Sneaking quinoa in these meatballs adds fiber, folate, and the minerals manganese and magnesium…all things which are virtually absent in beef. If you’ve never purchased quinoa, go to a health food grocery store like Whole Foods and you will find it, or Costco has been selling it lately too. Couscous could replace it in a pinch. Double the recipe and save the broth from the meatball tray for later use . See MEAL EXTENDER at the bottom to make leftovers into a second entree. You can save time by making enough quinoa for all of the recipes this week; just store in the refrigerator until you’re ready.
Ingredients:
1 lb(s) ground sirloin
3/4 cup(s) quinoa -- cooked
1/4 cup(s) red onion -- finely chopped
1/2 cup(s) zucchini(s) -- grated
3 garlic clove(s) -- medium, crushed
2 tbsp ketchup -- or bar-b-q sauce
1 tbsp soy sauce
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 tsp thyme
1 egg(s)
1 spaghetti noodles -- package
32 oz(s) spaghetti sauce -- look for organic
1 English cucumber -- sliced
2 whole carrots -- scrubbed and cut in sticks
4 radish(es) -- cut in half
Directions
Prep Work: Cook quinoa. Grate onion and zucchini; store together. Cut vegetables for side dish; cucmbers, carrots, radishes.
1. Preheat oven to 500 degrees.
2. Begin cooking spaghetti noodles according to package directions.
3. *Mix sirloin through egg in a large mixing bowl. Use your clean hands or a large mixing spoon until all is well combined.
4. Divide meat into four piles in the bowl, then take one pile at a time and separate into four balls (for a total of 16). Arrange rounded meatballs evenly on a baking sheet and bake for 12-15 minutes, or until browned.
5. While meatballs cook, cut fresh vegetables as side dish; cucumbers, carrots, radishes. Place on table along with a small dish of a favorite salad dressing for early “picking”.
6. Pour spaghetti sauce into skillet and warm while meat is cooking. Add meatballs to sauce when done baking. Ladel all over noodles and garnish with parmesan cheese if desired.
MEAL EXTENDER: Place two meatballs and one slice of swiss cheese on one side of a whole wheat submarine roll. Broil for one minute to heat and let the cheese melt. Buy or shred green cabbage and toss with a little oil, vinegar, pinch of sugar, paprika, salt and pepper. Top sandwiches with cabbage salad.BREAKFAST EXTENDER: For a hearty, protein filled breakfast, saute some chopped red onion until opaque, stir in whisked eggs, cook until almost done then add meatballs. Cut them with the spatula into smaller pieces, sprinkle all with cheese (parmesan, cheddar, etc.) and serve with orange wedges or half of a banana.
*Or save some time by throwing it all except the meat into a blender, and then mix with meat. No need to peel the garlic, chop zucchini into small pieces to measure but no need to grate, and just cut a chunk off the whole onion without peeling or cutting…it all saves time!
(adapted from wholefoodsmarket.com)
