Sweet-N-Sour Turkey Meatballs with Rice

Here it is, y’all: my absolute favorite low-FODMAP dinner recipe thus far.

Sweet-n-Sour turkey meatballs with rice.

And this may sound crazy, but I’m also pretty attached to it for sentimental reasons.

See, a variation of this recipe was the first low-FODMAP meal we made after my diagnosis. I was starving and scared and upset and exhausted when this little beauty made its grand appearance on my plate. Erin I were positively shocked at first bite, because this low-FODMAP take on one of our go-to Chinese dishes is absolutely delicious. Seriously. Even if you aren’t on a restricted diet, you need to try this one. You’ll thank me later!

It’ll only take you about 30 minutes total to make this dinner, and you can simply double the recipe accordingly if you need more than four servings. I would recommend cooking the meal in the order listed below for easiest prep and smoothest cooking.

Utensils/appliances you’ll need for this meal:

• One medium nonstick baking sheet
• Two mixing bowls
• A small sauce pan
• A whisk
• These measuring cups
• Measuring spoons
• An oven!

Turkey Meatballs

Ingredients you’ll need:

• One pound of lean ground turkey
• 1/2 cup of gluten-free bread crumbs (We buy the Kroger brand Traditional gluten-free bread crumbs, because they don’t have onion or garlic mixed in them. Be sure to check the ingredients for any you choose!)
• 4 teaspoons of dried cilantro
• 1 egg
• 2 tablespoons of ginger paste
• 1 teaspoon of salt
• 1/2 teaspoon of ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons of garlic oil

Directions:

• Before beginning your meal prep, preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
• Combine all of the ingredients in one of the mixing bowls. Form the turkey mixture into approximately 30 one-inch meatballs and place on the nonstick baking sheet. (Be sure to use cooking spray if your baking sheet is not nonstick!)
• Put the meatballs in the oven for 18-20 minutes.

Brown Rice

After your meatballs are in the oven, get to work on the rice.

Ingredients you’ll need:

• Two cups of gluten-free brown rice (We use the Minute brand.)
• Two cups of water

Directions:

• Put your brown rice and water in the second mixing bowl, cover the bowl with a paper towel, and cook in the microwave for 11 minutes. Let stand for two-three minutes and then sift with a fork.

Sweet-n-Sour Sauce

After your rice is cooking, the final step is to make the sweet-n-sour sauce.

Ingredients you’ll need:

• 1/2 cup of organic pineapple juice (Make sure the juice you buy doesn’t have additional ingredients.)
• 1/3 cup gluten-free rice vinegar
• 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1/4 cup tomato sauce (Again, check the ingredients on your tomato sauce…some will have garlic or onion added.)
• 1 tablespoon gluten-free soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch

Directions:

• Whisk together all ingredients in the small saucepan over medium-high heat for about five minutes, until the sauce thickens.

Once all of the items are done cooking, simply spread a layer of rice across your dinner plate and top it with the meatballs and sauce! Easy as that, and your taste buds will surely thank you.

This recipe makes enough for Erin and me to have a full plate each for two nights in a row. Aside from how good it tastes, I love that this meal comes with enough leftovers for dinner a second night! Win, win, and win again!

**Like what you’ve read so far? Follow and share IBS Takes Guts for more recipes and tips for living well on the low-FODMAP diet!**