No Chop Chili - Vegan Version

No Chop Chili - Vegan Version with TVP

Top with with some Fritos corn chips... Yum!

I have been making a super simple chili that I call “No Chop Chili” for more than 10 years. The recipe is based on a “knock off recipe“ I found on the Internet; the chili is supposed to taste like the chili you get at Wendy’s Restaurants.  I made a few tweaks to the recipe and I just kept making it the same way over and over. Most of the times I have made this chili over the years, I made it with ground beef.  In the past few years, I’ve substituted ground turkey to make a lighter version.  This is a recipe I make for my husband at least once a month. The leftovers are great.

A number of months ago, I decided to switch to a vegan diet and my husband followed along a few months later.  He was craving the chili so we decided to make the chili with “Beyond Beef/Beyond Burger”, which is an item you might be able to find at your local grocery store.  Beyond Beef/Beyond Burger is a rather expensive item.  It’s a vegan meat substitute and is made from pea protein and other ingredients.  At my local store, it costs $9.99 for a one pound package.  When I make the No Chop Chili with the Beyond Beef/Beyond Burger, I make the chili following the original recipe, but I substitute half of the one pound package of Beyond Beef/Beyond in place of one pound of ground beef as described in the recipe (or I double the recipe and use the entire pound).  Here is the original No Chop Chili recipe which you could easily follow if you’d like to make the chili and substitute Beyond Beef/Beyond Burger (Click HERE for the original No Chop Chili recipe).  I like to make the recipe with just half the amount of Beyond Beef/Beyond Burger for two reasons: cost and taste.  My husband says a little of the Beyond Beef/Beyond Burger goes a long way. It does really give the chili a different flavor which he compares to the “flame grilled flavor” you might be able to imagine in some packaged foods.

My husband is very happy with the Beyond Beef/Beyond Burger version of the No Chop Chili.  Me? Not so much. I am not the biggest fan of the the “flame grilled flavor” and I also find the the smell and texture kind of weird. I am not knocking the Beyond Beef brand.  Like I said, my husband loves it.  I was hoping to make a vegan version of the No Chop Chili that was more like the chili I’ve been making for so long but I desired a different meat substitute.

I recently tried a new-to-me ingredient called Texturized Vegetable Protein (TVP). I thought it might be good in this recipe, I tried it out, and I LOVE IT.  I’ve already made it two times in the last few weeks.

Here it is:


No Chop Chili - Vegan Version with TVP

1 cup Texturized Vegetable Protein (TVP), I used Bob’s Red Mill Brand (See LINK)
2 1/2 cups water (divided)
1 beef style bouillon cube (I use a Not-beef Bouillon cube, Edward and Sons brand) See LINK
1 15−ounce can of dark red kidney beans (drained and rinsed)
1 15−ounce can of pinto beans (drained and rinsed)
1 8−ounce can tomato sauce
1 14.5-ounce can of diced tomatoes, fire roasted if available (liquid included)
1 4−ounce can of diced green chilies
1 1/2 tablespoons chili powder

1/2 tablespoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder


1. Bring 1 1/2 cups water to a boil. I use a Pyrex measuring cup that is microwave safe to heat the water.  Dissolve the bouillon cube in the hot water; stir to combine.  Place the TVP in a medium sized bowl; pour the “beef” flavored broth over the TVP and set aside for about 10 minutes so that the TVP can absorb the liquid.
2. Add all of the remaining ingredients to a soup pot plus 1 cup of water.  Add the hydrated TVP to the pot including any liquid that was not absorbed by the TVP.  Stir to combine.
3. Cover the pot with a lid, bring to a boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer.  Simmer covered for about 20 minutes (stirring occasionally).

The chili is good by itself.
It’s even better topped with some diced fresh onion (we use sweet onion).
Better yet... top the chili with diced fresh onion and some dairy-free cheddar style cheese (I like Daiya brand).
If you want to get a little decadent, place a handful of Frito brand corn chips in your chili (Yep! The original Frito corn chips just happen to be vegan!).  Pretty much any corn chip is good in the chili.  Of course, little oyster crackers or saltines are good in the chili as well.

Enjoy!

