Jill Wendholt Silva: Spicy Mexican meatball trims fat, adds taste

LONG BEFORE the meatball rolled off of spaghetti, the plump little darling had become a globe-trotter.

Various food encyclopedias list the Danish fikadeller, the German Klopse, the Greek keftedes and the Spanish albondiga as prime examples of meatball cuisine.

But regardless of the originating country, most recipes - typically a combination of ground meat, a filler (such as bread crumbs) and a binder (such as beaten egg or sour cream) - are loaded with fat, calories and cholesterol.

These Spicy Mexican Meatballs combines 93 percent lean beef with ground turkey breast to cut down on fat. Baked tortilla chips instead of bread crumbs and egg whites instead of whole egg make a difference. We roll the meatballs into bite-size portions so they can be eaten with a toothpick. Finally, the mini meatballs are baked, not fried.

And what makes Mexican-style meatballs taste different from their international cousins?

The addition of pickled jalapeño bits adds a nice kick, one just hot enough to keep you from overindulging. Pour a store-bought enchilada sauce over all to keep the lean meat moist while serving.

Shopping tip: Be sure to choose ground turkey breast, not ground turkey, which may contain fattier dark meat as well.

Serving tips: To make a quick, easy family meal, serve meatballs with brown Spanish rice and fresh fruit. For another variation: make low-fat flour tortilla Mexican meatball wraps with a sprinkling of reduced-fat cheese.

SPICY MEXICAN MEATBALLS

1/2 pound 93 percent lean ground beef

1/2 pound ground turkey breast

2 egg whites

3/4 cup finely crushed baked tortilla chips

1/2 cup finely minced yellow onion

1 teaspoon chili powder

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper

3 tablespoons chopped pickled jalapeños, drained

1 cup canned red enchilada sauce, divided

Chopped fresh cilantro, for garnish

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Spray an 18-by-13-inch jelly-roll pan with nonstick spray.

Mix together beef, turkey, egg whites, crushed chips, onion, chili powder, cumin, salt, pepper, jalapeños and 1/3-cup enchilada sauce in a large mixing bowl. Blend well and then shape into 1 1/2-inch meatballs. Place meatballs on prepared jelly-roll pan. Bake 10 to 12 minutes.

Carefully remove meatballs and place in a decorative heatproof serving dish (about 11-by-8-inches).

Drizzle with remaining enchilada sauce and bake an additional 5 to 10 minutes or until meatballs are done and cooked to 165 degrees. Sprinkle with chopped cilantro before serving.

Makes about 30 meatballs; 15 appetizer servings.

Per (2-meatball) serving: 72 calories (44 percent from fat), 3 grams total fat (1 gram saturated), 19 milligrams cholesterol, 5 grams carbohydrates, 6 grams protein, 123 milligrams sodium, less than 1 gram dietary fiber.

Recipe developed by professional home economists Kathryn Moore and Roxanne Wyss.