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Paleo Sweet and Sour Meatballs

Just wanted you give ya a heads up that your newest, most favorite dinner is sponsored by my friends over at Better Body Foods!

These easy paleo sweet and sour meatballs are a healthy remake of a classic recipe that is gluten free and whole30 complaint! They’re a weeknight meal that everyone will love!

Whole30 Sweet and Sour Meatballs - These easy paleo meatballs are a healthy remake of a classic recipe that is gluten free and whole30 complaint! They're a weeknight meal that everyone will love! | Foodfaithfitness.com | @FoodFaithFit

Well my friends.  Christmas has come and gone.

How was it? Are you still in a Christmas cookie coma?

I am not ashamed to say that I took FULL advantage of the day where it is socially acceptable to pretend cookies are a food group. I got my fix in the form of eggnog snickerdoodle baked French toast casseroles, snickerdoodle martinis, my favorite healthy ginger snap recipe and, of course, some pistachio whipped shortbread cookies.

So aforementioned “cookie coma?” A VRY VRY real thing that is happening in my usually-eats-all-the-healthy-food person life right now.

Craving nutritiously yummy things to fill up my belly at this point in my existence.

Whole30 Sweet and Sour Meatballs - These easy paleo meatballs are a healthy remake of a classic recipe that is gluten free and whole30 complaint! They're a weeknight meal that everyone will love! | Foodfaithfitness.com | @FoodFaithFit

BUT, are you one of those people that can’t go from makin’ it RAIN spiced paleo cookies with almond butter –> munching on a kale salad recipe the VERY next day, and actually enjoy it?

Me too.  It’s like my stomach says “NO WAY. You cannot just fill me with sugary magic and then – BAM – RABBIT FOOD, over the short time that is only 24 hours. Slow down on the green-mood mmm’kay?”

Don’t look at me like that. I know your hungry belly does the very same thing.

Whole30 Sweet and Sour Meatballs - These easy paleo meatballs are a healthy remake of a classic recipe that is gluten free and whole30 complaint! They're a weeknight meal that everyone will love! | Foodfaithfitness.com | @FoodFaithFit

Which is where these WHOLE30 (starting before JANUARY 1st because #AllWeDoIsWin) sweet and sour meatballs are being total BALLERS (you knew it was coming) and saving your overnight-healthy-food-that-doesn’t-taste-healthy dinner dreams.

Fun fact about me: these very meatballs were my favorite food growing up. Mama FFF made them on the reg’, and I can still practically smell the scent of juicy meat swimming in thick, sticky-sweet and perfectly spicy sauce wafting through the house.

#Whole30 Sweet & Sour Meatballs are the ultimate, healthy weeknight dinner win! @BetterBodyFoodsClick To Tweet

Hang on. Just gonna go to my happy place for a sec.

Aaaaand, we’re back.

Unfortunately, happy place vacation ended when my now-have-to-make-my-own-dinners self asked her to email me the recipe.

Whole30 Sweet and Sour Meatballs - These easy paleo meatballs are a healthy remake of a classic recipe that is gluten free and whole30 complaint! They're a weeknight meal that everyone will love! | Foodfaithfitness.com | @FoodFaithFit

Sometimes you just shouldn’t know what you’re eating to make it taste so insanely yummy you know? I thought my days of rolling around thick, spicy-sweet meatballs heaven were OVER.

Until Better Body Foods created this AMAZING coconut vinegar (see below for where to find it!) IMMEDIATELY I knew where it had to go. I knew what I had to do.

I had to make you my food-bliss meal, but in a healthy-good-for-you way, so that you could experience the magically-tingly-sensation of the most perfect meatball that ever happened to this Earth.

The tangy, sour flavor of the vinegar combined with the natural sweetness of grape juice, warm kick of tabasco and the slow-simmered stickiness of the dates is mish-mashing together in a way that is going to make you want to press rep-EAT on this super quick and easy dinner.