The BEST Vegetarian Chili Ever

THE BEST VEGETARIAN CHILI EVER

https://www.ambitiouskitchen.com/best-vegetarian-chili-recipe/

I guess sometimes my posts are more like recipe reviews.  I have been trying lots and lots of new recipe lately. In fact, I have so many recipe that I want to try in the near future that sometimes I lose track of all the recipes.  When I saw this recipe on one of my favorite cooking blogs (www.ambitiouskitchen.com) and I saw that the recipe freezes well, I decided to make the chili and then just freeze nearly all of it.  I enjoy all of the healthy cooking I do for myself, but sometimes there are just too many portions for just me to eat.  When my husband saw that this recipe has a “bunch of orange stuff in it”, I knew it would be up to me to eat all of this.  Lately I’ve had the idea to find more freezer friendly recipes and make big pots of soup and then freeze many of the portions so I can just enjoy a portion now and again instead of eating the same chili seven days in a row.  

So almost all of this chili went into the freezer but I had a little tiny bowl so I could see if it really is the Best Vegetarian Chili Ever.  It’s mighty tasty.  I really like it.  I regret that I did not let my chili simmer just a bit longer than I did.  Some of my carrot and sweet potato chunks were a bit larger than the rest and I would have liked for them to have cooked a bit longer.  I figure when I defrost a portion of this chili, I could simmer it on the stove top for awhile to soften up the vegetables a bit more.

Here is the recipe link for THE BEST VEGETARIAN CHILI EVER.

Bowties & Beans (Easy Vegan Pasta Skillet)

BOWTIES AND BEANS

I am so excited to tell you about this recipe.  We’ve made a version of this recipe for years in my kitchen.  It started with a recipe called Skillet Lasagna which I believe was from a Better Crocker cookbook (some sort of fast and easy cookbook... my mom gave it to me... thanks, Mom!). The original recipe called for Italian pork sausage, bell pepper, onion, mushroom, dry pasta, mozzarella cheese, pasta sauce, water and spices. Over the years I got to the point where I could just throw things in the pot and it was always good.  We never added mushroom and we always added in extra spices and we always added some Parmesan cheese to each serving.  More recently, we’ve made the recipe with ground turkey and eliminated the mozzarella cheese to make the dish lower in fat.  

My husband recently decided to join me in eating an exclusively plant based diet (no food from any animal sources) and every recipe we have been gravitating toward has been Mexican-inspired. Mexican Lasagna, Black Bean and Potato Burritos, Taco Pizza, Tostadas... you get the idea.  While we both love Mexican-inspired dishes, you can have too much of a good thing.  I was getting to where I was craving something like spaghetti and meatballs. I have tried a number of vegan “burger” recipes in the past several weeks so I started to research vegan “meatball” recipes.  Despite my research, I was determined I was not going to find a recipe that would yield a nice firm meatball. I was even contemplating looking at the frozen vegan “meatballs” at the grocery store and maybe trying something like that. 

It suddenly occurred to me that I was just overthinking this.  We decided to make the Skillet Lasagna recipe and just add a can of beans and eliminate the meat.  So easy!  The end result was delicious and we both loved it.  We got adventurous and tried out some interesting toppings.  

You can see some of the toppings in the close up photos below. 

 We tried topping the pasta with hemp seeds.  Result: delicious!  

We also tried a topping that I made in my blender:  Vegan Parmesan cheese (bread crumbs, sliced almonds, nutritional yeast, and garlic powder).  Result: also delicious!  

The toppings are optional but I like them both.  The toppings are a great way to add some additional vitamins and protein to the dish.

Lots of great spices from the spice rack.

Okay, here is the recipe:

Bowties & Beans (Easy Vegan Pasta Skillet)

1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil

1 medium onion (I used a sweet onion), diced

1 medium bell pepper (any color; I used red), diced

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon dried basil

3/4 teaspoon salt (I used kosher salt)

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

Several grinds of black pepper

1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar (optional)

3 cups of pasta (I used Barilla brand Mini Farfalle “bowties”).  May substitute 8 to 9 ounces of a different shape small pasta such as small shells or penne pasta.

1 jar (24 ounces) of pasta sauce (I used Barilla brand Tomato Basil sauce)

24 ounces of water (fill the pasta sauce jar with water)

1 can (15.5 ounce) cannellini beans (white kidney beans), rinsed and drained (May substitute any bean such as dark red kidney bean or garbanzo bean, but I liked the creaminess of the cannellini beans.  Next time we make this, we might add in two cans of beans instead of just one.

Heat a large pot over medium to medium to medium high heat; add in 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil.  Once the oil is hot, add in the bell pepper and onion.  Cook, stirring frequently, for about 3 to 5 minutes, until vegetables begin to soften.  Add in all the spices (oregano through sugar).  Stir to coat the vegetables with the spices and cook an additional minute.

