Feta Stuffed American Lamb Meatballs with Fresh Herbs and Creamy Feta Sauce

This recipe is sponsored by the American Lamb Board, but all opinions expressed are my own. I’m a huge fan of American Lamb and I’m proud to call the American Lamb Board a partner. Thank you for your support.

There is no doubt, meatballs are one of our favorite things to make and eat. I’m always trying to find variations using our favorite cuts of meat and ingredients. Lamb has always had a solid place in my diet as a South African, where it is probably the most popular protein and is enjoyed in various ways throughout the year. When I moved to America I made it my mission to source fresh lamb to keep traditions alive and I was so happy with the quality and taste of American lamb. It was easy to introduce my husband DJ to lamb (He did not grow up eating lamb) and the mild taste of ground American lamb made it easy for him to begin enjoying the delicious flavor. He’s a pro now and asks for lamb often, choosing it as his go to at restaurants and (slowly) learning to prepare traditional South African dishes like potjiekos with American lamb.

Mellow and mildly flavored, ground lamb contains lean meat and trimmings from the leg, loin, rib, shoulder, flank, neck, breast or shanks. It is readily available and the perfect substitute for ground beef in many recipes. Some of our quick and easy weeknight dinners include these meatballs, meatloaf, burgers, pasta dishes with meat sauce and kabobs! It’s great to switch things up and the great thing about ground lamb is it’s extremely versatile.

When looking for ground lamb at your grocery store, make sure it’s American lamb which is much fresher in my opinion, because it hasn’t travelled far to get to your plate. The American Lamb website has a lot of useful information for you to read - Click this link for the various cuts of lamb available to you, cooking times for those cuts and a vast selection of delicious and adventurous recipes with American lamb.

Tell me about the meatballs!

Did you know that olives are one of the largest crops in South Africa? We have a huge olive industry and export them to many different countries. I try to use my favorite kalamata olives wherever possible and chopping them up finely to use in this recipe gave these feta stuffed American lamb meatballs a pop of unexpected flavor. If you prefer, substitute kalamata olives with tangy green castelvetrano olives or your favorite variety. Olives and lamb make the best pair!

These feta stuffed American lamb meatballs are made in the air fryer! Why, oh why did I wait this long to get an air fryer? Not only does it cook without any additional oil, things like these lamb meatballs keep their shape and cook evenly resulting in the juiciest end result! The best part about it is that it only takes 8-10 minutes depending on which air fryer you have. You may have to work in batches but I promise it’s worth it.

Don’t have an air fryer? No problem! Simply line a sheet pan with parchment paper and cook at the same temperature for the same amount of time in the oven or in a skillet on your stovetop. 

Feta Stuffed American Lamb Meatballs with Fresh Herbs and Creamy Feta Sauce
Prep Time: 15 minutes | Cook Time: 20-30 minutes | Makes: 10

Ingredients:
I tablespoon olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, finely diced
1 lb ground American lamb
1 extra large egg
4 cloves garlic, finely minced
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon cracked black pepper
1 teaspoon lemon pepper seasoning
1 tablespoon fresh lemon zest
1 tablespoon freshly chopped oregano
1 tablespoon dried parsley
1 -ounce chopped kalamata olives
8 - ounces French-style feta (I love Valbreso), divided
To serve: fresh dill, oregano, mint, parsley, chives

Feta Sauce:

4 -ounces feta (from above)
½ cup plain yogurt1 clove garlic made into a paste
1 small lemon, zest and juice
2 tablespoons fresh herbs (dill, oregano, parsley, chives)

Method:

Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add chopped onions and caramelize for 5-10 minutes until golden around the edges. Remove from skillet with a slotted spoon and allow to cool slightly before proceeding with the recipe.

Place lamb, egg, garlic, spices, zest olives and caramelized onions in a bowl. Use a fork to gently combine until the mixture comes together. 

Weigh out 2-ounce portions - You will have 10 meatballs. Use clean hands to gently make a dent in the center of each meatball, placing some feta cheese in the center and closing to seal. Repeat until all meatballs are stuffed with feta. 

Place meatballs on the wire rack of an air fryer and cook at 350F for 8 minutes per batch. If using the oven, cook at the same temperature for the same amount of time. For a medium temperature, the internal temperature of the meatballs should be 160F. Using tongs, carefully remove meatballs from the air fryer and place on a serving platter. Scatter with fresh herbs and serve warm with feta sauce.

To make the feta sauce:

Combine all ingredients in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until smooth. Keeps in the fridge covered for up to three days.

