Easy As Pie (Or, Meatballs!)

I am all about making food that:

  • Doesn’t take too much time
  • Doesn’t take too much energy (a girl with Crohn’s only has so many spoons!)
  • Generally uses ingredients I have on hand or can easily obtain (for not to much $$)
  • Can be made in batches and frozen

Whether you have Crohn’s disease or another chronic illness or not, who doesn’t want to enjoy healthy, tasty food made as efficiently as possible? And cost-efficient?

That’s why I love meatballs.

They are the perfect combination of protein (organic and grass-fed when possible) and you can up the nutrient density by adding herbs, spices, and veggies!

 

Cayenne Chicken Meatballs: Gluten Free, Dairy Free, Paleo, Whole30

 

Cayenne: An Anti-Inflammatory Powerhouse

Featuring ground cayenne pepper, they add a healthy dose of anti-inflammatory properties.

The spiciness and anti-inflammatory abilities of this herb are due to a substance called capsaicin. This ingredient is in many topical creams today to reduce pain!

There is a common misbelieve that spicy foods are always bad for digestive issues. While that may be the case for some, it is not true for all. I, for example, do not experience any negative side effects from spicy foods. I enjoy foods that have mild spice, so it’s a double advantage because of the inflammation fighting nature of them.

However, if you do not tolerate nightshades, cayenne, being a form of pepper, is not for you. It is part of the nightshade family and should be avoided or tested out with caution.

 

Batch, Batch, Batch!

Batch cooking and meal prep is going to be life saver for all of us real food foodies. Just double this recipe and you’ve got an emergency stash of fuel for snacks, lunches, and for those days when the sun is setting and you realize you don’t have a game plan for dinner.

Because we have all been there. And it is never a good situation when you are debating on eating a bag of plantain chips or some pizza take-out.

A little prep work will go along way and you WILL thank yourself!

 

Chicken Meatballs: Gluten Free, Dairy Free, Paleo, Whole30

 

Chives

Also starring in this recipe, is the fragrant herb, chives. Talk about health benefits, this green herb in the garlic/onion/leek family is full of them!

Chives contain high amounts of Vitamins A ad C, and also contain zinc, magnesium, Vitamin K, manganese, copper, iron, antioxidants, and more!

Oh, and they are antimicrobial, antiviral, antibacterial, and antifungal.

PHEW, I’m out of breath just typing all of that.

 

How are you going to enjoy these delicious paleo Cayenne Chicken Meatballs?

 

Cayenne Chicken Meatballs: Gluten Free, Dairy Free, Paleo, Whole30

 

 

Related: Paleo Asian-Inspired MeatballsEasy Paleo Italian Meatballs

 

Print

Cayenne Chicken Meatballs

MAKES 16 MEATBALLS

  • Author: Alexa

Ingredients

Scale

1 lb. ground chicken

1 egg

1 tsp sea salt

1/2 tsp cayenne powder

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1 1/2 tsp chopped chives

1 1/2 tsp olive oil

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F and lightly grease a baking sheet.
  2. In a large bowl, add all of the ingredients and mix until everything is well combined.
  3. Fill the baking sheet to make 16 meatballs (about slightly smaller than a golf ball).
  4. Bake for 25 minutes.