I am always looking for new and interesting ways to incorporate vegetables into our diet. I’ll admit that sometimes I get stuck in a rut. Recently I found this recipe online and added my own tweaks to it to suit my tastes. I will also admit that I was a little skeptical at first but after forming these into little balls (they held together perfectly) then tasting them, I’m hooked! I hope you enjoy them as much as my family has!
Ingredients:
- cooking spray
- 1/2 tbsp olive or coconut oil
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 1 1/4 lbs peeled or unpeeled eggplant, cut into 1-inch pieces (your choice whether to peel or not)
- 1 T sea salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed
- 2 tbsp chopped basil, plus leaves for garnish
- 1 1/2 cups Italian seasoned breadcrumbs
- Egg Replacer equal to 1 egg
- 1/2 C Vegan Parmesan Cheese
- Jar of your favorite pasta sauce
Preparation:
- Heat the oven to 375°F. Spray a large rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray.
- Place 1/2 tablespoon olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium high heat. When hot add the onions and sauté about 5 minutes, then add eggplant and 1/4 cup water. Season with salt and pepper to taste and cook, stirring occasionally until tender, 10 to 12 minutes. Transfer to the bowl of a food processor and pulse a few times.
- Transfer to a large mixing bowl and add bread crumbs, egg replacer, Parmesan cheese, garlic and chopped basil into the eggplant. Season with sea salt and pepper.
- Form the eggplant mixture into 24 balls about 1 1/8 oz each, rolling tightly and transfer to the prepared baking sheet. Bake until firm and browned, about 20 to 25 minutes.
- In the meantime, heat the sauce in a large deep skillet to warm the sauce. Add the meatballs to the sauce and simmer for 5 minutes. Garnish the meatballs with basil leaves and top with parmesan cheese if desired. Enjoy in pasta or a meatball sub!
