When having people over and you need to feed folks, the instinct is to go cheap and easy, which typically results in serving bad-for-you food. Toss out some chips and dip, maybe order a pizza and/or wings, pair with an under delivering dip, you know the drill. It’s a sad state of hospitality affairs.

However, if you want to feel a little better about yourself and have your company go home secretly thrilled for being feed well (“healthy”), I got a recipe for you.

Enter: Greek Meatballs with Avocado Tzatziki Sauce and Spinach Salad.

This one is super simple, feeds a lot of people and damn it, it’s tasty. Everyone likes meatballs. Everyone likes avocados. Tzatziki sauce is a wildly underrated condiment with lots of uses beyond just meat dipping. Put all that jazz on a plate!

The best part? This recipe is guilt-free. It follows the Paleo and Whole30 way of life, but better yet, even your chicken wing & sauce-eating buddies will be in. At least, that was the case last weekend.

You ready to get into this recipe for the Greek Meatballs with Avocado Tzatziki Sauce?

Let’s get cooking!

Prep: 30 minutes Cook: 25 minutes Total: 55 minutes

INGREDIENTS YOU’LL NEED:

Meatballs
1 lb. grass-fed beef (lamb also works)
½ cup red onion, finely diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
Zest of ½ lemon
1 tablespoon fresh oregano, chopped
1 teaspoon dried oregano (I like oregano)
1 teaspoon coriander
½ teaspoon ground cumin
1 egg
Sea salt and pepper, to taste

Avocado Tzatziki

1 avocado
1 small/medium cucumber or ½ large cucumber. Cut in half and scrape the seeds out with a spoon. Also, I peal the skin for a smoother blend.
2 cloves garlic
1 tablespoon red onion, diced
1 lemon, juiced
1 tablespoon fresh dill (or mint, depending on your preference)
¼ cup sour cream, Greek yogurt or Siggi’s skry yogurt (leave out for dairy free option)
sea salt and pepper, to taste

Spinach Salad

Spinach
1 cubed avocado
½ cup of toasted pine nuts
Olive oil
Garlic salt to taste

INSTRUCTIONS:

Meatballs

1. Combine all the meatball ingredients together in a bowl and mix around. You don’t have to use the egg, but I think it helps bind everything a little better.
2. NOTE: I think the key to getting more consistent flavors is refrigerating your meat mix for at least 30 min to over night. The flavors combine and the meat is easier to mold.
3. Pre-heat the oven at 350 degrees
4. After resting, form the meat into your balls. Hehe. Approximately 1-1/2 to 2 inch, but that’s up to you. The bigger the balls, the longer they need to bake.
5. Place on a baking pan and bake for 25 minutes.
6. NOTE: I like to use tin foil instead of right on the pan. Also, I turn the balls over once half way through the cook cycle.

Avocado Tzatziki Sauce

1. Combine all avocado tzatziki sauce ingredients together in a food processor or blender.
2. I use Siggi’s skry Icelandic yogurt as it has a more of a sour cream taste but far better for you.
3. Blend that shit until smooth and creamy.
4. Taste, add S&P if needed.
5. Put in a bowl, give it a few good stirs and put into the fridge to chill.

Spinach Salad

1. Toast your pine nuts in a dry non-stick until they just start to get brown.
2. It’s the best time of year for fresh, locally grown spinach, so try and find some. It’s worth your time and dollars.
3. Toss in a bowl with chunks of avocado and some Olive Oil, dont over do it, about a tablespoon or two.
4. Season with a little garlic salt and stir together.
5. Optional: Mix in some of the Avocado Tzatziki Sauce for an extra kick.

*Apparently, Pine Nuts are kick-in-the-nuts expensive but the crunch adds a lot of value to the salad. Sub any other kind of nut if you don’t want to spend $34.99 a lbs.

Plate as you see fit and watch your guests give you that “OK, I see you fam” look.

Meatball and Tzatziki recipe originally published by the very talented Kelly, from Primally Inspired.
Avocado salad recipe from the beautiful Linsday Sims, she’s our friend.