Next add in the remaining ingredients (pasta, pasta sauce, water, and beans). Stir to combine and cover with a lid. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer.  Simmer for approximately 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.  The cooking time will vary depending upon which type of pasta you use so I recommend checking your pasta at about 15 minutes for desired tenderness.  I live at high altitude so pasta takes a bit longer to cook here.

OPTIONAL TOPPINGS:

HEMP SEEDS: I recommend giving them a try.

VEGAN PARMESAN CHEESE:

In a blender or food processor, combine 1/4 cup bread crumbs (I used Panko bread crumbs), 1/4 cup sliced raw almonds, 1/8 cup nutritional yeast, and a pinch of garlic powder.  Pulse in the blender or food processor until the almonds are pulverized.  Sprinkle over pasta dish.

TOP WITH SOME GREENS:

I did not try it today but I’ve been at Italian restaurants where my pasta dish was served with a handful of raw arugula on top.  I think that would be a great addition to this pasta recipe.  Also, one could easily stir a few handfuls of raw spinach in to this pasta recipe when the pasta is cooked through.  My husband would not go for that, but I would like that.  

If you give this recipe a try, I’d love to hear about it.  

Lots of leftovers. Love that!

Here’s a close up of the pasta dish with some of the Vegan Parmesan Cheese (above).

Mmm! Simmering on the stove top (above).

Here is a sample plate where we were trying out the toppings (hemp seeds on the left and Vegan Parmesan Cheese on the right).

Very Frugal Vegan Not Chicken Noodle Soup

Very Frugal Vegan Not Chicken Noodle Soup

Since switching to a plant based diet, I have joined some Facebook Groups related to plant based cooking. One group is called “Plant Based on a Budget Support Group”; the group is hosted by Toni Okamoto.  She is a cookbook author among other things and one of her cookbooks is called “Plant Based on a Budget”.  The other day, I was watching one of Toni’s YouTube Videos. She showed what she ate in a day and she showed that the ingredients in her meals were all from the Dollar Tree store.  I recall she made a smoothie with frozen fruit and almond milk, a brown rice stir fry with frozen vegetables, and a veggie burger with more rice and veggies on the side.  I’ve been known to purchase some frozen fruit and veggies at my local dollar store as well.

The other day when I was shopping at my local Kroger store, I found some bargains and I made up a quick and easy soup.  This meal really hit the spot since I’ve been suffering from a nasty head cold for a week now.  There’s nothing like a nice hot and steamy bowl of brothy soup when you have an icky cold.  This recipe makes a really big bowl of soup which can be easily be made into two smaller portions if desired.  My calculations reveal this recipe (one big bowl of soup) contains about 10 grams of protein.  

The vermicelli I purchased for this soup cost 29 cents.  The frozen veggies were $1.00.  The vegan “chicken” bouillon cost a few dollars but it’s actually quite economical because the eight bouillon cubes in the package make a total of 16 cups of broth.  

Very Frugal Vegan Not Chicken Noodle Soup

2 cups of water

1 bouillon cube (I used Not Chick-N brand)

1/2 cup (55 grams) vermicelli

I cup of frozen mixed vegetables (thawed)

Option: garnish with a dash of fresh or dried parsley.

In a small pot, bring the water to a boil. Add in the bouillon cube and stir until dissolved.  Add in the vermicelli, reduce heat, and simmer until noodles are desired tenderness (my package directions specified the noodles should be cooked for 5 to 7 minutes).  Add in the mixed vegetables and cook another minute so that the vegetables are warmed through.  If desired, garnish soup with a sprinkle of fresh or dried parsley.  

Lentil Sloppy Joes (Vegan)

Lentil Sloppy Joes (Vegan)

My husband keeps joking with me that I decided to switch to a plant based diet so that I could experiment with new ingredients and try a bunch of new recipes.  There might be some truth to that. I am having a lot of fun trying new dishes.  

This week I’ve been enjoying Sloppy Joes made with lentils.  This recipe is making a lot of meals for me. I probably could have frozen some of the portions.  The recipe does have a rather long list of ingredients but I have a well stocked pantry. I have been enjoying my lentil Sloppy Joes over toast (open faced sandwiches) and in baked potatoes.  It’s a nice change of pace from many other meals I’ve been enjoying.  

I found the Vegan Lentil Sloppy Joe recipe on www.Food52.com. The recipe link is HERE.

