Meat and Liver Bites | Easy High Protein Snack
These meat and liver bites are the perfect solution for those busy days when you need a quick protein boost. Made with just a few simple ingredients, they pack a powerful protein punch in a convenient, on-the-go snack. Pair a couple of these with a carb for a satisfying lunch, or enjoy them as a quick and filling snack whenever you need an energy boost. While these aren’t the prettiest snacks, they are very tasty and nutrient-dense.
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I don’t know about you, but I find it challenging to get enough protein in a day, especially on those busy days. The general recommendation is 1 gram of protein per pound of body weight. While I’m not sure how mandatory that amount is every day – protein is expensive and filling – I do believe it’s generally a good idea to increase protein intake where we can.
Personally, I’m not a fan of protein powders. They just feel unnatural to me, and let’s be honest, they don’t taste all that great either. Protein found in whole foods, like meat and eggs, comes with natural fats, vitamins, and minerals, which are all essential for helping your body break down and properly utilize that protein.
I don’t have scientific evidence to back it up, but I have this feeling that isolated, synthesized protein powder enters your system, doesn’t quite know what to do in this unnatural form, and just passes through. That’s why I think it’s best to get my protein from natural sources—it just feels more complete and balanced.
Also, liver isn’t just for dogs! It’s funny to me that we toss off one of the most nutrient dense foods available to us to our dogs without thinking twice about how it might benefit our health as well. While this recipe is for humans, I suppose you could reduce some of the spices and share with your fluffy companion.
Why You’ll Love These Meat & Liver Bites
- 10-15g protein per Bite!
- Made with only whole food, bioavailable protein sources
- They are so quick to whip up
- They require only a few basic ingredients
- Can be stored in the freezer
- Taste great thawed from frozen
- Kid-friendly, probably
- Free of synthetic ingredients, additives, preservatives, MSG, and artificial flavours
- Gluten-free, dairy-free, nut-free, and grain-free
The Benefits of Protein
Protein is all the rave now and for good reason, let’s dive into them!
Muscle Growth and Repair: Protein is crucial for building and repairing tissues, especially muscles. It supports recovery after exercise and helps maintain lean muscle mass.
Immune Function: Protein plays an essential role in the immune system by producing antibodies that fight infections and support overall immunity.
Hormone Production: Proteins are involved in the creation of various hormones, including insulin, growth hormones, and thyroid hormones, all of which help regulate metabolism and bodily functions.
Supports Metabolism: A diet rich in protein can help boost metabolism, as the body uses more energy to digest protein compared to fats and carbohydrates, increasing calorie burn.
Satiety and Weight Management: Protein helps you feel full longer, reducing hunger and cravings. This can be beneficial for weight management or weight loss by reducing overeating.
Skin, Hair, and Nail Health: Collagen, elastin, and keratin are proteins that make up the skin, hair, and nails. Consuming sufficient protein supports healthy, strong skin, hair, and nails.
Blood Sugar Regulation: Protein helps stabilize blood sugar levels by slowing the absorption of sugar and carbohydrates, preventing spikes and crashes in energy.
Beef Liver – Nature’s Multi-Vitamin
Beef liver is highly valued in many cultures around the world. In traditional diets and indigenous cuisines, liver was often prized as a nutrient-rich food that provided essential vitamins and minerals, including iron, vitamin A, vitamin B12, and folate. Because of its nutritional value, it was commonly used to support general health, a healthy pregnancy and the development of robust babies.
The Benefits of Beef Liver for General Health
Beef liver is often called a superfood because it’s packed with nutrients that can greatly benefit your health. Here are some simple reasons why adding liver to your diet can be a good idea:
- Loaded with Nutrients: Liver is full of important vitamins and minerals like vitamin A, vitamin D, and B vitamins. Liver especially high in vitamin B12, which is great for your energy and helps keep your blood and nerves healthy .
- Great Source of Iron: Liver is rich in a type of iron that your body can easily absorb. This can help prevent and treat iron deficiency anemia, which makes you feel tired and weak .
- High in Protein: Liver provides a lot of high-quality protein, which is essential for building and repairing tissues, making hormones, and supporting your immune system .
