Easy-Bake Meatballs 
Protein, vitamins A and K, and B vitamins foster your baby’s cell, brain, nervous system, and bone development.
MAKES 24 MEATBALLS; ABOUT 8 SERVINGS
IF you’re a meatball fan, you just gotta try these amazing baked balls! Freeze some for busy nights when you’re exhausted and can’t face the kitchen. Pinched for time? Frozen spinach, thawed and drained, can be substituted for the fresh; skip sautéing it in Step 2. If you don’t have small muffin pans, roll the meatballs by hand and cook them in a skillet, or in tomato sauce. The meatballs can be refrigerated for three days or frozen for one month. To really rock these meatballs, see “How to Check the Flavor of Your Meat Loaf, Burgers, or Meatballs” here.
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 cups fresh baby spinach (1 [6-ounce] bag)
8 ounces ground lean pork
8 ounces ground lean beef
½ cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons dried oregano or Italian seasoning
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
½ cup bread crumbs or panko
¼ cup ground flaxseeds (optional)
Cooking spray
• Heat the olive oil in a large skillet and sauté the spinach until just wilted. Remove from the heat.
• In a large mixing bowl, combine the pork, beef, Parmesan, eggs, oregano, garlic powder, salt, red pepper flakes, bread crumbs, and flaxseeds, if using, and the spinach. Using your hands, mix all the ingredients until well incorporated and refrigerate if not using immediately.
• When ready to cook, place a baking pan or piece of aluminum on the middle oven rack to catch any juices that run off. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Spray a twenty-four-well mini muffin pan with cooking spray, or if you have a smaller mini muffin pan, bake in batches.
• Using a heaping tablespoon or a mini ice-cream scooper, portion out the meatball mixture on a large plate (it’s okay to stack the portions). Using your hands, shape the meatballs into rounds, and place one ball in each prepared muffin well. The meat should rise above the rim of the cup like a fully baked crowned muffin.
• Bake for 20 minutes, or until golden and cooked through. Remove from the oven and serve on top of pasta with your favorite sauce.
3 meatballs: Calories: 170 cals; Protein: 17 g; Carbohydrates: 7 g; Fat: 8 g; Fiber: 2 g; Sodium: 495 mg; Vitamin A: 1,120 IU; Vitamin K: 53 mcg; B6: 0.4 mg; B12: 1 mcg; Niacin: 7 mg; Riboflavin: 0.3 mg; Thiamine: 0.3 mg; Selenium: 23 mcg; Zinc: 3 mg; ½ CARB