Whole30 Sweet and Sour Meatballs - These easy paleo meatballs are a healthy remake of a classic recipe that is gluten free and whole30 complaint! They're a weeknight meal that everyone will love! | Foodfaithfitness.com | @FoodFaithFit

And you’re never going to believe that this insanely-comfort-food-tasting-yumminess is packing a WHOLE lotta real food goodness.  No grape jelly, ketchup or other refined sugar nastiness swimming in this pot of thick, saucy-sweet dinner deliciousness.

Just like the Moroccan Roasted Acorn Squash Soup, dates are the super-secret ingredient to giving the meatballs the sticky-sauce hug that is SO key to the creation of the perfect meatball.  It’s the sort of sauce that you want to make double of…just so you can drink it when no one is around to judge you.

Not that I know anything about that. Just guessing.

And, it’s the kind of dinner that allows you to go from cookies –> clean eating OVERNIGHT.

Whole30 Sweet and Sour Meatballs - These easy paleo meatballs are a healthy remake of a classic recipe that is gluten free and whole30 complaint! They're a weeknight meal that everyone will love! | Foodfaithfitness.com | @FoodFaithFit

No awkward conversations with your belly required.

4.5 from 2 votes
Print

Paleo Sweet and Sour Meatballs

Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings 4 People
Calories 296 kcal

Ingredients

For the meatballs:

  • 1 lb Lean ground beef (I used 93% lean)
  • 1 Egg
  • 1/4 Cup Green onion, minced + extra for garnish
  • 1/2 tsp Sea salt
  • 1/4 tsp Pepper
  • 4 tsp Coconut flour

For the sauce:

  • 3/4 Cup 100% grape juice
  • 1/2 Cup Canned tomato sauce
  • 1/4 Cup Medjool dates (very lightly packed - 42g)
  • 2 Tbsp Better Body Foods Coconut Vinegar
  • 1/2 Tbsp Tomato paste
  • 1 tsp Garlic minced
  • 1/2 tsp Dry mustard
  • 1/2 A small onion roughly chopped
  • 1/4 tsp Sea salt
  • 1/4 tsp Tabasco sauce
  • 1/8 tsp Pepper
  • Pinch Ground allspice
  • Cauliflower rice, or white rice, for serving (not included in nutrition info)

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.

  1. In a large bowl, mix together the beef, egg, green onion, salt and pepper using your hands. Once mixed, add in the coconut flour and mix again until evenly dispersed.

  2. Roll into 1-1/2 inch balls and place onto a cookie sheet (it should make about 20 balls.) Bake until no longer pink inside, about 16-18 minutes. Make sure you don't over-bake, so the meat doesn't get tough.

  3. While the meatballs cook, stir togehter ALL of the sauce ingredients in a medium pot and bring to a boil on high heat. Once boiling, cook for 1.5 minutes, stirring frequently.

  4. Once the sauce has boiled for 1.5 minutes, turn the heat down to medium and simmer until the sauce begins to thicken and reduce, about 8-9 minutes, stirring frequently

  5. Once reduced, pour the sauce into a high powered blender and blend until smooth. Transfer to a large bowl and cover to keep warm.

  6. Once the meatballs are done, add them into the sauce and stir until well coated.

  7. Serve over side of choice, garnish with extra green onion and DEVOUR

THIS POST IS SPONSORED BY MY FRIENDS AT BETTER BODY FOODS. THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO CONTINUE CREATING GREAT CONTENT FOR YOU BY SUPPORTING PARTNERSHIPS WITH SUPER-FAB BRANDS THAT FOOD FAITH FITNESS LOVES TO WORK WITH! AS ALWAYS, OPINIONS REMAIN 100% MY OWN!

Stay in touch with Better Body Foods on social media for more healthy ideas! Facebook /Twitter/Pinterest/Instagram

You’re going to need Better Body Foods Coconut Vinegar to make this recipe, so here’s where to find it:

On the Better Body Foods website, and you can use the coupon code 1offBBFcv to get $1 off!

