Keftedes (Kef-teh-des) are usually Meatballs seasoned with Greek style Seasonings and Feta Cheese. Vegetarian Keftedes are popular too. Often they are made with carrots, I like Parsnips more than carrots since they have more flavor and are less watery so I made mine with parsnips. I also cut some fat out by baking the Keftedes instead of frying and by using Fat Free Cottage Cheese instead of Feta.
Ingredients for Keftedes
3 Cups Shreaded Parsnips
1 handful of chopped fresh Parsley
1/2 a shredded Sweet Onion
16 oz. Package of Fat Free Cottage Cheese Whipped till smooth
2 eggs (crack them into your cottage and just whip them in)
4 slices of lite White Bread ( Frozen and Chop into the smallest cubes you can)
1 teaspoon dried mint
1/2 teaspoon dried dill (fresh herbs should be better but I used what I had at home)
Fresh ground Sea Salt
Fresh Ground Black Pepper
1 Cup Whole Wheat Panko Bread Crumbs
3 Tablespoons Michael Psilakis Gyro Slider Spice Recipe* It seems to compliment the Keftedes well and gives another layer of flavor. Or just add salt and pepper to crumbs till tasty. Will post Michael Psilakis recipe after the Keftedes.
Oven is set at 350 degrees
Shredded Parsnips, Onion, and Chopped Parsley.
Combined with the Cottage Cheese, Eggs and Lite White Bread, Mint, Dill, Salt, and Pepper.
Roll into a meatball shape about the size of a walnut and light coat it in your seasoned crumbs.
I wound up with 30 and baked them at 350 degree oven for 15 minutes as soon as they came out I generously salt and peppered them and served them with a low fat Tsatziki Sauce.
Forking Good!
Michael Psilakis Gyro Slider Spice
12 Tablespoons Cumin
2 Tablespoons Coriander
8 Tablespoons Mustard Seed
2 1/2 teaspoons Cloves
2 Tablespoons Black Cardamon ( there is no substitute for black cardamon and DON’T use green it’s not the same)
4 Tablespoons Fennel
2 Tablespoons Cinnamon
This seasoning is delicious to coat a burger with but will need Salt and Pepper.
Forking Good!
Low Fat Tsatziki
About 3 inches of Armenian Cucumber pealed, seeds removed and grated.
About 2 Tablespoons of my Slow Roasted Garlic Spread (see recipe under recipes)
About 1/4 of large sweet Onion Grated
About 2 Tablespoons of Dried Dill
Slightly over 1/2 Cup of Non Fat Greek Yogurt
Juice of one small lemon
Fresh Ground Sea Salt and Fresh Ground Pepper.
Forking Good!
