Super Meatball Stirfry

Happy New Year! Since you might be finding it hard to get back into a routine after the Holidays, I thought I would share with you a quick and delicious meatball stirfry recipe with you.

 

Take a box of frozen meatballs. I chose blue menu beef meatballs. Then add some sweet and sour sauce from a jar if you wish and cook for about 10 minutes, add your chopped veggies- I chose peppers and broccoli for the last 3 minutes. Serve over rice and you have a quick and yummy dinner.  Enjoy!

Crockpot Sweet and Sour Meatballs

I promised I would share this lovely recipe when I posted the picture on Valentine's Day. So here it is... in the shape of a heart. But heck, depending on what you are celebrating, you could make it in the shape of a Shamrock, or Baseball (you, know for Opening Day for Baseball- ya, I live with a Sports Nut).

Crockpot Sweet and Sour Meatballs  (adapted from http://appetizersnacks.com/50/appetizer-meatballs/)

Ingredients:

1 package frozen meatballs (I chose PC Blue Menu Chicken Meatballs)

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup ketchup

3 tablespoons soy sauce

1 large can pineapple tidbits

remaining pineapple juice from the can

2 peppers- red/orange

1/4 cup white or rice vinegar

Salt to taste

Directions: Mix brown sugar, ketchup, soy sauce, pineapple juice, and vinegar together to create the sauce and pour over frozen meatballs in a slow cooker. Add fruit and vegetables,  Cook on low heat until meatballs are heated through (2-3 hours?). Serve over rice.

Nutrional Information (for meatballs) : (makes 7-8 servings)

301 calories

29 g carbs

12 g fat

21g protein

2g fibre

20g sugar

Soupy Sundays- Sesame Ginger Meatball Soup

Sesame Ginger Meatball Soup (from the LCBO Food & Drink Magazine and www.lcbo.com)

Thanks to Christy for bringing this soup to our work Pot Luck lunch. It's so delicious, I have already made it twice this Fall.

Ingredients:

MEATBALLS

1 egg

½ cup (125 mL) dry bread crumbs (panko or regular)

1 clove garlic, minced

2 tbsp (30 mL) minced fresh ginger (sorry had no fresh ginger, so had to use ginger in a tube- not as tasty)

1 tbsp (15 mL) low-sodium soy sauce

1 tsp (5 mL) sesame oil

1 lb (500 g) lean ground beef

SOUP

1 tbsp (15 mL) vegetable oil

1 tsp (5 mL) sesame oil

4 small carrots, diced

2 tbsp (30 mL) minced fresh ginger

6 cups (1.5 L) homemade or low-sodium beef broth

2 cups (500 mL) water

¼ cup (60 mL) low-sodium soy sauce

2 tsp (10 mL) Asian red chili sauce

2 tbsp (30 mL) rice vinegar

2 cups (500 mL) thinly sliced bok choy leaves

2 green onions, thinly sliced on the diagonal

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or greased foil.

2. Beat egg in a large bowl until blended. Stir in bread crumbs, garlic, ginger, soy sauce and sesame oil. Add beef and use a fork to gently incorporate seasonings into meat. Shape rounded teaspoons (5 mL) into small meatballs and place on prepared baking sheet.

3. Bake for about 15 minutes or until juices run clear. Set aside. (To make ahead, let cool, transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 1 day).

4. Meanwhile, heat vegetable oil over medium heat in a large pot. Add sesame oil and carrots and sauté for about 5 minutes or until carrots are softened. Add ginger and sauté for 1 minute. Stir in broth, water, soy sauce and chili sauce, and bring to boil over high heat. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes or until carrots are tender and flavours are blended. (To make ahead, let broth cool, cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days).

5. Just before serving, reheat soup over medium- high heat until boiling, if necessary. Add meatballs and vinegar to soup, reduce heat and simmer until meatballs are heated through. Stir in bok choy until wilted. Garnish each bowl with green onions.

Serves 8 to 10

Nutrional Information:

203 Calories

10g Carbs

9g Fat

22g Protein

2g Fibre

And here is the delicious picture... can you smell the delicious ginger, soya, beef broth? Brent just loves the broth so much.

My daughter doesn't like soup... so this is what I make for her... I double the batch of meatballs. I took whole wheat spaghetti noodles, added some meatballs and some honey garlic sauce... she just loved it. Served some veggies on the side...

Sesame Meatball Stir Fry

Sesame Meatball Stir Fry (adapted from Chatelaine.com)

Ingredients

1 lime **see note below

1/4 cup (50 mL) soy sauce

4 tsp (20 mL) dark sesame oil

1 tsp (5 mL) granulated sugar

1/2 tsp (2 mL) hot chili-garlic sauce

1 tsp (5 mL) cornstarch

1/2 2-lb (907-g) box frozen cooked meatballs

1 red pepper, cored and seeded

1 zucchini

1 celery stalk

Directions:

1.Squeeze 2 tbsp (30 mL) lime juice into a small bowl. Stir in soy sauce, sesame oil, sugar, chili-garlic sauce and cornstarch. Set aside. Lightly oil a large frying pan. Set over medium heat. When hot, add meatballs. Stir often until browned, about 6 min.

2.Meanwhile, cut pepper into thick strips. Slice zucchini into thin rounds. Coarsely chop celery. Once meatballs are browned, add vegetables and a little more oil, if needed, to pan.

3.Increase heat to medium-high. Stir-fry until zucchini starts to soften, 3 min. Stir soy sauce mixture, then pour into pan (I would add in the pineapples here). Stir constantly until sauce is bubbly, 1 to 2 min. Spoon over rice- try brown rice or a wild rice blend.

**Tasted too 'limey' so next time I would add 1 cup of low sugar canned pineapple tidbits and replace the 2 tbsp of lime juice with 2 tbsp of pineapple juice. 

Nutrional Information (with a half cup of whole grain rice blend):

341 calories
23g carbs
18g fat
19g protein
3g fibre