Vegan Lentil Sloppy Joes

Ingredients 

• 1 cup brown or green lentils, soaked for a few hours (or overnight) and rinsed
• 2 cups water
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 cup white or yellow onion, chopped
• 1 green or red bell pepper, chopped (about 3/4 to 1 cup)
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 2 teaspoons chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon mustard powder, dried
• 1 15-ounce can crushed, fire-roasted tomatoes 
• 3 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 tablespoon organic brown sugar or maple syrup
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt (adjust according to taste; how much is needed will also depend on the tomatoes and tomato paste you use)
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper (or to taste)
• 1/2 cup vegetable broth (or more as needed)
• 6 sprouted grain buns (also good on toast or in a baked potato)
• Instructions

1. 
   Place lentils in a large pot, and cover with water (enough so that there's at least a full inch or two of water above the lentils). Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Cook for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the lentils are chewable, but still have some firmness to them. Drain them and set aside.
2. Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion and pepper, and cook for 5 to 8 minutes, or until the onion is soft and clear, stirring frequently. Add the garlic, chili, paprika, and mustard, and continue cooking for another minute or two, until the garlic is quite fragrant. 
3. Add the lentils, fire-roasted tomatoes, tomato paste, brown sugar or maple syrup, apple cider vinegar, salt, pepper, and broth. Bring the mixture to a simmer. Add more broth as needed. Simmer until the mixture has thickened to your liking, about 15 to 20 minutes (I like thick sloppy joes, but if you like 'em sloppier, that's fine, too!). 
4. Remove mixture from heat and allow to cool for a few minutes. Divide sloppy joes onto the buns and top with toppings of choice, including some Tabasco or sriracha for heat, if desired. Serve.

In some of the photos, you can see a creamy looking sauce on top of the Sloppy Joes.  This is a cashew cream concoction and it is one of our new favorite things.  Spicy Ranch Dressing from “Forks Over Knives”. Here is the Spicy Ranch Dressing recipe LINK.

Happy New Year: Amazing Black Eyed Peas

Amazing Black Eyed Peas

I was not until I was an adult that I learned that black eyed peas are a New Years Day tradition for many folks.  I don't think I ever ate black eyed peas as a kid and I can't say I've ever cooked them in my home as an adult.  Not too long ago, my friend Harriet had me over for lunch. She was copying some recipes for me and I noticed a black eyed pea recipe in her recipe book. The recipe called for just three ingredients... black eyed peas, nutritional yeast, and Ume Plum Vinegar.  I had actually just purchased a can of black eyed peas and I had nutritional yeast on hand, so I just needed the vinegar. I found it this week at Natural Grocers/Vitamin Cottage.

The recipe as written calls for one pound of dried black eyed peas.  You cook the black eyed peas in a pressure cooker or on the stove top until tender.  To the cooked peas, you two tablespoons of nutritional yeast and two tablespoons of the Ume Plum Vinegar.  Since I was using canned black eyed peas, I just reduced the amount.

The Ume Plum Vinegar has a very surprising taste. The color is a beautiful vibrant purple and I was just sort of expecting it to have a fruity, vinegar taste.  Instead, the combination of the nutritional yeast and the plum vinegar had a rich, savory, salty flavor.  I recommend not adding any additional salt to your dish; I just don't think it's necessary.  The first time I had the black eyed peas, I had it with some left over tofu.  The second time I had the black eyed peas, I had it as you see in the photo above with steamed green beans, cooked barley, and more leftover tofu. I decided these delicious black eyed peas would be great in a Grain Bowl such as this because the sauce would season all the ingredients nicely.  I loved this combination.

Amazing Black Eyed Peas

1 (15.5 ounce can) black eyed peas, rinsed and drained

about 3 tablespoons water

1 heaping teaspoon nutritional yeast

1 heaping teaspoon Ume Plum Vinegar 

Add the black eyed peas and about 3 tablespoons of water to a small pot.  Cover with a lid and bring to a boil to heat the beans through.  Add in the nutritional yeast and Ume Plum Vinegar, cover with a lid and simmer for a few minutes. Enjoy!

I feel nutritional yeast and the plum vinegar both have very strong flavors. I recommending starting with the measurements noted above and add more if desired (up to 2 teaspoons of each). 

Happy New Year!

Spicy and Easy Black Bean Chili

Spicy & Easy Black Bean Chili

Mmmmm! Chili.

It's been so cold in Southern Colorado for a few weeks. We go for a walk every single morning because the dogs will drive us NUTS otherwise.  Some days it is down right miserable due to the cold temperatures.  Brrrrrr!

