Meatballs with Liver

Who needs bread crumbs to make meatballs? Not me! Liver is very nutrient dense, but not everyone loves it all on it’s own, so most people don’t eat it. Liver is probably the BEST source of bioavailable iron and vitamin A, and since iron deficiency is one of the top nutrient deficiencies world wide, we need more liver (and organ meats) in our lives. These super nutrient packed, keto friendly, low carb, and gluten free meatballs are sure to please the taste buds and deliver a wallop of nutrition at the same time. Coconut flour is the secret binding weapon to keep these meaty morsels from falling apart. Can be made dairy free by using nutritional yeast instead of cheese.

Serve with a spicy red sauce, a side of cauliflower mash and a big ol’ salad.

Ingredients

1/4 pound beef liver, frozen
1 -2 tablespoons bacon grease
1 small onion, minced
1 cup finely chopped mushrooms
2 large eggs
2 pounds grass-fed ground beef
1/4 cup tomato paste
1/2 cup shredded pecorino romano cheese
1/4 cup coconut flour
1 teaspoon salt

Directions

1. Remove liver from freezer and thaw for a few minutes, just to the point where it is easy to grate it by hand. Set aside in large bowl that will be used to mix the ground beef.
2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
3. Heat a large skillet over medium heat and then add the bacon grease. Stir in the onion and mushrooms and saute until lightly browned, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool
4. In the large bowl that contains the liver, combine the eggs, ground beef, tomato paste, cheese, coconut flour and salt. Add onions and mushrooms when cool. Blend together with your hands until well mixed. Shape into 2 – inch balls and place on baking sheets lined with parchment paper.
5. Bake at 400 degrees F for about 20 – 25 minutes, until cooked through (thermometer inserted should read 155 degrees F).
6. Serve. May be cooled and refrigerated for several days, or frozen for later use.

Prep Time: 45 minutes

Yield: 24 meatballs. 3 – 4 meatballs makes a main meal or use individually as snacks or party appetizers.

Nutrition Info (per meatball)

Macros: 124 calories, 2 g carbs, 0.6 g fiber, 8 g fat, 11 g protein

Vitamins and Minerals (DV): B12 70%, riboflavin 15%, niacin 14%, B6 10%, vitamin A 32%, copper 37%, iron 7%, selenium 13%, zinc 14%

Iron – Why You Are Probably Deficient

Did you know that iron deficiency is the most common nutrient deficiency in the US (and the world)? One of my students recently asked me how this could be so, since “Americans eat tons of red meat”. Let’s look at what factors contribute to making iron deficiency so prevalent (and clear up a myth or two in the process).

Who’s At Risk?

If you can say YES to ANY of the following, you are at risk of being iron deficient:

• Are you a pre-menopausal woman?
• Do you regularly use antacids or acid blockers?
• Do you engage in regular, intense exercise (like cross-fit, marathons, half-marathons or triathlons)?
• Are you a vegetarian or vegan?
• Do you eat a diet high in nuts, seeds, grains and legumes, especially soybeans, that are not soaked and/or sprouted?
• Are you an infant, child, teen or pregnant woman?
• Do you have celiac disease (or other malabsorption issues, like IBS)?
• Have you had gastric bypass surgery?
• Do you avoid eating organ meats, like liver, kidney, heart, spleen, giblets?