Being mostly plant-based may seem like I’m missing out – no meatballs, hamburgers, sausages or meatloaf!?!?! Well, I’m going to be bold and say the plant-based versions of all of these are better!
Not only do they contain enzymes, nutrients, vitamins essential for our health, they leave out the saturated fat & cholesterol animal protein adds. Think of the cow as the middleman – it eats plants to get nutrients, but the nutrients gets filtered through its system and passed on to our plates with all the extra bullsh*$!
And above all else, the plant versions are delicious!
I was craving Italian, something hearty, so whipped up these kidney bean balls last weekend. They turned out amazing – super hearty, filling, and packed with plant goodness. The secret ingredient? Fresh baked breadcrumbs! I had stale whole wheat hamburger buns in my fridge, so ripped em’ to shreds and made an Italian style breadcrumb that added a ton of flavor.
Ingredients
Breadcrumbs
Stale bread (2-3 slices, or 2 hamburger buns)
2 tablespoons oregano & parsley & onion powder
2 Tablespoons of olive soil
Pinch of sea salt & pepper
Crumble bread into bite sized pieces and put into a bowl. Mix all dry ingredients and toss oil into the bowl – mix well. Bake breadcrumbs at 350 for 12-16 minutes.
Kidney Bean Balls
1 can of organic kidney beans (rinsed)
1/2 medium red onion
4 garlic cloves
1 tablespoon balsamic olive oil 1 flax egg (1 tablespoon of flaxmeal mixed with 2 tablespoons of water – let mixture sit until gooey)
Chop onion and put into a cuisine art along with the garlic gloves. Mix until minced. Add can of beans and pulse about 4-5 times. You want mixture to be chunky. Add flax egg and balsamic stir with a wooden spoon. Toss in breadcrumbs and mix. Form into balls and put on a cookie sheet with parchment paper (I sprayed a bit of olive oil on parchment paper). Bake at 375 for about 15-20 minutes. Balls should be firm.
Check out my instagram page to see a video of the plant-goodness!
Enjoy!
