I’ve been making this recipe for something like fifteen years, but back then? We had zero kids, one dog, and all the time in the world. These days, I have way less time to spend rolling meatballs and lovingly simmering them on the stove, so I had to give this favorite dinner of ours a quick-and-easy twist. We use the slow cooker and frozen meatballs for ultimate ease, finished with a fresh couscous, spiked with lemon and chopped dates.
You can use fonio instead of couscous, if you prefer. Fonio is a West African grain that’s high in iron and also low in GI. We’re big, big fans of fonio! Check it out if you’re a couscous fan.
Slow Cooker Moroccan Meatballs with Lemon-Date Couscous or Fonio
1/2 small onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 lemon, zested
1/2 cup pitted and chopped briny olives, like kalamata
1/4 cup dry white wine
½ - 1 cup chicken stock or broth
1 (14-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
1 tsp. maple syrup or sweetener of choice
1/2 tsp. dried red pepper flakes
Pinch ground cinnamon
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 lb. frozen meatballs
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
