Regina (Pinto) Bean Balls 6/2

I've been on the quest for the perfect vegan bean balls for a while, but it only became a priority when I moved away from Trader Joe's, to a land nearly absent of meat analogs. So, I bookmarked this recipe from Matt, but was again delayed by a search for pinto beans. Alas, they're called regina beans in Argentina!

Ingredients (for 4 servings):

• 30-0z cooked pinto beans,

• 1 carrot, minced (or processed)

• A big handful of fresh parsley, minced (or processed)

• 1 clove garlic, minced (or processed)

• 1/2 cup whole wheat breadcrumbs

• 1 Tbsp olive oil or canola oil

• 1-2 Tbsp your favorite Italian seasoning (basil, oregano, garlic, salt, etc)

• salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. In a large bowl, combine carrot, parsley, garlic, Italian seasoning, bread crumbs, oil, and beans. Mash with a potato masher (or use a food processor) until the mixture is sticky and relatively homogeneous. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Form the bean mixture into 1-inch balls and align on a cookie sheet. Bake for about 20 minutes, turning once midway through, until the bean balls are nicely browned all over. Serve over pasta or on sub rolls.

Comments: Pasta or sub rolls are my dream! I tried these plain, and with a bit of tomato sauce. The mix came together a bit moist, so I needed extra bread crumbs, otherwise they were good, though fragile.

Chickpea “sliders”

After my initial bean-burger success, I eagerly raced on…after hearing great reviews of this recipe, adapted by 30 Bucks A Week here. And they were fabulous, so much flavor, I wouldn’t dream of hiding them in a burger, but try them as you like…here’s the recipe with MY adaptations…

Middle Eastern Chickpea Sliders

Adapted from Cooking Light, November 2009

· about 1/2 cup breadcrumbs (I used these as I have tons, but I’d prefer to use the potato in the original recipe)

· 3 T. oil, 3 tablespoons, divided (I used olive oil for the first T, followed by canola)

· 1 large clove garlic

· 2 1/2 cups cooked chickpeas

· 1 T. minced celery leaves (I subbed these for the parsley since they’re what I had on hand, and it was a great move)

· Salt, 1/2 teaspoon (or more, I salted to taste)

· Lemon zest, 1/2 teaspoon

· 1/4 t. cumin

· 1 T. onion flakes (because I had them)

· Pepper, 1/4 teaspoon

· 1 T. chia seeds soaked in 1/2 cup water (I had no eggs on hand, but also like that this made the recipe vegan)

Process all ingredients in a food processor (or mash and mix by hand) until well blended. Stir in remaining chickpeas. Form small patties with the mixture, about 2 heaping tablespoons each patty.

Heat one tablespoon oil in a large nonstick skillet. Add patties to pan, cook over medium heat for four minutes and turn over and cook for another four minutes. Work in batches if your pan isn’t big enough.

Makes about 9 patties.

So, I loved these! They were fairly crumbly which could be due to the lack of potato or eggs, but the taste was phenomenal, and they are quite healthy, especially if you can reduce the oil used to cook them (my one beef with the recipe).

White Bean Balls

I've been wanting to make a meatball alternative for ages now, and recently begun stockpiling recipes, as at one point I was ready and couldn't find anything tasty-looking. However, this is the first time it's all come together. The recipe is a de-veganized version of this one.

ingredients:
1 small white onion, and finely chopped
5 cloves of garlic, peeled and minced
1 tsp red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp sea salt
15 fresh basil leaves, well chopped, or 2 T dried basil
2 tbsp dried parsley
2 cups cooked white beans plus 1/4 cup cooking liquid
1-4 cup bread crumbs or 2 slices bread pulsed into crumbs in food processor
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
2 T. powdered milk, or 1/4 c. milk and eliminate the bean liquid

what'cha gotta do:
Heat a small amount of water in & saute the onions, garlic and seasonings until they're soft on medium heat (about 8-10 minutes). add the white beans, parsley, basil (if using fresh), to the skillet. cook for another 5 minutes then transfer the mix of yumminess to the food processor. pulse until the beans are well chopped (and no whole beans remain) then dump the pulsed bean mixture into the mixing bowl. add the bread crumbs to the mixing bowl, adding the non-dairy milk & nutritional yeast to it, too. mix everything until well combined, adjust seasonings to taste, and start making some balls (made 16). wipe out the skillet, spritz a little more of the olive oil cooking spray in it, and saute the bean balls on medium heat (turning often) until browned up a bit (you can also bake them on 350 for 10 minutes. remove from heat & eat 'em up!

Comments: These are tasty. They’ve got a little kick that makes me think they’d be great dipped in a yogurt sauce.