In my experience, most meatball recipes tend to exhibit either an Italian or Mediterranean flair.

Great!  I’m all for it.  I love both cuisines.

However, sometimes you crave something a little bit different.  And for me, it’s not just sometimes that avocados and cilantro are calling my name.  Thus, rather than ignore the beckoning of the creamy green bulbs of goodness ripening on the counter, or disregard the musings of the refreshingly delightful flavor and aroma of the herby green bunch in the fridge, I decided to master the art of fusing these flavors with the idea of a meatball.  Yum!

Cilantro Lime Meatballs with Fresh Guac

1 lb. 80% lean grass-fed ground beef
3/4 c. fresh cilantro, minced and divided
Juice of 1 fresh lime, divided
sea salt
3 avocados
1/2 c. (or more) of Herdez salsa

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.  In a large bowl, combine the ground beef, about 1/4 c. of the cilantro, 1/2 of the lime juice, and plenty of sea salt.  Mix well with your hands and form into meatballs ~ the size of your choice.  Bake in a glass baking dish for about 20-25 minutes.  Remove well before the meat overcooks and starts to become dry.
Meanwhile, in a separate bowl, scoop out the avocado deliciousness, combine with most of the remaining cilantro (reserving some for garnish), the second 1/2 of the lime juice, and plenty more salt.  Mash into the best guacamole you’ve ever created, really!

Equally divide into three portions and serve the meatballs and guac topped with Herdez salsa over your favorite squash ~ KABOCHA, delicata, spaghetti, or even squtternutbash!  You may also decide to garnish with some cotija cheese for some extra pizazz!

And, by all means, enjoy!