What first attracted me to Madelaine’s Turkey Meatballs with Farfalle, Swiss Chard, and Asparagus was her decision to use ground turkey instead of ground beef. Sure, pork is ‘the other white meat’, but let’s not forget about ground turkey! I’ve cooked with it enough times to know that it holds flavors quite well, because the turkey flavor itself is mild. It’s also lean and can be seasoned similar to ground beef. Though I love a good, juicy burger made with the finest grass-fed ground beef, I usually opt for ground turkey when making meatballs.

Madelaine’s recipe is also fun! She uses farfalle instead of spaghetti or fettucini. So if you’re really hungry, choosing noodles like farfalle is the way to go; the noodles not only cook faster because they’re smaller, but their unique shape also makes them more likely to be gobbled up by every member of the family, including the kiddos…and that brings me to the second thing that attracted me to Madelaine’s meaty but fresh meal: it’s kid friendly!

Even the pickiest eaters will find Turkey Meatballs with Farfalle, Swiss Chard, and Asparagus good to the last bite. Also, like Madelaine mentions in her blog Cook Like Mad, you can easily substitute a few of the veggies or even throw in a few of your favorites. Whatever you choose to add, you’ll find you that end up with great results and a filling meal that hits the spot!