Once every three months or so I’ll buy ground beef and think it’s time to make some meatballs. I love throwing in the different kinds of veggies we have, especially in our quest to make things more healthy. Especially when I buy the big Costco container of fresh spinach, I see what different things I can throw it in so we can get rid of it before it goes bad.
Also, if I have them, I will throw the leftover dregs of our nacho chips for the dry ingredient. I hate to throw those things away when they are good food!
Healthier Crock-Pot Meatballs
Ingredients
- 2 lbs. ground beef or turkey
- 1/2 cup of old fashioned oats other dry ingredient substitutes for oats: nacho chips, crackers, bread
- 1 egg
- 1 medium onion chopped
- 1/4 cup spinach chopped
- 1/4 cup carrots chopped
- 1/4 cup bell pepper color of choice chopped
- 2 T Worcestershire Sauce
- 1 t garlic powder
- 1 t oregano
- 1 t pepper
- 1 t oat bran opt.
- 1 t wheat bran opt.
- 1 t wheat germ opt.
- 1/2 t ground mustard
- dash of crushed peppers
- dash of cayenne pepper
- Ketchup or BBQ Sauce
Instructions
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Combine all wet ingredients together.
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Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients, and dig in with your hands to form 1-2 inch balls.
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Arrange meatballs in the slow cooker on top of each other if needed.
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Cover, and cook on high for 4.5-5 hours or on low for 6-8 hours. The longer you cook them, the more likely they are to fall apart, so watch carefully.
Oven Directions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place meatballs in a baking pan, and bake for 1/2 hour.
The Verdict: I love making meatballs and not meatloaf, because way more of the fat is able to drain. Don’t be overwhelmed by the amount of liquid in the slow cooker. Just use tongs to carefully remove. Enjoy!!
Brilliant! I love adding veggies to my meatballs, too. I’ll also add green chile on occasion for a bit of a kick!
That’s a great idea to add the green chile! Thanks for sharing and visiting!