Over the past little while during our switch to whole foods, we have been trying something new everyday. This has been an amazing family journey so far. I never thought I could go this far with my whole family by my side. The other day I seen a recipe for meatless meatballs found here. I decided to give them a try tonight and see how they were. A meatball is something I have never ate before as I didn't like them. Now I am willing to eat a meatball with no meat made out of white beans and mushrooms, another two things I would of never ever thought of eating! Pretty crazy to think about the change within myself.
The meatballs tasted really good! My husband even assured me they tasted like meatballs, since I had no clue what regular ones tasted like! The kids gobbled it down like it was nothing! If you are wondering how I get my kids to eat things like this, I do not tell them what it is made of until after they have tried it and determined they either like or don't like it. I finally no longer have to fight with my kids to eat healthy! I thought I could have used better buns and more marinara sauce as they were a bit dry. As for the meatballs themselves, they had amazing flavour!
This recipe was very easy to make. It was a little time consuming taking almost 2 hours to complete everything. It was Sunday here so time was not a factor. It really didn't cost much which is always great when it comes to a recipe. I hope you like it as much as we did.
**RECIPE**
FOR MEATBALLS:
1 tbs olive oil
1 small yellow onion, diced
2 cloves of garlic, diced
8 oz button mushrooms, cleaned with dry towel and chopped
1 tsp salt
1 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp chili flake
1 15 oz can of white beans, drained and rinsed
juice of 1 lemon
2 tbs fresh parsley, chopped
1 1/4 cups bread crumbs, split into 1 cup and 1/4 cup
FOR SUBS:
1 25 oz jar of your favorite marinara sauce
sub rolls
parsley and chili flake for sprinkling
INSTRUCTIONS:
Preheat oven to 375 and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Heat a large skillet or cast iron pot oven medium heat. Once hot, add olive oil and onion and cook for five minutes. Next add garlic and mushrooms and cook for another two minutes. Stir in oregano, salt, pepper, and chili flake. Add white beans and lemon juice and stir, let the mixture cook for 1 more minute.
Add the white bean mushroom mixture to the food processor and pulse a few times until the mixture comes together. Pour in the parsley and 1 cup of bread crumbs and pulse a few more times until the mixture is well combined. Let the mixture sit for five minutes so the bread crumbs absorb some of the white bean mushroom mixture.
Meanwhile add remaining 1/4 cup bread crumbs, 1/2 tsp salt, and a pinch of pepper, chili flakes, and parsley to a bowl. Take a 1 tbs scoops of the 'meatball' mixture and roll it into a ball in your hands. Roll it around in the bowl of seasoned bread crumbs and place it on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat until there is no 'meatball' mixture remaining.
Bake the 'meatballs' for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes flip them for even browning and continue to bake for another 20 minutes.
Add a jar of marinara sauce to the same pot you cooked the garlic in and heat over low heat. When the 'meatballs' are cooked, place them in the warm marinara sauce.
Place on buns and enjoy!