- Good for Your Brain and Liver: Liver is one of the best sources of choline, a nutrient that supports brain function and helps your liver process fats effectively .
- Contains Antioxidants: Liver has antioxidants like glutathione, which help protect your cells from damage and support your body’s natural detox processes .
- Supports Vision and Skin Health: Liver is extremely rich in vitamin A, which is important for maintaining healthy vision, skin, and immune function.
How Much Liver Should I Eat?
A healthy and sustainable amount of liver consumption for an adult would be around 2-4 oz a week and 1-2 oz per week for a child. These liver cubes are around 2oz which makes it easy to calculate your intake. Aim to use 1-2 liver cubes per adult that you’re cooking for per week. If you want to add liver to your children’s diet, simply share your liver-enriched food with your children and they will reap the benefits from their usual portion of the meal!
For this recipe, if you have liver cubes on hand, make sure to let them thaw before adding to the ground meat.
What kind of meat and liver can I use for these bites?
Meat: You can use any kind of ground meat that you like. I’ve used beef, chicken, turkey, and they’re all great! I probably wouldn’t do straight up ground pork but a blend of ground beef and pork would taste great.
Liver: For the liver, you can use ground chicken livers or beef liver. Chicken livers do have a more mild flavour than beef liver but I think beef liver is more nutrient-dense. Maybe opt for chicken livers if you want to share with your kiddos.
What You’ll Need To Make Meat & Liver Bites
These bites are really quite simple and you’ll likely have most of the materials and ingredients on hand.
Materials
Silicone muffin cup tray: Using silicone muffin trays makes these bites a lot easier to bake, pop out, and clean.
Blender: If you need to ground the liver. Make liver cubes with extra ground liver for future nutrient-dense cooking!
Large bowl: For mixing everything together.
Wooden spoon or hands: For mixing the ingredients together.
Muffin scoop: For portioning the meat. You can just use a spoon too but this scoop keeps it clean.
Ingredients
Ground meat: Beef, chicken, turkey, pork, or a blend.
Ground liver: Beef or chicken liver.
Eggs: Good ol’ whole eggies.
Onion: Finely diced red or yellow onion.
Garlic: Fresh minced garlic! Or garlic powder.
Salt: To bring it all together.
Pepper: Because it goes with salt.
Optional: Shredded cheese, another finely diced vegetable, extra spices.
How To Make Meat & Liver Bites
Preheat the Oven: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C).
Prepare the Mixture: In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients. Mix well by hand or with a spoon until everything is evenly incorporated.
Portion the Meat: Using a silicone muffin tray and muffin scoop, portion the meat mixture into each muffin cup. Make sure the cups are filled to the max, as the meat will shrink a bit while baking.
Bake: Place the tray in the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes or until the bites are fully cooked through and browned on top.
Cool and Store: Allow the meat bites to cool in the trays. Once cooled, you can store them in the fridge or for longer storage, flash freeze them and keep in the freezer for future use.
Notes
You can mix the ingredients ahead of time and let it marinate in the fridge for up to 24 hours before scooping and baking.
Meat & Liver Bites
Ingredients
- 1 lb Ground meat beef, chicken, turkey, pork
- 2 oz. Ground liver beef or chicken
- 2 Eggs
- 1/2 Onion finely diced
- 1 tbsp Garlic fresh and minced
- 1 tsp Salt
- 1 tsp Pepper
- 1/2 tsp Thyme, cumin, chili flakes and/or parsley optional
- 1 cup Shredded cheese optional
Instructions
- Preheat the Oven: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Prepare the Mixture: In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients. Mix well by hand or with a spoon until everything is evenly incorporated.
- Portion the Meat: Using a silicone muffin tray and muffin scoop, portion the meat mixture into each muffin cup. Make sure the cups are filled to the max, as the meat will shrink a bit while baking.
- Bake: Place the tray in the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes or until the bites are fully cooked through and browned on top.
- Cool and Store: Allow the meat bites to cool in the trays. Once cooled, you can store them in the fridge or for longer storage, flash freeze them and keep in the freezer for future use.
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