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SWEET AND SOUR “MEATBALLS”

Does healthy eating mean that all of your family favorites are suddenly off-limits? Is it difficult to make meals that are good tasting and good for you as well? Not at all. Making food choices that lead to optimal health and overall well being has never been easier.

The key is in using wholesome alternatives that do a great job of standing in for unhealthy ingredients. In this week’s recipe, Sweet and Sour “Meatballs,” we use a delicious and very authentic substitute for ground beef, made with a blend of soy and wheat gluten. This unique product rolls into perfect little meatballs right from the package and has the ability to mimic the flavor, texture and cohesive quality of traditional ground beef.

We oven bake our wholesome “meatballs” with just a spritz of olive oil spray, rather than fry them in lots of oil, with terrific results. Our easy and delicious sweet and sour sauce is made with a minimum of ingredients and comes together very quickly. Sweet and Sour “Meatballs” can be made ahead and served as an entree with rice or noodles, or as an appetizer.

Sweet & Sour “Meatballs”
from More Soy Cooking, ©Marie Oser, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 2000

12 Servings (entree)

2 (14 ounce package) Gimme Lean, ground beef style
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1 (14 1/2 ounce) can Mexican Stewed Tomatoes
1 (16 ounce can ) jellied cranberry sauce
1 (25 ounce jar) fat free tomato sauce
1/2 cup barbecue sauce
1 (8 ounce can) crushed pineapple, packed in juice

Preheat oven to 400 °
Spray a baking pan with olive oil cooking spray. Roll the Gimme Lean vegetarian ground beef into balls roughly 1 inch or so in diameter. You should have around 48 “meatballs.” Place on the prepared pan and spray tops lightly with olive oil Sprinkle with onion powder and bake in preheated oven for 10 minutes. Place pan under the broiler and brown tops. Remove and set aside. Place the stewed tomatoes and cranberry jelly in a 5 quart saucepan and heat over medium high flame, stirring frequently until the cranberry jelly “melts,”about 5 minutes. Add the tomato sauce, barbecue sauce, and crushed pineapple and reduce heat to medium. Cook mixture 5 minutes and add the baked meatballs. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes or until ready to serve.

Enlightened Sweet & Sour Meatballs
Nutrition Analysis: per serving (4 “meatballs”)
Protein 12g, Carbohydrate 47.g, Fiber 3g, Fat 0g, Chol. 0 mg, Calcium 11 mg Sodium 612 mg
Calories 250
from Protein: 20%, from Carbohydrate:79%, from Fat: 1%

Traditional Sweet & Sour Meatballs
Nutrition Analysis: per serving (4 meatballs)
Protein 13g, Carbohydrate 41.g, Fiber 0g, Fat 23 g, Chol. 58mg, Calcium 11mg, Sodium 777mg
Calories 429
from Protein: 12%, from Carbohydrate:39%, from Fat: 49%

Ingredients of Note

Gimme Lean - Available in sausage and ground beef style, and sold in the refrigerated or freezer case of health food stores, some supermarkets, and Trader Joe’s. This easy to use product is exceedingly authentic in flavor, texture, and appearance, and holds together very well when making patties, “meatballs”, or loaves. Made by Light Life Foods, Inc.

Stewed Tomatoes - A convenient ingredient in many savory dishes. Mexican stewed tomatoes add particular spice and flavor to this dish and are widely available in supermarkets. From S & W Foods.