Thursday, September 05, 2013

life update with sweet & spicy meatballs

Hello there! Long time no see! Life has been crazy, busy and exciting in the Curtsinger household lately which has forced me to put blogging on the back burner. I am so glad that things are kind of settling down now so that I can get back to sharing regularly. I have had the recipe I'm sharing tonight for weeks now & I'm so glad to finally post about it.

What has consumed my life the most lately is that I have been studying to take my exam to become a Registered Dietitian. I couldn't even tell you how many hours were spent reading, re-reading, writing, and re-writing, my notes over everything I learned in college. The prayers that were spoken over said notes were countless as well. I am so unbelievably thankful to finally say that I am a Registered Dietitian! I passed my test yesterday and I have never felt more relieved! I posted last night on Facebook that I felt like Satan was trying to defeat me yesterday. I really did feel attacked through the scheduling issues, technical difficulties, and overall disruptive testing experience, but in the midst of it all, I felt God's peace that passes understanding. I knew that He was right there with me and my source of strength. I felt the prayers of many loved ones being said on my behalf. When the woman told me that I had passed, tears of joy, relief, and thanksgiving made their way down my cheeks. "Thank you Lord" were the first words out of my mouth and then she hugged me and apologized for all the issues. I think she knew I just needed a hug. I have to give God ALL the glory. Without His peace, love, grace, and strength, I don't know how I would have even endured that situation-- & I don't want to know!

I also have had the best support from my family, friends, and husband. I have had so many words of  encouragement and reminders of Truth from loved ones. Dustin took over the cleaning, cooking, and laundry the last couple of weeks which was a HUGE blessing. My man can cook-- salmon, chicken, omelets, you name it! His willingness to let me do nothing but study as often as I could while he worked AND took care of the chores was absolutely amazing. Y'all know I love to cook and clean so it was not easy to see dishes that needed to be done, or even just fight that urge to experiment in the kitchen. I think Dustin and I are both happy that I can resume my role as the homemaker!

So about this recipe… I love it. (Of course I do, why else would I share it?) I have made it three times now. Twice before I really started studying and then again tonight. We tend to lean towards foods that are sweet and savory. This recipe is the perfect combination. I think the best way to describe the flavor is like the inside of an Asian Dumpling. We love dumplings. Again, like the other recipes I posted, I tweaked one I found to make it my own. The original recipe is from paleomg. Definitely check out the original!



Sweet & Spicy Meatballs

2 yellow onions, diced & sautéed 
1 lb ground beef
1 egg, whisked
1/2 cup flour
1 (8 oz) can diced pineapple, drained
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon siracha
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon ginger
1/2 teaspoon coriander
1/2 teaspoon cumin
salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 350*. Place sautéed onions in the bottom of a casserole dish. Combine all the ingredients except for the beef in a bowl. Mix well and then add the ground beef. Form into meatballs-- whatever size you want. Brown the meatballs in the same skillet or pan used to sauté the onions. Once the meatballs are brown on all sides, place them in the baking dish on top of the onions. Bake for about 30 minutes or until the meat is cooked through. Enjoy! 

*Notes: The original recipe calls for using a crockpot, which I will probably try sometime. I just wanted to make them in less time-- aka I'm impatient. I use less pineapple because I want just a little sweet and more heat. You can use whatever flour or meal that you have-- AP, GF, almond meal, etc. It just helps as a binding the ingredients together. The first time I made this, I left out the coriander and mustard seed that is in the original recipe and loved it. The next two times I used coriander and still loved it! Also, the meat mixture has been pretty wet each time I've made them so they almost turn into patties more than meatballs. Either way they are delicious. I served them on top of sautéed squash and zucchini with carrots. Add this recipe to your menu plan in the next week! I don't think you'll regret it! 

I'm thankful for more time to post again. I was limiting my time on the computer or my phone because of studying but it is nice to feel connected. Like I've mentioned before, I try to "follow" or "like" people or groups on social media who share encouraging truths. It is amazing how much light such posts can bring to your day and influence you to do the same! Thank you to the ones who have brightened mine so many times! 

Have a blessed day! 

2 comments:

  1. 1. It's time for you to add "Registered Dietician" to your bio on the right side of the page. 2. What the heck do I cook for a registered dietician when she comes to my house?! Oh, the pressure!! :)

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    1. 1. Brittany you are so right! :)
      2. NO pressure! I love ALL food! :)

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