Rosemary Lemon Chicken Patties

Rosemary Lemon Chicken Patties

I have received some great feedback from people who have tried this recipe after seeing it on Instagram. It’s so easy and it should probably be on my website too, so here goes :) If you can, I highly recommend using fresh rosemary instead of dried to really lift the flavor. Though I find sour cream to be a great binder and a wonderful ingredient in my keto kitchen, it can be substituted with plain yogurt or plain coconut yogurt - I would use slightly less so that the mixture isn’t too wet. Make a double batch and meal prep on a Sunday for the rest of your work week :) Here are the glass containers that I use to prep my meals.

Ingredients:
Prep Time: 5 minutes | Cook Time: 15-20 minutes | Serves: 4

1lb ground chicken (white or dark, but darker meat will take slightly longer)
2 tablespoons sour cream
1 heaped teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary
1 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 teaspoons fresh garlic paste (Or mince 2-3 large cloves very finely)
Zest of 1 medium sized lemon
2 tablespoons chopped chives
Optional but highly recommend: 1-2 teaspoons preserved lemon paste like this one from NY Shuk or this one on Amazon.

Method:
Combine all ingredients in a medium-sized bowl and gently mix until everything is evenly distributed. Do not overwork to promote a better texture.
Heat some olive oil in a skillet over medium high heat and divide chicken mixture into four equal parts. Flatten gently to form patties, then sear for 5-8 minutes per side or until internal temperature reaches 160F.

Serve Immediately with your favorite side dish. My preferred sides are green vegetables like collards and this Double Parmesan Mashed Cauliflower.

Double Parmesan Cauliflower Mash

I only call it double parmesan cauliflower mash because I usually add more cheese :) This tasty recipe is a staple for us - Serve with any protein and of course a pat of butter on top. To make it special for your holiday celebrations, crisp up some proscuitto and fresh sage leaves to place on top.

Double Parmesan Cauliflower Mash
Prep Time: 5 minutes | Cook Time: 15 minutes | Serves 4-6

Ingredients:
1 whole head of cauliflower, cut up into florets
2 tablespoons grass-fed butter
1-2 tablespoons heavy cream (optional - sometimes 1tbsp sour cream is a great substitute)
1/4 cup finely grated parmesan cheese (honestly, just add as much as you like it’ll actually thicken things up too)
pinch of nutmeg
kosher salt and cracked black pepper to taste

Method:

Bring a pot of water to a rolling boil and add 1-2 teaspoons salt. Add cauliflower florets and cook for 15 minutes or until very soft. Drain cauliflower very well using a colander over the sink, then allow to sit for 2-3 minutes on a clean kitchen towel or paper towels to drain even more water from them.

Add cauliflower florets to a food processor with remaining ingredients and pulse until smooth. Scoop into a serving bowl and reheat before plating.

Turkey and Roasted Red Pepper Hummus Patties with Dill Yogurt Sauce

This recipe is inspired by and adapted from one by my friend Danielle Kartes, who recently published her recipe for Turkey & Chickpea Greek-Style Pitas with Dill Yogurt Sauce in her book, Rustic Joyful Food: My Heart’s Table. If you’re interested in a speedy and delicious supper, look no further! The great thing about it is that you can use ground chicken as well, and substitute any vegetables that you have on hand. Danielle’s recipe calls for chickpeas but since we are cleaning out the fridge before a trip to South Africa, I had some roasted red pepper hummus on hand and used it instead. Turns out it’s a great binding agent and the pieces of roasted red pepper really were delectable! The great thing is, any hummus will do and even the roasted red pepper can be replaced with any marinated vegetables you have lingering in your fridge. Some great add-ins are: chopped marinated artichoke, chopped kalamata olives, chopped marinated mushrooms, chopped giardiniera, banana peppers and spinach!

Turkey & Roasted Red Pepper Hummus Patties with Dill Yogurt Sauce.
Prep Time: 5 Minutes | Cook Time: 15 - 20 minutes | Serves: 4

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons olive oil
4 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1 pound ground turkey
1/2 cup roasted red pepper hummus (I love Boar’s Head Brand) OR your favorite hummus
1/4 cup roasted red peppers, chopped
1 medium egg, beaten
Dill Yogurt Sauce (Danielle’s recipe follows below)

Optional sides: Freshly sliced tomato seasoned with smoked sea salt, fresh dill/basil/mint leaves, kalamata olives, sliced red onion, feta cheese, cucumber, pita bread. During Winter I love to serve these with roasted squash or kale greens.

Method:

Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Combine garlic, pepper, salt, onion powder and chili powder in a bowl and stir. Add turkey, hummus, roasted red pepper and beaten egg. Mix gently with a fork until everything is well incorporated, then form into 8 patties and cook until golden brown on both sides (about 4 minutes per side). Serve with dill yogurt sauce and optional sides.

Dill Yogurt Sauce (Recipe Courtesy of Danielle Kartes, from her book Rustic Joyful Food: My Heart’s Table)

1 cup plain Greek Yogurt
1/2 cup chopped fresh dill
2 tablespoons milk
1/2 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon onion powder

Directions:

Mix and allow melding in the fridge for at least 1 hour before serving. That’s it!

