recipe makeover meatballs made better

recipe makeover
meatballs made better

meat ins't the only way to pack some protein into your next Italian meal, and this plantbased alternative is even a huge hit with carnivrous patrons of the Meatball shop in new york city.says chef Daniel Holzaman,who created this recipe featured in the Meatball Shop Cookbook (Ballantine Books).Combine them with your favorite mariana or top them with a spinach-basil pesto sauce for a nutritionally dense dishthat's loaded with hearthealthy fats an fiber.


perserving:480 calories,18,5 g fat(3,5 saturatedfat),

112 mg cholesterol,26 g protein,55 g carbohydrates 23 g fiber,1,064 mg sodium

VEGGEIE BALLS SERVES 6

2 cups lentils
1/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion,chopped
2 carrot,chopped
2 celery stalks,chopped
1 garlic clove,minced
1 tablespoon fresh thyme,chopped
2 teaspoons salt
3 tablespoons tomato paste
8 ounces button mushrooms,sliced
3 large egggs
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
1/2 cup breascrumbs
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts

1.Bring lentils and 2 quarts water to aboil,then reduce heat to a low simmer and cook until lentist are soft 25
 minutes.Drain and Cool

2.saute onion,carrots,celery,garlic,thyme and in 1/4 cup of the olive oil over medium-high heat,stirring frequently,for about 10 minuts,Add tomatto paste and continue to cook,strring constantly,for 3 minutes.Add mushrooms and stir frequently for 15 more minutes,or until all the liquid is absorbed.Tranfer the mixture to a bowl and cool to room temprature.

3.Add the lentils,eggs,Parmesan,breadcrumbs,parsley and walnuts to the mixture and mix by hand until thoroughly incorporated.Refrigerate for 25 minutes

4.Preheat oven to 400 F

5.Roll the mixture into about 2 dozen round,golf ball-size meatballs and place in a 9-by-1-inch baking dish coated with 2 tablespoons olive oil,allowing 1/4 inch of space betwen them.

6.Roast for 30 minutes,or until firm and cooked through