Tired of beef meatballs in marinara sauce? This is a delicious alternative that can still be served with spaghetti if you have picky kids like mine. The recipe for Scallion Meatballs with Soy-Ginger Glaze comes from Deb at Smitten Kitchen, and it is a keeper.
I followed the recipe exactly, except that I did use the full amount of fresh ginger and I bumped up the amount of cilantro (because I love it). The ground turkey mixture is extremely wet, but if you gently shape the meatballs as Deb explains — dampen your hands with cold water and move the mixture from hand to hand as you form it into a ball — they’ll turn out fine. I had to re-wet my hands a couple of times.
These meatballs are fantastic. The sauce, which reduces beautifully, is thick and glossy and just like you’d get at a good restaurant. The meatballs are tender and bursting with a light, fresh favor thanks to the herbs. Because the sauce is a salty and clings to the meatballs, it contrasts perfectly with the lighter, sweeter note of the turkey.
Unfortunately, I could not get either of my boys to try them. I think on another night, A. would have tried a meatball without the sauce — he loves cilantro too — but he was tired and not in the mood to be adventurous. I froze a good portion of the meatballs in their sauce, but did not care for the way they later defrosted and reheated. As reheated leftovers, the meatballs were slightly spongy and watery, and the sauce reduced a bit further and was too salty for my taste. So, if you make them, eat them fresh! I’m sure in most households, there won’t be any leftovers to worry about, anyway.
So pretty, no? I served this plate to myself, and allowed the kids to serve themselves at the table. In all, they had a choice of whole wheat rolls, lettuce and tomato, sweet potato fries (frozen, made by Alexia Foods), ketchup, and broccoli “trees.” You must know the punchline by now: What did they eat? The rolls. Ba dum bum.
G. did try a fry, but didn’t care for it. We had a snow day today, and truthfully both boys were pretty hyped up and not in the frame of mind to try something new. I am sure they would like this whole meal if they’d only try it, though! As it was, A. was excused from the table before he had even finished the roll. (Yes, it was that kind of day.)
The turkey burgers were really good — I combined the ground turkey with a little panko, yellow mustard, and garlic powder and pan-fried them in a bit of olive oil. The burgers stayed soft (I sometimes have a problem with ground turkey cooking up into a hard lump) and the mustard (a tip I got from Merrie) adds both moisture and seasoning.
This meal comes together so quickly, but still feels healthy and well-rounded. I’m sure someone else’s kids would love it.
Three and a half years ago, I started meal planning and cooking more. Before then, a plain bowl of pasta with shredded mozzarella on top could have been lunch and dinner for a month at a time — that’s what the boys wanted, and there was little I seemed able to do to entice them to try anything else. It didn’t make me feel good about my parenting, and I was so frustrated with my kids’ limited diet. I didn’t want to fight about food.
I started with a simple theory in early 2007: if I regularly presented new food to the boys, and they saw others in their family eating and enjoying it, they would eventually try it too. It’s been a long haul proving that hypothesis, but 2010 has been a breakthrough year for us. True, the boys are older and they may have grown into an expanded food repertoire on their own. But I’d like to think my commitment to cooking — and not offering alternate meals if they didn’t like what I’d made — has had something to do with it.
On Tuesday, I made turkey burgers with whole wheat buns and lettuce and tomato, kale chips, and sweet potato fries. None of these items, save the bread, are things the boys normally eat, though they’re close. They will eat roast chicken (not that different from ground turkey), white potato french fries, and potato chips (salty and crunch, like the kale I made). As with many meals, I knew that at a minimum they’d eat the rolls; ideally, they’d try something else on the table as well. My 5 year-old — the pickier eater of the two — asked if he could please try the kale chips. He also asked for a piece of lettuce, and tried both a sweet potato fry and a bite of turkey burger without any fuss. He didn’t care to eat a second bite of any of those things, but the trying in and of itself is a huge step from where he was even six months ago. A. made himself half a tomato sandwich, and then a lettuce sandwich — 100% more vegetables than he would have eaten any given night a year ago. My parents and I had to avoid each others’ eyes, afraid we’d break the magic of all this new-food trying if we said anything.
