Paleo Swedish Meatballs

This Alton Brown Swedish Meatball recipe is an oldie, but a goodie! I got it from my friend Jen and before Lucas and I started our Paleo journey and I made it several times. Over the years I have gotten quite good at modifying recipes to make them paleo friendly and gluten-free. It can sometimes be a bit of a challenge learning how the various gluten-free flours work as some absorb more than others which will make a difference depending on objective.I've also come to realize that I am not a fan of coconut milk and therefore tend to be more primal than paleo as I'll still use butter and heavy cream from time to time. For the most part we try to avoid dairy as our stomachs (and my skin) are not fans of it. Through our 7 year paleo journey we have stopped adhering to a label and eat more for how we feel and perform.Paleo Swedish Meatballs

• • 1/4 cup almond milk
  • 3 tablespoons butter, divided
  • 1/2 cup finely chopped onion
  • 2 tsp sea salt
  • 2 pound ground beef
  • 1 pound ground pork
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
  • 1/4 cup almond flour
  • 3 cups beef broth
  • 1/4 cup heavy cream
  • 2-3 tablespoons of arrowroot powder

Preheat oven to 200 degrees F.In a skillet set on medium-low heat, melt 1 tablespoon of the butter. Add the onion and cook until the onions are soft. Remove from the heat and set aside.Mix 1/2 cup of the beef stock with 3 tablespoons of arrowroot powder.In a large bowl add ground beef, pork, almond milk, almond flour, eggs, sea salt, black pepper, allspice, nutmeg, and onions. Mix well.Form into 1.5 in meatballs and set on a plate.Heat 2 tablespoons over medium-low heat. Add the meatballs and saute until golden brown on all sides, about 7 to 10 minutes. Remove the meatballs to an ovenproof dish using a slotted spoon and place in the warmed oven.Once all of the meatballs are cooked, add the beef stock to the pan or skillet. Whisk to remove the browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Once the beef stock is heated through add the heavy cream and then slowly add the beef stock with the arrowroot. Add slowly and stir as you don't want to add too much and create a thick mess. I added a small sprinkle of garlic powerThe difference when thickening with arrowroot is that it is best added at the end of cooking as cooking for too long will cause it to break down and lose it's ability to thicken. Remove the meatballs from the oven and add them to the pan.

I paired this with the gluten-free Egg Fettuccine Noodles from Trader Joe's and it was a hit with the whole family!