Thursday, May 13, 2010
Bean Balls!
I know...I said it, but I am excited about these bean balls.  I mentioned that I was working on something like the salisbury steak and then gave up cause I was tired of being in the kitchen and I ran out of time.  Well, I finished them and it was actually so much easier than I thought it would be!  Not only that...they are shockingly meaty!  Not to say they taste like meat because I don't want to eat something that tastes like meat or I would eat meat, they are just meaty.  Kinda freaked me out.  I was going completely solo on the thought behind these.  I love my bean burgers, but I wanted to make something more neutral in flavor and more protein.  These little babies are definitely a keeper!  I make huge batches of bean burgers so I can freeze them to have on hand all the time.
Now, for ease of preparation these are definitely a make the day before kind of thing.  Get everything together and let the mixture hang out in the fridge over night.  Then, they are so easy to get together and bake off.  I made bean balls and burgers out of them!  I have also learned that after you bake bean burgers (or balls) it is best to just let them hang out for a little while.  It helps them set up and become firm.  These held up to sauce too!  Don't sauce them until you are about to eat them though.  They are sturdy, but since they do have oats in them, they will soften up if left in the sauce too long.
Quinoa Lentil Balls or Burgers

1/2 cup uncooked quinoa (make sure you rinse quinoa really well!)
1 cup uncooked lentils (rinsed and drained)
4 cups water or vegetable broth

Put all of this in a pot and boil for an hour or until the lentils are done.  The quinoa will officially be over cooked, but that helps the mixture come together.  There should be no more liquid in the pot.  If there is, drain it off.

3/4 cup chopped onion
4 cloves garlic
8 oz mushrooms

Put all of this in a food processor and process until small, but still chunky.

1 TBSP salt
2 TBSP  flax meal
fresh ground pepper
1 TBSP spicy mustard

Add all of this and half of the hot quinoa lentil mixture to the food processor.  Process until the mixture comes together.  Still a little chunky.  Make sure the quinoa lentil mixture is still hot so it will activate the flax.

2 cups oats

Next, add the oats and the processed mixture to the remaining quinoa lentil mixture in the pot.  Stir it all together and put in the fridge over night.

The next day, line two sheet pans with parchment paper.  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

With wet hands scoop out a tablespoon worth of quinoa lentil mixture.  (Wet hands keep the mixture from sticking to your hands) I used a small cookie scoop.  Line them up on the sheet pans.  I used 5 scoops for the burgers.  I got 27 balls and 8 burgers.  Bake the balls for 30 minutes. Bake the burgers 20 minutes on each side (flipping half way between).

My sauce was really simple...
(Yes, that is a chunk of garlic.  Don't be afraid, it is really good for you and the flavor is actually milder the less you chop it up!  It actually is a natural antibiotic!)

Easy Tomato Sauce

1 28 oz can whole tomatoes (squeeze the tomatoes with your hands)
4 cloves of garlic sliced
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp oregano

Put everything together and simmer for an hour on the stove.

Also, I used to eat pasta like a crazy person.  Now, I prefer spaghetti squash.  It is so easy to cook and not as heavy since I like a lot of tomatoes and topping.  I pierced it with a knife, put it in the microwave for 13 minutes (until soft on the outside), cut it in half, scooped out the strands and enjoyed it!

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posted by Sarena Shasteen - The Non-Dairy Queen @ 7:22 PM  
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Sarena Shasteen - The Non-Dairy Queen
Home: Atlanta, GA, United States
About Me: Lactose Challenged
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