Zoodles with Indian Spiced Lamb Meatballs, Fennel Frond Pesto, and Turmeric Curry Coconut Yogurt Sauce

This (delicious) meal was inspired by two questions I found myself wondering this past week. One, what exactly makes a pesto a “pesto”. Is it the basil? Is it just a leaf blended with some type of nut and an oil? Is it simply something green that is a spreadable sauce? Two, why the heck is half of the fennel I just purchased all stems and fronds and what am I supposed to do with them (because I am mentally unable to throw away any type of food). Along with these questions, I found myself at my favorite local butcher shop looking through the glass case the same way I have a thousand times before but all of a sudden gravitating towards a different type of meat: lamb. Following my stomach (because how else should you live life), these thoughts, questions, and epiphanies, I was led me to one thing: fennel frond fucking pesto. Sorry, I know I have an extremely bad cursing habit and use the F word as an adjective too often, but it just rolled off the tongue so perfectly. So anyway, this triple F pesto sauce became the connection between all of my wondering thoughts and the base of a deliciously adventurous, and very different than my usual, weeknight dinner.

Ingredients (serves 2):

• Ground lamb (1 pound)

• Zucchini (3)

• Avocado (½)

• Fennel fronds and stems

• Walnuts (½ cup)

• Coconut yogurt (½ cup)

• Olive oil

• Avocado oil

• Coconut oil

• Cumin

• Tandoori blend

• Cayenne pepper

• Red pepper flakes

• Salt & Pepper

Special equipment: food processor, cast iron skillet, spiralizer

Directions:

1. Make the fennel frond pesto: combine the fennel fronds and stems, ½ avocado, ½ cup of walnuts, olive oil, and salt & pepper in a food processor and blend until smooth. Add more olive oil until it reaches the desired consistency

2. Make your zoodles using the spiralizer of your choice (I love to make mine in the ribbon form)

3. Once prepared, bake on a parchment paper lined baking sheet @ 425 for around 5 minutes (this allows them to dry and lightly cook through without getting soggy)

4. Prepare the lamb meatballs:

   1. Combine the 1 pound of ground lamb with cumin, tandoori blend spices, cayenne pepper, red pepper flakes, and salt & pepper

   2. Form meatballs with around a 1 inch diameter using your hands

   3. Heat a cast iron skillet and once hot add avocado oil

   4. When it is hot enough to immediately sizzle once something touches the skillet, add the lamb meatballs

   5. Flip once the side face down has formed a nice sear and continue to do so on all sides until they are cooked through

5. Prepare the turmeric curry coconut yogurt sauce by combining ½ cup of coconut yogurt, turmeric, curry powder, pepper, and coconut oil

6. Toss the zoodles in the fennel frond pesto, top with the lamb meatballs, and drizzle on some of the coconut yogurt sauce

7. Enjoy hot!

 Compliant with the following diets:

• Whole 30

• Paleo

• Low FODMAP

• Gluten Free