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Triwives meatballs.

It’s National Meatball Day!!!  Meatballs have been a staple in our culture and are a comfort food for many.  They seem to be gaining in popularity these days, with restaurants even popping up devoted to them, such as The Meatball Shop in NYC.  Since they are also one of my favorites, I decided to share one of my recipes.  Meatless meatballs are one of the easiest and yummiest staples in our house.  The great thing about this meatball recipe is you can mix up the beans and grains, so each time they are a bit different.  Enjoy.  We certainly do……


INGREDIENTS

  • 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 3 garlic cloves, chopped
  • 1 1/2 cups of your favorite mushrooms, chopped
  • 2 large handfuls of baby spinach, roughly chopped
  • 1 small handful fresh basil, chopped
  • 1 tsp fresh oregano, chopped
  • 1/2 cup of your favorite seed (I use flax)
  • 1 cup presoaked black beans (or 1 cup canned)
  • 2 tsps dried oregano
  • 1 cup of your favorite cooked grain (I like quoina or brown rice)

PREPARATION

  • Sauté onion over medium high heat for about 3-4 minutes until soft.
  • Add garlic and cook an additional 2 minutes.
  • Add mushrooms and spinach and cook an additional 4 minutes.
  • In your food processor:  pulse seeds, add cooked vegetable mixture, half the beans, basil, oregano, and salt and pepper to taste.  Mix until it just comes together.

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    Meatballs in progress…

  • Pour into a large bowl and mix in the other 1/2 of beans as well as your grain.
  • Make balls from mixture about 2″ in diameter.
  • Place on a slightly greased cookie tray and bake for 30 minutes at 350.

SERVING OPTIONS

  • Serve over cooked spaghetti squash or regular spaghetti with tomato or pesto sauce or simply fresh tomatoes.
  • Serve as an appetizer with a dip of your choice.
  • Serve as an entree on it’s own.

– DANA

WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE MEATBALL RECIPE?