Magic Meatballs
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| Sun, 07-20-2008 - 6:27pm |
Looking for a way to add more veggies into your diet? Then these metballs are for you! I got the recipe from the book "The Sneaky Chef" and tried them tonight on the family, and they LOVED them (dh included)!
You have to make the Green puree before hand, which makes the recipe longer to put together last minute. I made the puree 2 days ago & just stored it in the fridge. You can also freeze it in 1/4 cup serving for ease later on as well.
I'll post the puree at the end of the meatball recipe. It doesn't seem like a lot of veggies in each recipe based upon the quanity you use but the puree is concentrated so its packed with more nutrients.
Obviously, you need to continue to eat a lot more veggies throughout the day, but this just helps add to what you already are getting in your diet.
Magic Meatballs
6 to 8 tbsp green puree
2 tbsp tomato paste
1 tsp salt
1/4 cup wheat germ
1 large egg, beaten
1 lb ground beef or turkey (I use 95% lean sirloin)
1 tbsp, optional if pan frying
In bowl, combime green puree and tomato paste mixing well until the green color turns a dark brow. Mix in salt, wheat germ, and egg, and finally add in ground meat until well combined. Pinch off about 2 tsp of meat mixture and roll into mini meatballs. Either pan fry in olive oil until done, or bake in the oven for about 20 mins.
Green Puree
2 cups raw baby spinach (or 1 cup frozen chopped spinach)
2 cups broccoli florets, fresh or frozen
1 cup green peas
1 tsp fresh lemon juice
3-4 tbsp water
Using a veggie steamer, steam broccoli and spinach in 2 in of water about 10 mins. Add the frozen peas in the last mins of steaming. Drain veggies and place them in a food processor along with 2 tbsp water and pulse until smooth. Makes about 2 cups puree.
Doreen

Funny you mention this; one of my friends just told me she is using this cookbook as a way to get vegetables into her 6 year old son's life.
What else has she tried that was a keeper? Anything that wasn't worth the effort? I've only made the meatballs which I really liked. They were mosit & tasty!
Doreen
Doreen
I'm going to see her later this week, so I'll ask.
My 3 kiddos (8,6,5) are great when it comes to eating veggies. They basically will eat a variety of colored veggies. Of course, each one is different. For example, ds likes brussel sprouts & the other 2 don't or 1 dd loves salad whereas the other 2 don't, etc etc etc.
The way I figure it, they can't have too much veggies so if I could "sneak" in healthy veggies, especially if its one they don't typically eat, like the cooked spinach (they'll only eat it raw in salads)
Doreen
Since my kids were little, I've always added shredded veggies to most things I make.
Meatloaf, meatballs, spaghetti sauce, soups, salads, mashed potatoes - anything I can.
They seem to think it's normal to see them in their foods and now as teenagers they sometimes will ask for mashed potatoes with "the green things" in them - zucchini.
Shredded veggies are easier than making a puree.
I saw my friend yesterday; she actually hasn't made many things out of the cookbook yet.
Doreen
It contains green peas, which are a Phase 2 food since they are a starchy vegetable.