wine, and saffron water, garlic, basil, oregano and bay leaf.
Let the wine cook off for a few minutes, then add the crushed tomatoes and the tomato sauce. Stir well, and simmer 30-45 minutes with the lid slightly ajar to allow the sauce to thicken as it cooks. Stir the sauce every 10 minutes while it simmers.
Serve this wonderful sauce over your favorite pasta and finish with grated cheese. Pecorino Romano is traditional with this dish, but you can use Parmigiano Reggiano.
Notes ♪
What about gluten?
Wait, no eggs?
Another unique feature.
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Whisk together the flour and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer. Pour in the infused liquid through a sieve, reserving the saffron threads.
Add the remaining water 1 tbsp. at a time until you have a very soft, smooth dough, like this.
Use a spatula to gather the dough into a ball, then cover and let it rest at room temperature for about 20 minutes.
Now roll each piece over the Malloreddus paddle, you can use your fingers or a bench knife. Be sure to keep the paddle generously floured as you work. A 
Arrange the pasta on a lightly floured baking pan in a single layer. I lined mine with wax paper. At this point, you can cover the pasta with plastic wrap and refrigerate it until you are ready to start cooking.
For longer term storage, place the pan in the freezer for a few hours, then transfer the pasta to a freezer safe bag.