Easy Lemongrass Shrimp Skewers

This recipe is brought to you in partnership with FeedFeed and LouAna Oils, using their Liquid Coconut Oil. LouAna Liquid Coconut Oil stays liquid for easy pouring, measuring, sautéing and baking. With no coconut aroma or taste, it’s a perfect substitute for margarine or other cooking oils in recipes. I use it mostly to sauté because it’s keto-friendly and has four times the medium chain triglycerides (mct’s) as virgin coconut oil.

These flavorful shrimp skewers contain very few ingredients, all of which you can find online or at your local Asian grocer. Thai curry paste, lemongrass, garlic, lime juice and zest, Thai basil and the optional chopped red chili all come together with shrimp for a very easy meal that everyone can enjoy.

I’m fortunate to live in the South where Louisiana shrimp are delivered to just about every local seafood shack in town, especially this time of year. While I recommend high quality fresh shrimp for this recipe, frozen is perfectly okay, just thaw them completely in your refrigerator before using.

Using Thai curry paste in these shrimp skewers means you’re adding an ingredient that’s already packed with flavorful aromatics like lime leaf, lemongrass, ginger, garlic and sometimes shrimp paste. It’s a great time-saver for those days when you want delicious in a hurry! Serve with rice, noodles or your favorite side. We prefer cooling cucumber slices, mint, basil and a dash of vinegar.

Easy Lemongrass Shrimp Skewers
Prep time: 15 minutes Cook time: 8-10 minutes Serves: 4

Ingredients:

6-8 long lemongrass stalks
2lbs fresh shrimp, peeled and deveined
2 tablespoons Thai Panang or Red curry paste
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
1/4 cup chopped Thai basil
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
Optional: 1 tablespoon finely minced Thai red chili (deseed for a milder taste)
1-2 tablespoons LouAna Liquid Coconut Oil (find it here!)

Method:

Prepare lemongrass by soaking in cold water to remove any impurities. Using a sharp knife, cut each stalk into 6-8 -inch pieces and set aside.

In the bowl of a food processor with the blade attachment in place, add shrimp, curry paste, garlic, basil, soy sauce, red pepper flakes and optional red chili. Pulse 8-10 times until the shrimp is minced and the mixture is evenly combined.

Wetting your hands prevents the shrimp mixture from sticking to them during the next step. Use your hands to evenly wrap 4 oz portions of the shrimp mixture around the cut lemongrass stalks until all the skewers are made. Press and shape the mixture to make sure it sticks to the stalk.

Heat a large skillet to medium and pour in 1-2 tablespoons LouAna Liquid Coconut Oil. Sauté shrimp skewers in batches for 8-10 minutes until cooked through, rotating every 2 minutes to ensure an even golden color. Serve immediately.

Easy Scallops with Haricots Verts & Prosciutto

Can you believe, I've never cooked with scallops before today! Years of living in South Korea where they are abundant, and I never had the desire to pick them up from market. Even so I found them extremely easy to prepare today and chose to serve them with seasonal haricots verts (fancy name for French thin green beans), crispy proscuitto (Green beans and prosciutto - You just gotta have them together) and a simple brown butter pan sauce with capers and lemon. 

I had gotten a box of fresh fish from a seafood subscription company a week ago, and thought why not give it a go! They are a sustainable seafood choice and best of all, take a very short time to cook. Hope you enjoy this easy and keto friendly recipe for one :) Double and adjust as you see fit!

Ingredients:

4 large sea scallops, side muscles removed and patted dry.
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
1 teaspoon garlic powder
2 tablespoons grass-fed butter, divided
1 cup haricots verts (about 4 oz)
1 slice prosciutto
1 tablespoon capers, packed in brine, drained
Juice of 1/2 lemon

Method:

Bring a small pot with salted water to a low boil. Place a steaming rack on top and add haricots verts. Steam for 5 minutes or until desired doneness - I like mine still crunchy.

While the haricots verts cook, bring skillet with 1 tablespoon of butter to medium-high heat. Sear the proscuitto until crispy and set aside. Season the scallops on both sides with salt, pepper and garlic powder and them place them in your skillet to cook in the rendered fat from the proscuitto + butter. They should sizzle as they hit the pan. Cook without moving them for 2 minutes and flip to sear the other side for the exact same time. Remove from skillet. Add remaining tablespoon of butter and capers plus lemon juice to the same skillet. Simmer and stir then turn the heat off. 

The steamed haricots verts should be done by now. Plate them, place the crispy proscuitto on top followed by the scallops. Pour pan sauce over everything and enjoy! I did add some chopped chives to mine which added a lovely bit of extra freshness. 

Dale