It’s also available at Walmart.  You get a $1 rebate when your purchase the Coconut Vinegar at Walmart via the Ibotta app!

Nutrition Facts
Paleo Sweet and Sour Meatballs
Amount Per Serving
Calories 296 Calories from Fat 77
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 8.6g 13%
Saturated Fat 3.6g 18%
Trans Fat 0g
Polyunsaturated Fat 0.3g
Monounsaturated Fat 0.5g
Cholesterol 111.5mg 37%
Sodium 268.8mg 11%
Potassium 299.8mg 9%
Total Carbohydrates 23.5g 8%
Dietary Fiber 3.3g 13%
Sugars 15.3g
Protein 27.4g 55%
Vitamin A 9%
Vitamin C 58.5%
Calcium 4.5%
Iron 18.5%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Weight Watchers Points Per Serving: SmartPoints: 8 Points+: 7. Old Points: 6

(per serving)

IF YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE, PLEASE REMEMBER TO TAG @FOODFAITHFIT AND #FOODFAITHFITNESS ON INSTAGRAM! I LOVE SEEING YOUR RECIPE RECREATIONS! :)

Whole30 Sweet and Sour Meatballs - These easy paleo meatballs are a healthy remake of a classic recipe that is gluten free and whole30 complaint! They're a weeknight meal that everyone will love! | Foodfaithfitness.com | @FoodFaithFit

STAY IN DA KNOW ABOUT BEHIND-THE-SCENES INFO GOING ON AT FFF BY KEEPING IN TOUCH ON TWITTER,FACEBOOK AND PINTEREST!

This post may contain affiliate links, but I only recommend products that I actually use and <3. Thanks for supporting FFF! 

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. I’m normally not a huge meatball fan but daaaang these sound incredible! That sauce though – made with grape juice? I love that idea! And I’ve never heard of coconut vinegar before but now I totally HAVE to find it!

    Reply

  4. This looks awesome! I love the idea of using juice… I have some oj on hand.. may have to experiment 😀 We’ve been doing a lot of weeknight casseroles… so this will be a welcome change!

    Reply

  13. I totally agree that I can’t usually go from lots of cookies to salad; something like soup or a dish like this makes the transition a bit easier on my digestive system… 🙂 And of course I still eat cookies.

    Reply

  21. I made this last week and they were great! Big hit with the family. I didn’t have coconut vinegar so I used a 1/3 apple cider, 1/3 rice wine vinegar, 1/3 Madeira (because I didn’t have sherry either). So, the grape juice flavor was very pronounced. Would the coconut vinegar countered that flavor? The meatballs were still delicious and I’ll be making them again soon. Thank you!

    Reply

  22. These made quite a tasty dinner last night. I modified just a little (water/honey instead of grape juice & medjool dates), and I served them with green beans, roasted red potatoes and cauliflower rolls. Thanks for sharing your delicious recipe!

    Reply

  24. Hi! Do you have a suggestion on an egg substitute for this recipe? Do I need the binder? Three of the five people in my family have egg allergies and I am building a new recipe binder with family friendly meals. I’d love to have a meatball in the mix. Could I just eliminate it altogether? Thanks for the help!

    Reply

    • You DEFINITELY need a binder and, with coconut flour, eggs are pretty key. I really can’t tell you a sub as recipes are not tested any other way than as written – I am sorry! Definitely can’t eliminate it all together!

      Reply

    • Grapes and date juice are whole30 compliant 🙂 I don’t think there are any subs, and I wouldn’t be able to tell you as recipes are only tested as written. Sorry!

      Reply

  27. Hi Taylor, the recipe sounds amazing and I am going to try it tonight – I am just not a big coconut flour fan, can I sibstitute it with almond flour?

    Reply

    • Coconut flour and almond flour are VERY different, so unfortunately you can’t I’m sorry! These really don’t taste like coconut flour though! You may be able to use almond flour, but not the same amount and I can’t really advise how much as recipes are only tested as written. Let me know if you try!

      Reply

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