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meatless meal inspiration: lentil “meatballs”

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Meatless Monday was a hit this week.

While we consume a higher percentage of plant based meals than those with animal protein on a regular basis, I am especially mindful to make Monday’s meatless. This is a conscious choice on my behalf for several reasons and I am happy that the husband is open minded and has learned to love these meals.

{for a bit more on the Meatless Monday hype check out THIS and THIS}

This is much to the dismay of my grandma. A conversation a couple of years went something like this….

G.Ma: “ So now that you are cooking healthy, what do you make Mark?”

Moi:  “I don’t know…stir-fry’s, wraps, homemade pizza’s, sushi, quinoa dishes, a lot of vegetarian meals with beans and lentils…. “

G.Ma: {with the most complex look on her face – keep in mind she was a stay at home wife and mother of four living on a farm in rural Canada} – “But where’s the meat? Don’t you make him steak and potatoes”

Moi:  “Actually, no not usually. We have steak a couple of times in the summer but that’s about it”.

G.Ma: silence…and still a rather confused look on her face… 

I realize that for the average “meat and potato” lover this might seem challenging. For even the most picky {or stubborn} of eaters I believe that our taste buds are capable of changing and will begin to appreciate higher quality food once we start focusing on consuming more whole foods in their most natural state. Animal protein for a large majority of the population is hard to digest {it can take up to 24 hours to digest and eliminate}, is acidifying in the body {an acidic environment promotes illness and disease}, not to mention is much more expensive.

I am not advocating that you never eat meat but if and when you do I would suggest that it be organic. This way you avoid unnecessary exposure to antibiotics, pesticides, and hormones that are found in the meat of conventionally farmed animals. This is a huge topic but indulging in a MEATLESS MONDAY might be a great way to introduce more plant based meals for you and the whole family that will benefit your health and your wallet since lentils, legumes, tempeh and other veggie friendly options are a fraction of the price of meat.

I have found some serious recipe inspiration from Pinterest lately. I shared a sneak peek of this picture on Instagram and a lot of you asked me to share the recipe.

Here it is, LENTIL “MEATBALLS”.

lentil meatballs

I have only made these once, but the husband and I both loved them. The recipe inspiration is taken from this fabulous blog – Sprouted Kitchen. I made a couple of substitutions based on what was in my kitchen. I used both lentils and chickpeas because I had just cooked up a batch of both.

I added these beauty balls to a bed of millet and lightly sauteed a big bunch of spinach. I topped the meatballs with pesto, a bit of parmesan cheese and some sun-dried tomatoes. It was a well balanced, nutritious and filling meal. There were also a few balls left over that I added to a salad the next day.

I didn’t make my own pesto this time around but definitely will give this recipe a try when I have access to greater quantities of basil in the spring and summer. Instead I used a good quality store bought brand and diluted it a bit with some Exra Virgin Olive Oil and added juice of a lemon.

Needless to say, we loved the lentil meatballs and I plan on playing around with some different ingredients next time.

Do you have any favourite meatless meals that have won over the hearts of your family? Please share. 


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