Make These Light, Healthy Thai Quinoa "Meatballs"
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Once you start tacking dietaries onto recipes — paleo, gluten-free, vegan — the options (and flavors) tend to shrink. Avoid this entirely with a copy of Minimalist Baker's Everyday Cooking, from bloggers Dana and John Shultz. Packed with healthy, delicious spin-offs of your favorite dishes, this is one collection that will point you in the right direction.
These "meatballs" are jam-packed with Thai-inspired flavors and come in bite-size portions. Serve atop carrot noodles with peanut sauce for a hearty meal that's bursting with flavor.
Notes: Cook quinoa in vegetable broth for extra flavor.
To freeze, arrange the uncooked meatballs on a parchment-lined baking sheet and freeze until firm. Transfer to a freezer-safe container or bag and freeze for up to 1 month. To cook, place on a foil-lined baking sheet and spritz with oil to encourage browning. Bake for 20-30 minutes, or until warmed through, in a 350-degree Fahrenheit (176-degree Celsius) oven, gently tossing/flipping at the halfway point to ensure even cooking.
Reprinted with permission from Minimalist Baker's Everyday Cooking
- 1 15-ounce can chickpeas
- 1/2 cup cooked quinoa (see note)
- 1/4 cup organic brown sugar (or substitute coconut sugar)
- 2 tablespoons salted peanut butter
- 2-3 tablespoons tamari or soy sauce (if gluten-free, use tamari)
- 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro
- 1/4 cup finely diced green onion
- 1 teaspoon chili garlic sauce
- 3/4-1 cup roasted salted peanuts
- 6-8 whole carrots
- peanut sauce
- fresh cilantro
- lime juice
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (176 degrees C). Arrange the chickpeas on a foil- or parchment- lined rimmed baking sheet. Bake for 12-13 minutes to dehydrate, then set aside. Keep the oven at 350 degrees F (176 degrees C).
- Add the baked chickpeas to the bowl of a food processor or blender. Mix/pulse on low to pulverize. Alternatively, mash with a fork.
- Add the chickpea mixture and remaining ingredients to a medium bowl. Stir/mix to combine. Taste and adjust the seasonings as needed. Add more crushed peanuts if too wet (bread crumbs work well here, too). I found 1 cup to be the perfect amount. This will depend on how wet your quinoa and peanut butter are.
- Scoop out amounts of dough slightly larger than 1 tablespoon. Gently roll into balls. Roll in additional crushed peanuts to coat.
- Spray the foil-lined baking sheet used earlier with nonstick spray. Add the meatballs. Bake for 15 minutes, then gently turn/flip to ensure even cooking. Bake for another 10-15 minutes, or to desired doneness. The longer the meatballs cook, the firmer they will get. Once they cool a little, they firm up even more.
- While baking, prepare any additional serving items. To cook the carrots, bring a pot of water to a boil, add the ribboned carrots, and cook for 2-3 minutes or until just tender. Strain and set aside.
- Serve the meatballs over carrot noodles with peanut sauce, chili garlic sauce, fresh cilantro, and lime juice.
- Leftovers will keep covered in the refrigerator for 2-3 days, though best when fresh. Reheat in a 350-degree F oven until warmed through. See notes for freezing instructions.