If there was such a thing as fall in a dish...this would be it. We were craving meatballs, but wanted to put a pumpkin spin on it. The result was this lovely dish. The recipe was inspired by Paleo Running Mama, and you can find her version here.
salt and pepper to taste
Let's start with making the meatballs. Grab your largest skillet ever (will explain later) and sauté your onion, garlic, and apples in some EVOO and/or butter until soft. Feel free to add a splash of white wine if you're feeling it :)
In a large bowl throw in your ground turkey, Pumpkin Spice Nut Crumbs, and apple onion mixture. Mix together with your hands and form meatballs. If you want to make the meatballs extra special you can roll in some more Nut Crumbs, coating the outside of the meatball, before cooking (which we of course did.) In the same skillet that cooked onions and apples, add a touch more of EVOO and sear the meatballs on all sides on medium heat. Once they are browned, set aside on a paper towel.
Now here is why we needed to start with your largest skillet. We want all the juices that have been developing so far to be in our sauce, so we're going to go right ahead and start making our sauce in the same skillet we've cooked everything else in. It also helps when it comes time to clean up right? Ok, so in this skillet add the cans of tomato sauce, pumpkin, and coconut milk. Stir until fully combined and add salt and pepper to taste. Throw in a heaping handful of fresh sage and add your meatballs back into the saucepan. Cook for another 25 minutes on low/med heat or until the meatballs are fully cooked. Served over gluten-free pasta or spaghetti squash, sprinkle with some more Pumpkin Spice Nut Crumbs and enjoy!