Meatless Pasta Balls

Meatless Pasta Balls

I have tried many different recipes for meatless meatballs. Most were failures; mainly because the consistency was not strong enough to withstand being mixed in with the sauce. This one is an exception! The consistency in this recipe is very close to regular meatballs. Plan ahead, though; it's best to let this mix sit overnight and bake the next day. Double the batch and freeze some for later!

Ingredients

• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 TBSP olive oil
• 1 pound fresh mushrooms, finely chopped
• 1 pinch salt
• 1 TBSP butter
• 1/2 cup finely chopped pungent onion
• 1/2 cup quick-cooking oats
• 1 ounce* very finely shredded Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
• 1/2 cup bread crumbs
• 1/4 cup chopped Italian parsley, packed
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
• 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1/8 tsp dried oregano
• 3 cups marinara
• 1 TBSP very finely shredded Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
• 1 TBSP chopped Italian parsley

Directions:

1. Mince or press garlic and set aside.

2. Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms to the oil and sprinkle with salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until liquid from mushrooms have evaporated. Stir in butter and reduce heat to medium. Cook until mushrooms are golden brown, about 5 minutes.

3. Stir onion into mushrooms and cook, stirring often, until onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. Remove skillet from heat, add pressed/minced garlic, stirring until fragrant, about 1 minute. Transfer mixture to a mixing bowl.

4. Mix oats into mushroom mixture until thoroughly combined. Gently stir 1 ounce Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese into mixture. Add bread crumbs, 1/4 cup parsley, and egg; season with salt, black pepper, cayenne pepper, and oregano. Mix together with a fork until crumbly. Mixture should hold together when pressed. If mixture is too dry, you may add another egg.

5. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight for best flavor and texture.

6. Preheat oven to 450º F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.

7. Form mixture into small meatballs using 2-TBSP scoop. Roll meatballs lightly between your hands until smooth. Arrange meatballs on a prepared baking sheet.

8. Bake until meatballs are lightly golden brown, 12-15 minutes.

9. Bring pasta sauce to a boil in a large saucepan; reduce heat to low. Gently stir meatballs into sauce until coated. Simmer meatballs in sauce. Transfer to a bowl and garnish with 1 TBSP cheese and 1 TBSP parsley.

*1 ounce equals about 1/4 cup, but using the weighted measurement works better with this recipe.

adapted from Allrecipes

Vegetable Lasagna

IMG_9723[2]

Here is a recipe that I go back to time and time again. Lasagna is hearty and usually full of fat and calories.  This version is no different, but the heartiness comes from all the beautiful vegetables instead of meat. If you are lucky, you'll have leftovers, which are more flavorful the next day. Feel free to mix up the vegetables and add ones your family likes. Sometimes I'll use cottage cheese instead of ricotta cheese.

Vegetable Lasagna

• 1 cup chopped red bell pepper (about 1 medium)
• 1 cup chopped yellow pepper (about 1 medium)
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 4 zucchini, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced (about 5 cups)
• 2 (8-ounce) packages of cremini mushrooms, sliced 2 cups
• (8-ounces) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese, divided
• 1 1/2 cups fat-free ricotta cheese
• 1/2 cup (2-ounces) grated fresh Parmesan cheese, divided
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• 5 cups marinara sauce, divided
• 12 precooked lasagna noodles (about 8 ounces)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350º.
2. Heat a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add peppers and next 3 ingredients; sauté 10 minutes or until vegetables are crisp-tender and liquid evaporates. Add garlic, sauté 30 seconds.
3. Combine 1 1/2 cups mozzarella, ricotta, 1/4 Parmesan, and egg, stirring well.
4. Spread 1 cup marinara over bottom of a 13 x 9-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray, top with 3 noodles. Spoon 1 cup marinara evenly over noodles. Top evenly with one-third of ricotta mixture and one-third of vegetable mixture. Repeat layers twice, ending with noodles. Top with 1 cup marinara. Sprinkle evenly with 1/2 cup mozzarella and 1/4 cup Parmesan.
5. Cover and bake at 350º for 45 minutes. Uncover and bake an additional 10 minutes or until cheese melts. Let stand 10 minutes. Yield 8 servings.

Calories: 378; Fat 11.4g; Protein 22.9g; Carb 46.5g; Fiber 5.9g; Chol 55mg; Iron 2.6mg; Sodium 667 mg, Calc. 434mg

Summer Chili

Even though the title of this recipe is summer, our family eats it all year long.  When fresh out-of-the-garden tomatoes are unavailable, I use petite diced canned tomatoes. Consider serving with Cornmeal Cornbread for a gluten-free dinner!

1. Summer Chili

• 2 TBSP extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 5 large garlic cloves, minced
• 2 TBSP chili powder
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• 2 cups juicy, chopped fresh tomatoes (or canned)
• 1 (15-ounce) can no-salt added black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 cup water
• 1 cup chopped red or green bell pepper
• 1 cup chopped zucchini
• 1 cup corn kernels
• 1 cup chopped white or portobello mushrooms
• 1 cup chopped fresh cilantro, packed
• 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
• salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Heat oil in medium pot.
2. Add onion, garlic, chili powder and cumin.
3. Saute over medium heat until onion is soft, about 5 minutes.
4. Add remaining ingredients (except garnishes) and stir.
5. Bring to a boil, then lower heat and simmer 20 minutes or until vegetables are soft.
6. Add more liquid if needed.
7. Serve over rice if desired.
8. May garnish with cheddar cheese, guacamole, or fresh cilantro.