Quinoa “Meat” Balls

When I saw that Katie over at the Small Boston Kitchen post a recipe for Quinoa “Meat” balls I immediately added it to my MUST MAKE NOW list.

And almost two months later here we are (Ahem, that is quick for me).

Quinoa is very quickly becoming a favorite food of mine. Quinoa is one of the healthiest foods you can have, and it packs a TON of protein plus it tastes so damn good. Quinoa has pretty much replaced a lot of the grain type food that we eat (most commonly being couscous).

Quinoa is versatile, you can pretty much have it for breakfast, lunch, dinner AND dessert. I mean, you can’t really say that for a lot of foods. Except for maybe cookies….

One bite of these delicious quinoa “meat” balls and you might not EVER go back to actual meatballs.

Ok, maybe sometimes….

Just trust me on this one, make these babies AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.

Quinoa “Meat” Balls

Adapted from The Small Boston Kitchen

• 1 cup cooked quinoa (I cooked it in my rice cooker, AMAZING I tell you!)
• 6 crimini mushrooms, diced
• 1/2 bag fresh spinach
• 1/2 onion, diced
• 1 red pepper, diced
• 1 yellow pepper, diced
• 1 egg
• 8-10 macadamia nuts, roughly chopped
• 1 tbsp oregano
• 1 tbsp rosemary
• salt and pepper to taste

In a saute pan, coat with olive oil and cook mushrooms, onion, and peppers until softened. Set aside and in the same pan cook the spinach until slightly wilted.

In a big bowl combine all the ingredients until they come together. Form into balls and place in a parchment lined baking sheet. Place into a 400 degree oven and bake for about 15-20 minutes.

Serve with spaghetti, in a sandwich, or just eat them as a snack!

Asian Black Bean Burger

Ever since I started back up on Weight Watchers, it’s been a little hard on the husband. I told him that I was going to limit baking to once every two weeks and I think he might have looked at me like I just told him Christmas was cancelled. I told him no ifs ands or buts about it.

I also told him that we would have to start eating better. The days of Stove Top Mac & Cheese were over (unless it’s Thursday night and I’ve already weighed in for the week!). I introduced him to such things as quinoa and more vegetarian meals, including this one!

“A veggie burger? Is that going to be enough?” My husband quipped. I told him to eat more edameme.

This was pretty simple to throw together, and is wildly interchangeable. I was originally going to put some broccoli and carrots but then realized the ones I had in the fridge had a funny smell to them. Whoops!

You need to make this. And then you need to slather it in Sriracha sauce and hoisin sauce and maybe some extra soy sauce because you’re feeling frisky. Maybe slap some sriracha on your edamame. Yeah, I went there.

Asian Black Bean Burger

• 1  can black beans
• 2 cups fresh spinach
• 1 tbsp grated fresh ginger
• 1 clove garlic, smashed
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp sesame oil
• 1/2 cup shredded cabbage
• 1/2 medium red onion
• 1 tbsp toasted sesame ginger seeds
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup bread crumbs
• 2 tbsp flour
• Peanut Oil, for pan

In a food processor combine all ingredients. You may have to put the spinach in a little at a time until it’s properly chopped up. If you like your burgers on the chunkier side, pulse until it’s to your consistency.

In a medium saute pan, heat the peanut oil. The mixture will be slightly wet, if you prefer, you can refrigerate for a half hour to firm up the batter.

Form into patties and pan fry for about 4-5 minutes per side.

I served mine with some hoisin and sriracha sauce, on a sesame seed bun. I had some leftover fontina cheese that I melted for the top. Then I served it with a heaping pile of edamame.

Sausage & Cheese Quinoa

I introduced my husband to the wonders of quinoa a while ago. He had never heard of quinoa before. I don’t even think he knew how to spell or pronounce it. I think the first time he saw it he thought it was some dried form of couscous.

My friends, if you’ve never had quinoa before, it’s time to jump on the bandwagon. I have never seen something so versatile. Quinoa can be eaten at any time of the day. You can have it for breakfast. Or maybe you want to have a light lunch. You can have it for dessert. Or you can have it for dinner like I did.

And quinoa isn’t just a side dish. It is the main character here. The star of the show, if you will. Front and center, it’s all about the quinoa.

Did I also mention that quinoa is one of the healthiest foods you can eat? It’s got a lot of protein, essential amino acids, dietary fiber, is gluten free and is easy to digest. Not to mention that it is very filling and will keep you full for a long time. You pretty much can’t go wrong with it.

After I made this quinoa dish my husband said, and I quote, “Feel free to buy and make quinoa whenever you want. It’s really good.”

If I haven’t sold you on quinoa yet, then by the time you finish reading this recipe, you’ll be a convert for sure.

Sausage & Cheese Quinoa

• 2 cups cooked quinoa*
• 9oz fresh spinach
• 1 cup sliced gouda
• 2 links of cooked turkey andouille sausage, sliced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1-2 tbsp olive oil

*If you want to learn how to cook quinoa, click here.

In a large saute pan heat the olive oil. Add the garlic and cook for 2 minutes, or until the garlic is nicely browned. Add in the spinach and cook until the spinach is wilted. Add in the sausage and stir for another 2 minutes. Add the quinoa and the cheese and stir until the cheese has been distributed evenly. Add salt and pepper to taste. Transfer to a bowl and add more sliced cheese to the top because it’s that delicious. Garnish with some dried parsley.

If you want to make this vegetarian, just take out the sausage! I would recommend adding more cheese though, or combining 2 different cheeses, to make the dish more interesting.

Secret Ingredient Fruit Smoothie

One day I was food shopping with my friend Rachel when she told me about how she makes smoothies with spinach. Now, I like spinach just as much as the next person (I was also a fan of Popeye and his love of spinach), but the thought of putting spinach in my fruit smoothie made me a little nervous. But I decided what the hell and bought all the ingredients to make a delicious smoothie.

Let’s fast forward another month or so when I actually MADE my first spinach smoothie. I decided that today would be the day for a healthy breakfast considering we are taking my mother-in-law out for her birthday at Cafe Polonia in South Boston today and the Polish aren’t exactly famous for their healthy cuisine.

Wonder Woman to the rescue!

I was a little timid and only put 1/4 cup of frozen, chopped spinach in my smoothie, but next time I will most likely double the amount. I was pleasantly surprised how tasty the smoothie turned out! I barely tasted the spinach, and luckily it turned out a pretty purple color, thanks to the blueberries and cherries. I even had Mr. Kitchen Misfit taste it without telling him there was spinach in it and he thought it was tasty as well! You might consider doubling the recipe for a fuller breakfast, or keeping the same amount. This would be a great drink to have before going out for a run, which I told myself I would do, then didn’t. Whoops.

Secret Ingredient Fruit Smoothie

• 1/4 cup frozen, chopped spinach
• 3oz fresh blueberries
• 3.5oz Greek Yogurt
• 1/2 cup apple cider
• 1/2 cup frozen whole cherries

Combine in blender until pureed fully. Serve in tall glass.

Disclaimer: Consumption of this drink may or may not result in Wonder Woman like powers.