Vegetable Balls

Vegetable Balls are for all my vegetarian friends.  I love vegetables and cook more and more with them.  Vegetables are a major part of a Mediterranean diet.  I want to have the feel of a meatball, but a healthier dish.

There are benefits to eating less meat:  https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/meatless-meals/art-20048193

Before Meat

Both sets of my grandparents grew up in very poor regions of Italy.  They had to make the best of what the land offered.  My nonna Marietta was my dad’s mom and she could make a bread ball immersed in sauce taste like the best meatball.  Marietta was a strong woman with a heart of gold; she was a sock maker and you would find her working into the early morning making socks.

My favourite memories of Marietta are from when I visited Sicily in 1975.  They still lived in the original house with a large fountain in the middle of an attic type kitchen.  The smell of fresh tomatoes cooking always permeated the house.  She worked all day, but in the evening she dressed up with her best jewellery, shoes and dress for her passeggiata.  My nonno Francesco took her by the arm and it was as if every night was their first date.

Vegetable Balls is a version of my nonna Marietta’s recipe.  Hers was bread- based whereas, I add vegetables.  This is a great way to sneak in all the vegetables for your family.  My grandson eats a variety of vegetable, but lately he is getting fussy; however, he eats anything in pasta sauce.

The vegetables for this dish ready.

Dry Ingredients.

I use a food processor to chop all the vegetables.

All the vegetables ready to meet the dry ingredients.

Add all the dry ingredients and the eggs.

Use and ice cream scoop to form balls.

Put the balls on a pan lined with parchment paper and brush with some canola oil.

Quick peek in the oven; I can’t wait.

They are out of the oven.

Vegetable Balls Plated.