Sometimes we venture out in the afternoon for a second walk if it feels as if the temperature has warmed up a bit.  We went for a second walk the other day and we were WRONG. It was still so cool in the shade down by the river.  I got home from the walk and quickly defrosted a pound of ground turkey from the freezer so I could make chili.  The rest of the ingredients for this recipe were in my pantry.  This is similar to a chili I make all the time called "No Chop Chili (recipe link HERE)".  That recipe is supposed to be similar to chili from Wendy's restaurant but I've really tweaked the recipe over the years.  

The "No Chop Chili" calls for ground beef, pinto beans, and dark red kidney beans, and it is not very spicy. 

This new recipe calls for ground turkey and black beans, and it's SPICY.  The spice primarily comes from a can of El Pato brand "Hot Tomato Sauce". You can see it in the photo above.  It's a small yellow can with a duck on it.  "El Pato" is Spanish for "the duck".  I find this hot tomato sauce in the area with other canned tomatoes at the grocery store, but this is no ordinary "tomato sauce".  This can also contains chili, salt, onion, garlic, and other spices.  It really adds a lot to a pot of chili.  

Spicy and Easy Black Bean Chili

1 pound ground turkey (I used Jennie-O brand 93 percent lean) 

2 15−ounce cans black beans (drained and rinsed)

1 can (7 3/4 ounce) El Pato brand "Hot Tomato Sauce"

1 14.5-ounce can of diced tomatoes (include liquid)

1 4−ounce can of diced green chilies (with liquid)

1 1/2 tablespoons chili powder

1/2 tablespoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon sugar

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1  to 1 1/2 cups water (less if you desire thicker chili)

Optional garnishes: grated cheddar cheese, oyster or saltine crackers, sour cream, or plain Greek yogurt. 

1. Brown the turkey over medium heat, breaking into small pieces with the spatula.  While the turkey browns, drain and rinse the beans; set aside.  Measure the spices into a small bowl; set aside.

2.  Once the ground turkey is completely cooked (no pink remains), add the spices to the turkey; stir to coat the turkey with the spices.

3. Add the beans, diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, diced green chilies, and water. Stir to combine.  Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer.  Cover and simmer for approximately 15 to 20 minutes.  Top with optional garnishes as desired.

  

Enjoy!

Oven Roasted Spiced Yogurt Marinated Chicken Drumsticks

Oven Roasted Spiced Yogurt Marinated Chicken Drumsticks

I saw a small package containing five chicken drumsticks at the grocery store the other day and I was astonished by the low price.  I want to say it was $2.39 or $2.63.  I pondered a few options and decided to marinate the chicken in yogurt.  I had tried this once before with chicken tenderloins and I grilled the chicken on the stove top in my grill pan.  It was good!

I decided to remove the skin from the drumsticks to make the dish a little lower in fat.  I paired it with my favorite Roasted Turmeric Cauliflower (recipe HERE) and steamed broccoli.

I can't eat a chicken drumstick without thinking of my son.  I remember when he was young, he called chicken legs "chicken on a stick".  So cute.  He'll be 22 years old in a few weeks but thinking about "chicken on a stick" still makes me chuckle.  

OVEN ROASTED SPICED YOGURT MARINATED CHICKEN DRUMSTICKS

Adapted from "Once Upon a Chef"

Original recipe link is here: https://www.onceuponachef.com/recipes/middle-eastern-chicken-kebabs.html

• 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt (I used 2% Fage brand plain Greek yogurt)
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1/4 teaspoon cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon turmeric
• 1/16 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (reduce to 1/4 teaspoon if you don't like heat)
• finely grated lemon zest (from 1/2 of one lemon) 
• freshly squeezed lemon juice (from 1/2 of one lemon)
• 3/4 teaspoons salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 to 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 5 to 6 chicken drumsticks, skin removed if desired

Place all ingredients (EXCEPT for the chicken) in a gallon size plastic bag with a zip closure; zip the bag closed.  Mash ingredients around with your hands to combine.  Add in the chicken drumsticks, zip bag closed, and mash around ingredients until all the chicken pieces are coated in the spiced 

yogurt.  Refrigerate for 2 to 3 hours, longer if desired (I allowed mine to marinate overnight).

Line a baking sheet with foil and spray generously with non-stick spray.  Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.  Place marinated drumsticks on the baking sheet (drumsticks should not be touching each other) and roast for 40 to 45 minutes, turning once half way the baking time. (Note: Cook until internal temperature reaches at least 165 degrees Fahrenheit).

This recipe is great for meal prep.

