Turkey Cranberry Butternut Squash Sage Meatballs with Curry Cauliflower Cream Sauce

Fall is in the air.  I have not been on the blog or able to blog for a while because of busyness or just not really having the time to cook/access to a kitchen.  This past couple months I have been living in Chicago for a program with school and have had access to a kitchen and have had to cook all of my own meals.  Although it takes a bit more time preparing all of my own food, I am loving it!  Especially being able to make healthy food that tastes delicious as well. 


Recently I have been on a fall cooking kick (more recipes to come!) and have also looked into entering into some recipe contests.  I saw this paleo recipe contest and just had to enter, because how often does a healthy recipe contest come around, particularly a paleo one?  I don't necessarily ascribe to the paleo lifestyle of diet, but I appreciate the focus on whole and nutrient rich foods.  Entering this recipe contest inspired me to create a delicious, healthy, paleo-friendly recipe and let me tell you, this is a recipe that I would definitely make again!

I made a burger plus lots of meatballs; the cauliflower sauce is being camouflaged by the white plate...Also look at those sage leaves in the burger; I was happy with how that turned out! Shout-out to Target frozen asparagus-- wow it was good and tasted so fresh! (And was much cheaper than the fresh stuff!!) I just sauteed it with a little butter.  So good.

Ingredients, Meatballs:
-1 pound ground turkey
-2 cups butternut squash, grated and packed
-1/2 cup finely chopped dried cranberries
-2 tbsp chopped sage
-1/2 cup diced onion
-3 garlic cloves, minced
-1 tsp curry powder
-3 tbsp butter
-1 egg
-1 tsp salt
-1/2 tsp black pepper


Ingredients, Curry Cauliflower Cream Sauce:
-2 tbsp chopped sage
-3 garlic cloves, minced
-1/2 cup diced onion
-2 tsp curry powder
-1 tbsp butter
-2 cups finely chopped cauliflower
-1.5 cups coconut milk (almond milk or dairy milk would probably work as well)
-salt and pepper to taste

Can't figure out how to rotate picutres, let's just pretend I meant it to be sideways--its artsy, right? (And distracts from the quality of my food photography)

Instructions:
1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F, and butter/oil a cookie sheet.
2. In a large bowl, combine the ground turkey, grated squash, cranberries, egg, salt, and pepper.
3. In a saucepan, melt one tablespoon of the butter and sauté the sage, onion, garlic, and curry powder until the onion is translucent and browned.
4. Add the onion mixture to the meat mixture in the bowl and mix thoroughly.
5. Shape the mixture into small balls or patties.  Heat a skillet with the remaining two tbsp of butter on the stove.  Fry the meatballs for 3 minutes on each side over medium-high heat.
6. Place on the cookie sheet and bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes.
7.  While the meatballs bake, prepare the curry cauliflower cream sauce.
8. Melt the butter in a saucepan and sauté the garlic, onion, and curry powder until golden brown.
9. Add the cauliflower and coconut milk and simmer until tender.
10. Puree in a food processor or blender until smooth; add salt and pepper to taste.
11. Either serve the meatballs on top of the sauce, or spoon the sauce over the meatballs.


Enjoy!! Happy Fall! And let the fall recipe fun begin... !!!