Slow cooker turkey meatballs

High in protein, this lean meat contains the amino acid tryptophan, which increases the production of the sleep-regulating hormone melatonin. So, this recipe is not only great for new parents, but toddlers too, and it’s a great one to batch cook as it freezes so well.

Serves: 4 | Suitable for new parent and from 12 months | Allergens: oats | Not suitable for freezing | Preparation: 30 minutes | Cooking: 5 hours

Ingredients

  • 1 Piccolo chicken stock cube, crumbled
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 onion, peeled and finely chopped
  • 2 carrots, finely diced
  • 1 celery stick, finely diced
  • 2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
  • 600g tomato passata
  • 1 tsp dried mixed herbs
  • Pinch paprika
  • 1 tsp honey or redcurrant jelly
  • For the meatballs
  • 400g lean minced turkey
  • 4 tbsp porridge oats
  • Pinch paprika
  • 1 garlic clove, peeled and crushed
  • Salt and pepper to season
  • Make this baby friendly: remove the salt from the recipe and use redcurrant jelly rather than honey to make this suitable from 6 months

Method

  • Heat the oil in a non-stick frying pan and add the onion, carrots, celery and garlic and fry gently for a minute. Pour in the passata, herbs and the crumbled stock cube and stir, then transfer the lot to the slow cooker.
  • To make the meatballs, tip the mince into a large bowl. Add the oats, paprika, garlic and plenty of black pepper, and mix everything together with your hands. Divide the mixture into 20 lumps about the size of a walnut and roll each piece into a meatball. Spray or run a non-stick pan with a little oil and fry on a medium heat until browned all over, remove as cooked and add to the slow cooker.
  • Cook on low for 5 hours. Serve over rice or pasta if you like, or with a green salad.