Crockpot meatballs with fall veggies.

I don't know about you, but I love fall veggies. Almost as much as I love cold weather and hoodies. And ragweed dying.

The veggies in the fall are tasty as well as nutritious.  They are packed with vitamins, and come in a variety of vibrant colors.  I feel like every year I discover a veggie I never heard of before, and I fall in love all over again. Last year I found watermelon radishes which are amazing. This year.... Purple sweet potatoes stole my heart.  I love purple carrots, so I figured, why not? I wasn't wrong :)

Today I decided to make meatballs and sauce, but to put a fall spin on them.  I have some purple carrots from my South Shore Organics delivery, as well as purple sweet potatoes that I bought in their store (if you don't get delivery from them you need to stop reading and set it up, if you're in this area. You will not be disappointed!!). I also had pumpkins that I roasted and pureed.  So exciting!









First, I cut up the raw veggies and put them in the food processor with the egg and pureed pumpkin.







Then added this to the grains and rolled into balls.



After they came out, I knew I was onto something :)














Then I put them in my homemade sauce that was in the crockpot already. I put a fall spin on that too with the extra pumpkin I had left.





I can't wait until dinner time tonight.  I plan to serve this over spaghetti squash for Daddy, D and me. Anth might want them without sauce and with sweet potatoes on the side. So I put some aside for him. We'll see how that goes!




Meatballs:

1 lb ground bison/buffalo/venison/extra lean beef
1 lb ground turkey
1 cup whole oats
1/2 cup cooked quinoa
1/4 cup cooked brown rice
1 medium purple sweet potato
1 large purple carrot
1/2 cup pureed roasted pumpkin
2 cloves garlic
1 farm fresh egg
1 tablespoon dried basil
1 tablespoon dried thyme
1/2 tsp sea salt



Preheat oven to 400.
Combine meats and grains in a metal bowl. Set aside
Place veggies and egg in food processor. Process until finely ground and combined.
Add to meat mixture.
Combine by hand (with gloves if desired) until fully combined.
Roll into small balls and place on broiler drip pan.
Cook for 15 minutes or until cooked through.
Add to sauce in crockpot. (See below)





Sauce:

1 small can tomato paste
1 cup pureed pumpkin
1 cup water
2 large cans crushed or kitchen ready tomatoes
2 large cloves garlic
Salt, pepper and basil to taste

Combine paste, pumpkin and water in crockpot and wisk together.
Add crushed tomatoes and spices.
Cook on high for 1 hour prior to adding meatballs.
Once meatballs are added, turn to low for 4 hours.

Serve over pasta or spaghetti squash.