At seven years old, A. now looks forward to tobiko (fish roe sushi), steak, J.’s smoked brisket, apples, watermelon, cilantro (he eats it by the spoonful), rice, roasted chicken, lettuce, sugar snap peas, green beans, and more. He frequently tries food that J. and I are eating, and I wouldn’t hesitate to take him into any restaurant — we’d be able to find something he’d eat. We’ve come such a long way since April 2008, when he would accept just pasta and yogurt.
Likewise, G. continues to take small steps towards a wider acceptance of different foods. Tuesday night was an extreme example of his budding willingness to taste new things, but it is a trend now, and not an exception to his usual behavior. I even cheer when he tries something like Reese’s Pieces, because it challenges his belief that he doesn’t like peanut butter. Maybe next he’ll try a peanut butter sandwich.
At the boys’ annual doctor check-ups this year, we were asked several lifestyle questions: “Do you wear a helmet when you ride a bike?” and “Do you like going to school?” I was relieved that for the first time in their lives, I was able to answer “Yes” to “Are you happy with their eating habits?” Yes, we’re getting there. And yes, that makes me happy.
G. insisted he had tried this dish before, and therefore didn’t have to try it because he knew he didn’t like it. When I gently suggested that was not the case, since I’d just made it up tonight, it became his mission to try to convince me I was wrong. It was all he talked about at the table tonight, even though I let the subject drop right away. A. asked for plain spaghetti, plus some “Mommy spaghetti” on the side because “it doesn’t look too bad.” I think G.’s yammering spooked him out of trying it, though. I was still happy he was open-minded enough to ask for a taste. They’ve both been in a particularly difficult period of eating lately, although A. has been more open to different fruits.
This was a quick and easy way to use produce from my CSA — the parsley, scallions, and broccoli rabe (an enormous bunch!) are all from this past week’s share. In the past, I’ve actually peeled most of the broccoli rabe stems with a paring knife, which is how Lidia Bastianich in Lidia’s Family Table does it. This bunch was almost entirely beautiful, thin stalks so I skipped that step entirely. The prep is much faster that way.
Broccoli Rabe, Olive & Turkey Spaghetti
1/2 lb. whole wheat spaghetti
3 Tbsp. olive oil, divided
4 large scallions, sliced thinly
1/2 lb. ground turkey
1 large handful fresh parsley, finely chopped
1 large bunch broccoli rabe (leaves & stems), chopped
1/4 c. sliced black olives
1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes (or more)
salt & pepper
Prepare spaghetti according to the package directions and set aside.
In a large saute pan, heat 1 Tbsp. of olive oil. Add scallions and turkey to the hot pan, cooking over medium-high heat until turkey starts to brown. (It won’t brown much, but try to get as much color as you can.) Use a spatula to break the turkey apart into small pieces.
Layer parsley, broccoli rabe, and olives on top of the turkey mixture, then cover pan for a few minutes to allow the broccoli rabe to steam and soften (it will release a bit of water). Remove the cover and allow mixture to cook until there is no water left in the pan. Season with red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper.
Add drained spaghetti and remaining 2 Tbsp. of olive oil into the pan, and toss until the broccoli rabe/turkey mixture is well incorporated. Serve hot.
I'm Dara, the Chick in the Kitchen. Living in the suburbs of Manhattan with my two school-aged boys and husband. Feeding my family something more diverse than a different shape of pasta each night. Read more about me and CITK, and keep in touch:
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Moroccan Chicken Tajine: I recently had a chicken tajine dish at Fig & Olive in Scarsdale, and wanted to recreate something similar at home. This is an Ina Garten recipe, and she never fails me.
I'm Dara, the Chick in the Kitchen. Living in the suburbs of Manhattan with my two school-aged boys and husband. Feeding my family something more diverse than a different shape of pasta each night. Read more 
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