Creamy Tuna Salad with Curry Spice

Eating lunch in my craft room (above).

Creamy Tuna Salad with Curry Spice


I've been doing come experimenting.  The other day, we went for an afternoon walk (my husband and I) and we were discussing what to have for dinner. We both decided that canned tuna sounded good but he made his tuna his way and I made my tuna my way.  My husband's tuna is pretty straight forward: light mayonnaise, some spicy Guldens mustard, and he mixes it together with shredded lettuce and he eats it on toasted rye bread.

I went a totally different direction. Curry spice, yogurt, raisins, carrots, apple.  It was good but needed some tweaking.  I've had it a few more times, tweaking here and there, and I've settled on a combination I really like.




Creamy Tuna Salad with Curry Spice

1 can tuna (5 ounce size), drained (I used Bumble Bee Solid White Albacore)
1/2 honey crisp apple, diced
3 tablespoons plain Greek yogurt (2 percent fat)
a squeeze of Dijon mustard (about 3/4 teaspoon)
a squeeze of honey (about 3/4 teaspoon)
1/2 teaspoon of curry spice (I used Penzey's "The Now Curry")
a few pinches of salt
a few grinds of black pepper
1 to 2 tablespoons of raisins
a few tablespoons of celery, diced
a few tablespoons of onion, diced (sweet or red onion)… you can omit the onion if you prefer

Mix all ingredients well in a bowl. Dig in!
Or you could put in on bread or toast.
Now that romaine lettuce is "safe" again, you could eat this on lettuce leaves.
As for me, a spoon works just fine.

Easy Italian Turkey Meatballs (Gluten-Free)

I have made meatballs for years and they never quite come out the same way twice.  I just sort of throw in a little of this and a little of that and they usually turn out pretty good.  Most of the time, I make meatballs with Italian flavors and add them to marinara sauce for spaghetti and meatballs or zoodles and meatballs.  This summer, when I was teaching my college-aged son to cook, I wanted to show him how to make meatballs with pantry ingredients so the recipe was quick, easy, and approachable.  No mincing fresh garlic, no washing and chopping fresh parsley, etc.  We made some meatballs and he liked them, but we did not measure anything.  I've made up these meatballs a few more times since with good results and I've finally written down the ingredients/proportions.  I like to make two pounds of meatballs at a time; we eat some right away and freeze the rest for a later date. (Note: I do bake them before freezing them.  When I am ready to use them, I let them thaw in the refrigerator and then add them to the sauce).

This is a flexible recipe. Here I've used dried parsley and garlic powder, but I often use fresh garlic and fresh parsley.  Sometimes I add in about 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese; feel free to do so if you like.  If you do, you might opt to add a little less salt to your meatballs since cheese is rather salty.

In this recipe, you'll notice I use oatmeal in place of bread crumbs or cracker crumbs.  Not only does this make this recipe gluten-free, but I also look at this as an opportunity to add in some whole grains. Store bought bread crumbs are more processed and have a lot of additives.  I just looked at the Italian Style Bread Crumbs I have in my pantry.  Yowza! There are a lot of ingredients in there.  In the recipe I suggest using instant oats, but I don't always have them on hand. ***  If you don't have instant oats, measure out a 1/2 cup of old fashioned/rolled oats and put them in your blender or food processor. Pulse them awhile in the blender or food processor and they will break down a bit and will be perfect to add to your meatballs.  In the photo above, you can see the oats.  I got so carried away pulverizing them that they look like oat flour.  You don't need to go that far but the meatballs will turn out great regardless.

Easy Italian Turkey Meatballs
2 pounds turkey (93 percent lean)

1/2 cup instant oats (see note above ***) 

2 tsp. dried oregano
2 tsp. dried basil

1 tsp. salt (I used kosher salt)

several grinds of black pepper (about 1/4 tsp.)

1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. onion powder
1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
1 egg

Line a baking sheet with foil; spray with non-stick cooking spray, set aside.  Preheat oven 375 degrees Fahrenheit.

Combine all ingredients together in a large bowl.  Stir well with a fork or your hands.  Shape into 32 meatballs (somewhere between the size of a big walnut and a golf ball).  

Bake in the preheated oven for 15 to 17 minutes.

If you make fewer/larger meatballs, cook longer.  For example, today I made only 20 meatballs instead of 32 meatballs and they were perfectly cooked at 20 minutes.

Wow, what a yummy lunch I had!  Zucchini noodles (Zoodles!) and meatballs with marinara sauce.  This is one of my all time favorite things to eat.