Perfect Meatballs with Sage Sweet Potato Noodles

SERVES: 4 | PREP TIME: 10 minutes | COOK TIME: 25 minutes

Ingredients

3 sweet potatoes (1⅓ pound/600 grams), peeled

4 tablespoons coconut oil, divided

2 tablespoons minced fresh sage, divided

1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, minced, divided

1 teaspoon coarse sea salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

½ pound (225 grams) ground beef

½ pound (225 grams) ground pork

½ teaspoon garlic powder

Process

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
2. Using a spiral slicer, cut the sweet potatoes into noodles.
3. Heat 2 tablespoons of the coconut oil in a large sauté pan over medium-low heat. Add the noodles along with 1 tablespoon of the sage, ½ tablespoon of the rosemary, the salt, and the pepper. Toss the noodles to coat them in the coconut oil and let them cook down for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring every couple of minutes to keep them from sticking. When the noodles are soft and slightly browned, remove the pan from the heat.
4. In a large bowl, mix together the ground beef, ground pork, remaining 1 tablespoon of sage, remaining ½ tablespoon of rosemary, the garlic powder, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Use a large cookie scoop or ice cream scoop to form the meat into 18 meatballs.
5. Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of coconut oil in a large cast-iron skillet (or oven-safe skillet) over medium-high heat. Add the meatballs and cook on all sides for 2 to 3 minutes, until they are slightly browned. Transfer the meatballs to a 9-by-13-inch (22-by-33-cm) baking dish and bake for 10 minutes. Serve the meatballs over the cooked sweet potato noodles.
   Note: If you don’t own a spiral slicer, grate the sweet potatoes or cut them into julienne strips.