Here's one of Ned's favorite healthful recipes, with lean buffalo, oats, herbs and onions and garlic.
To 1/2 lb lean ground buffalo (Ned doesn't eat beef) add i/3 to 1/2 c chopped sauteed onion with three or four crushed and diced garlic cloves thrown in. Add 1/4 c coarsely ground oats. Ned uses a food processor and grinds the oats to the consistency of coarse bread crumbs. Mix well. Add pepper if desired. Makes about 12 smallish meatballs.
The sauce
Use 1 qt of home canned skinned chopped tomatoes if you can get it, otherwise a large can of salt-free chopped tomatoes, organic if possible. Drain juice and save. Saute the tomatoes with 1/2 c chopped onions, and garlic if desired. Add a sprig of rosemary and a few oregano leaves. You can also add up to a half cup of red wine of you like.
Cook the tomatoes until well reduced, at least an hour on fairly low heat.
Then add the meatballs, which you can have browned earlier if you like. Then add as much of the tomato juice as you like and let the meatballs cook until done. Test after twenty minutes or so.
Serve with polenta and a green salad.
