Melissa was "gluten intolerant" before it was cool... Now that it is cool, I find a running theme among friends who are not 'gluten free', but have friends are relatives who are, "What do I cook for these poor/weird/crazy/sad (insert your own adjective if I missed it) people who no longer indulge in the joy that is gluten?"
I would like to devote a few posts to foods that are A)Gluten free B) Healthy and C)CHEAP!
Tonight: MEATBALLS! They are cheap and easy (actually taste better gluten free) and can be added to just about anything.
You will need:
1/2 lb. Ground pork or beef (pork is better... half pork half beef is fine... just beef... well... do they make bacon out of cows?)
Equal volume (about 4 large) Crimini Mushrooms minced (that means the pile should be as big and the pile of meat)
1 egg
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1 tsp onion powder (or you can use minced onions if you'd like)
1/2 tsp garlic powder or 1 tsp minced garlic (more if you like)
Mix this all together with your fingers and spoon on to baking sheets I like bite size meatballs (1/2 teaspoon size) but I've made them up to tablespoon size and they work great.
Cook at 375 (F) for about 20 min (depending on size).
Serves 2 adults and 3 children.... (3-4 adults depending on how much you eat).
Now- you may be saying "MUSHROOMS! YUCK!" Let me promise you, you will not taste them. They fill out the meatballs add a dimension to the flavor, disappear into the ground meat AND they are naturally rich in vitamin D. If you make these and you can tell there are mushrooms- it means your mushrooms needed more mincing.
The other plus of the mushrooms is that if you forget that your meatballs are in the oven for say an hour... and then suddenly realize... (I'm not speaking from experience or anything...) they will be crispy on the outside, but the middle will still be moist, because unlike breadcrumbs which steal the moisture of the meat, mushrooms add moisture.
Serve these meatballs with Rice:
Sweet and Sour Style- (Thank you Betty Crocker circa. 1980)
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 can pineapple chunks & liquid
1/2 cup white vinegar
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 bell/sweet pepper the color of your choice
Cook in sauce pan until thick. Add meat balls serve over rice)
Quick Meatloaf-balls style-
Add 1/4 C minced apple and a few good shakes of worcestershire to your meatball mix.
Make your favorite meatloaf sauce. I am partial to this one:
1 cup Katsup
1/3 cup mustard
1/4 C brown sugar
pepper to taste
little worcestershire sauce
Serve with rice or potatoes or skip the carb and just serve a big salad. it will be delicious.
Curry Style-
To your meatball mix: add a little lemon grass (I like to buy the paste stuff that comes in a tube at the grocery store) and a little (LITTLE) curry paste. Trade your salt for soy sauce.
Make curry (thai style). Add Meatballs to curry. Eat over rice... or with salad.
Pepper gravy style-
2 cups 2% or whole milk
1 tsp salt
1 tablespoon cornstarch
pepper to taste
Gluten free beef bouillon (if you have it)
Mix together cold, heat in pan until thick. Serve over meatballs and rice.(I like to serve green salad with this)
Or throw them in a veggie stew (pictured above). The thick 'sauce' base of my stew is just cooked carrots, celery, onion and spinach sauteed in olive oil until tender (not soft) and then food processed with 4 cups of water and a chicken bouillon cube. Throw in some boiled potatoes, corn and julienne cabbage with your meat balls- let simmer for about 30 minutes and you're good.
Meatballs! So versatile!
Now go make some GF friends and invite them over for dinner! (make sure they know they don't have to bring their own food).
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