• 1 large egg, beaten
• 2 to 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 tsp ground ginger
• 1/4 cup sweet potato baby food
• 1/4 cup carrot baby food
• 2 Tbsp jam (strawberry, grape, or seedless raspberry, no sugar added)
• 2 Tbsp ketchup
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 3/4 cup wheat germ
• 1 pound lean ground beef or turkey
• 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil, for baking meatballs (4 Tbsp oil if you are going to brown them on your stovetop)

1. In a large bowl, whisk together egg, garlic, ginger, baby food, jam, ketchup, salt, and wheat germ. Add the ground meat and mix with your hands until well combined. Using damp hands, pinch off a heaping Tbsp of meat and gently shape the mixture into golf ball-sized meatballs.

There 2 ways to cook the meatballs, depending on your fat restrictions and how much time you have. The oven-baked method is lower in fat and quicker, and the result is nearly as good as the pan frying.

Oven-baked method:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Brush a large cookie sheet with 2 Tbsp of oil, gently place meatballs on the sheet, and bake for 10 minutes. Using a spatula, turn the meatballs over, then return them to the oven for another 10 minutes.

3. Simmer and serve with Sweet 'n Sassy sauce, if desired.

Pan-frying method:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Heat 1 Tbsp of oil in a large (10-inch or 12-inch) nonstick skillet over moderately high heat, until hot but not smoking (add cooking spray to coat the pan as well).

3. Add about 8 meatballs per batch to avoid overcrowding the pan. Allow to brown on all sides for about 5 minutes, turning occasionally.

4. Finish cooking them for 10 minutes in a 350 degree oven.

5. Simmer and serve with Sweet 'n Sassy sauce, if desired.

Visit Missy Chase Lapine's website The Sneaky Chef.