The holidays are upon us. I still can’t believe it is Christmas week and that 2016 is just a few short days away. Every Christmas Eve my family eats an assortment of appetizers before we open presents. Yes we open presents on Christmas Eve instead of Christmas, and I love it no matter how old I am! This year I am thinking about switching up our traditional Christmas Eve food line up and adding in these Maple Pork Meatballs. These Maple Pork Meatballs are slightly sweet, tangy and the perfect bite. For Christmas Eve, I also love crafting the perfect charcuterie plate complete with raw cheese, locally cured meats and pickled vegetables. Now if only I could convince myself to attempt to make my own chicken liver mousse then it would be a complete charcuterie board.
I just got back from a short trip to Phoenix this past weekend. I’ve only ever driven through Arizona, and it was fun to actually visit! It was nice to get out of Oklahoma for a couple of days before all the holiday madness descends upon us. I thought I had most of my holiday shopping done before I left, but ended up forgetting to purchase a major ingredient for my homemade presents. Opps. Thankfully I can buy everything I need locally, but I am really pushing it down to the wire. I always intend to get my shopping done early, but my search for the perfect present always ends with me rushing to finish my list.
Guess what?! I am so close to hitting 10K Instagram followers, and I’m thinking about hosting a little (BIG) giveaway when I hit that number! If you don’t follow along already, be sure to check it out here. I post my new recipes along with other food I eat when I’m not eating leftovers for days.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup sweet onion, shredded
- 1/2 cup shredded granny smith apple
- 2 tbls maple syrup
- 1 tbls fresh ginger, minced
- 1 tbls coconut flour
- 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 1 lb ground pork
- 1/2 cup pineapple juice
- 2 tbls tomato paste
- 2 tbls maple syrup
- 1 tbls fresh ginger, minced
Directions
- Heat oven to 400 degrees.
- In a medium skillet over medium heat, sauté onion 5-7 minutes until translucent.
- Next add in apple and ginger. Cook for another minute then remove from heat.
- In a large bowl, mix together maple syrup, coconut flour, and seasoning until smooth with no clumps.
- Use your hands to combine liquid with the ground pork.
- Once apple and onion mixture has cooled a little, gently mix in with the ground pork.
- Use a tablespoon cookie scoop to form uniform meatballs and place onto a lined baking sheet.
- Place in oven and cook for 17-20 minutes.
- While meatballs are cooking, combine all glaze ingredients in a small sauce pot. Bring to a simmer and cook for 5-7 minutes until sauce reduces.
- Once meatballs are done cooking, toss with sauce and serve.
Enjoy!
x Vanessa
These were delicious! I made these this evening and they were a hit with my husband! I didn’t change anything and they were so flavorful. I think they were a bit strong in the flavor department for my toddler daughter, but for us adults, they were great! I plan on making these on a regular basis and maybe bring them to a party as an appetizer. It’s my first recipe that I’ve tried from your website, so I am looking forward to browsing through your other recipes!
Aww thanks so much Ginger!!
I made these tonight, and they were good! I was a bit worried as I’m not a huge fan of ginger, but the ginger wasn’t as strong as I feared. I will be making these again.
Awesome! Thanks Kristen!!