yummy crockpot meatballs (without sugar!)

i am married to a football fan. not a crazy, can't-do-anything-but-watch-football on sundays kind of fan, but a fan nonetheless. we had plans to watch the superbowl "together" (together meant that i was present in the room but was working on the baby book the whole time), and i wanted to make some special superbowl party type foods to make the evening extra special for my love.

one of the things i wanted to make was some kind of meatballs. i have never made meatballs before, so it was fun to try something new. these were a great contribution to our little superbowl party, and my husband especially loved them. one of the other things on our menu was baked chicken wings and we dipped the chicken wings in the meatball sauce -  yum!

i kind of used this recipe, but modified it as we don't eat sugar in our house and i didn't want to use bread crumbs. i also used all pork. here's the way i made them...

first i made the sauce.

ingredients for the sauce:
1 small can tomato sauce
1/2 cup honey
1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon molasses
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1 tablespoon dijon mustard (i use a kind that is just straight up mustard without any additives)

mix all ingredients in crock pot. stir well. 
then make the meatballs...

meatball ingredients:
1 tablespoon coconut oil
1/2 small yellow onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 pound free range ground pork (without hormones/antibiotics)
1/2 cup almond meal (i use bob's red mill or get it at the local health food store)
1 tablespoon paprika
1 egg
salt and pepper to taste

heat the coconut oil in a frying pan, add the onions and garlic and cook until soft. in a medium-sized bowl, mix the pork, almond meal, paprika, eggs, onions and garlic, and salt and pepper. form into small meatballs. using same saucepan as earlier, brown the meatballs on all sides. put in crock pot with barbeque sauce. cook on high for about 2 hours or until meat thermometer indicates meat is cooked.

this recipe made about 24 meatballs. enjoy!