Meatballs & Gravy

1. Prep Meatballs: Place ground beef, onion powder, and egg in a medium bowl. Use your hands to thoroughly mix together. Use a cookie scoop to spoon out 1-2 tablespoons of ground beef mixture and use your hands to roll into meatballs.
2. Cook Meatballs: Bring a large cast iron skillet and to medium-high heat. Swirl a tablespoon of avocado oil (or ghee or olive oil) to just barely coat the pan. Add meatballs to hot pan and sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Move meatballs around until cooked through, turning as needed. Set cooked meatballs aside on a plate.
3. Mushrooms: Leaving any grease in the pan, add mushrooms. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook on medium heat for about 3 minutes. Remove mushrooms, place on a plate, and set aside.
4. Gravy: Keeping the large skillet at a medium high heat, add 2 tablespoons of ghee to the skillet. Allow the ghee to melt and then add 2 tablespoons of tapioca starch. Use a whisk to combine, allow to cook for approximately 30 seconds. Slowly add 2 cups beef broth, whisking as you add. Mixture will start to thicken as it warms up (it took mine at least a full minute to start to thicken). Once thick, taste, and add additional salt and pepper to taste.
5. Combine: Add mushrooms and meatballs back into the skillet and stir to combine. Allow to sit, but ensure the gravy doesn’t boil.

Cauliflower Mash:

1. Prep Cauliflower: Use a large kitchen knife to remove stem and leaves from head of cauliflower and cut into medium-sized chunks.
2. Cook: Take a medium saucepan and place approximately 1/2 cup of water in the bottom (you just want to ensure there is about a quarter inch of water in the bottom). Place cauliflower in saucepan with water, cover with lid, and bring to a boil. Continue boiling until cauliflower is fork-tender.
3. Mash: Place cooked cauliflower pieces in high-powered blender or food processor. Add 3 tablespoons ghee, 2 tablespoons almond milk, and 2 generous pinches of kosher salt. Blend on high for 10-20 second increments, stopping to scrape down sides. Continue until cauliflower reaches a creamy consistency.
4. Taste: add additional salt, as needed. If you feel you need additional liquid, add more almond milk 1 tablespoon at a time. Don’t over-blend or add too much almond milk or cauliflower will lose its thickness.

Serve: spoon meatballs and gravy over the cauliflower mash to serve and enjoy!