The Sunday-sauce Italian classic, macro-friendly. Lean turkey meatballs baked then finished in a slow-simmered marinara. Serve over pasta, spaghetti squash, or a hunk of bread.

• Ground turkey delivers 46 g of protein with a fraction of the saturated fat of beef.
• Simmered marinara delivers concentrated lycopene, better absorbed with olive oil.
• Meatballs freeze perfectly, making this the highest ROI meal prep on the list.

1. 1

   Preheat the oven to 200 °C / 400 °F and line a large sheet pan with parchment paper.

2. 2

   Add the ground turkey, egg, panko, grated Parmesan, minced garlic, dried oregano, salt, pepper and chopped parsley to a large bowl; mix with your hands or a fork just until combined, do not overwork the mixture or the meatballs will be dense.

3. 3

   Wet your hands lightly to prevent sticking, then roll the mixture into 18 balls of equal size and place them on the parchment-lined pan with a little space between each.

4. 4

   Bake for 18 minutes until the meatballs are golden and the internal temperature reaches 74 °C / 165 °F.

5. 5

   While the meatballs bake, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat; add the diced onion and cook for 6 minutes until softened and lightly golden.

6. 6

   Add the minced garlic and stir for 30 seconds, then pour in the crushed tomatoes along with the sugar, dried basil, salt, pepper and chili flakes; stir to combine.

7. 7

   Simmer the marinara for 15 minutes over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens and deepens in color.

8. 8

   Slide the baked meatballs into the marinara sauce and simmer together for 5 minutes so the meatballs absorb the sauce and the flavors marry.

9. 9

   Serve over pasta, polenta or spaghetti squash with extra Parmesan grated on top.

• Do not overwork the meat - mix just until combined or the meatballs go rubbery.
• A pinch of sugar in marinara balances tomato acidity - it is not for sweetness.