First, make the meatballs. If your meat is frozen, be sure to thoroughly and safely thaw it first. In a medium-sized bowl, combine the almond flour and milk. In a large mixing bowl, combine the egg, garlic, onion, herbs, and Parmesan cheese, stir until just combined. To this large bowl, add the ground meat as well as the almond flour mixture (which by now should be quite soggy). Mix well. I actually think this is best and mostly quickly done by using your (clean) hands to mix everything together. Season well with salt and pepper.

Bake at 400°F for 18-22 minutes. The meatballs should be at or higher than 165°F if you use an instant read thermometer (which I really like using when I cook meat as it takes away the guessing of if it’s been cooked enough to safely eat). Remove from the oven once done and allow to rest for at least 5-8 minutes. They will appear super juicy just out of the oven and some of these juices (fat) will solidify a bit more as they rest. Toward the end of the baking time (before resting), you can start the soup. Or you can store the meatballs after resting if using later.

In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for a minute or two until it begins to soften. Then add the garlic and season well with salt and pepper, and also the cayenne. Then add the tomatoes and red peppers along with one cup of stock. Reduce the heat to low, add the lid and allow to simmer for 8-10 minutes. Then use either an immersion blender or you can do this in batches in a blender, blending everything well. Stir in the remaining cup of stock and also add your cooked meatballs. Once everything is nice and hot, serve with some chopped basil and sprinkle on the Parmesan cheese!