Vegan Asian Meatballs

We used to make these all the time when I was a kid. I’m now thrilled to be able to eat them once again, but without harming animals! A sweet and salty sauce smothers delicious onion and mushroom ‘meatballs’ that everyone will absolutely love. My recipe was adapted slightly from msvegan.com.

Vegan Asian Meatballs - Produce On Parade - We used to make these all the time when I was a kid. I’m now thrilled to be able to eat them once again, but without harming animals! A sweet and salty sauce smothers delicious onion and mushroom ‘meatball…

Meatballs are one of those foods that I really enjoy, but am too lazy to ever make... or even buy. I'd rather have my spaghetti without than go through the motions of adding meatballs (I need to take a closer look at my life). Does anyone else feel this way or is it just me? 

This week I had a huge craving for meatballs. It was unrelenting and I began to reminisce on the times my parents used to make delicious Asian meatballs that we'd take to parties, steaming, in a piping hot crock pot. They were always the most scrumptious food at the party and I'd sneakily eat my weight in them and nothing else, until I made my way to the dessert table where no brownie or cookie was safe. Of course, now, I am obliged to make them vegan and cruelty-free, and guess what? They taste even better than I remember.

I have implemented limits on dessert now as well. #adulting

Vegan Asian Meatballs - Produce On Parade - We used to make these all the time when I was a kid. I’m now thrilled to be able to eat them once again, but without harming animals! A sweet and salty sauce smothers delicious onion and mushroom ‘meatball…

Vegan Asian Meatballs

Recipe by Kathleen @ Produce On Parade

We used to make these all the time when I was a kid. I’m now thrilled to be able to eat them once again, but without harming animals! A sweet and salty sauce smothers delicious onion and mushroom ‘meatballs’ that everyone will absolutely love. My recipe was adapted slightly from msvegan.com.

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup + 1 tbsp water
  • 1/4 cup soy sauce
  • Scant 1/2 cup vegan white granulated sugar
  • 1 tbsp brown sugar
  • 2 tbsp rice wine vinegar
  • 1 tbsp ketchup
  • 1 tsp chili garlic paste
  • ½ tsp liquid smoke
  • 1 tsp cornstarch
  • 1 medium yellow onion, diced small
  • 3 large garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 cups finely chopped cremini or white mushrooms
  • 1 tsp sesame seed oil
  • 1/2 cup vegan breadcrumbs (I use panko)
  • 3 tbsp sauce just made
  • 1 14 oz tube of uncooked Gimme Lean Lightlife Sausage
  • 1 prepared Ener-G Egg Replacer (or 1 tbsp of ground flax mixed with 2 tbsp water)

Cooking Directions

  1. In a small saucepan, whisk ½ cup water through the liquid smoke over medium-high heat. Once boiling, reduce to a simmer and whisk in the cornstarch that’s been mixed with 1 tbsp of water in a small bowl. Simmer for 5 minutes over low heat.
  2. Dry-saute the onion, garlic, and mushrooms in a large skillet for about 8 minutes; until the onions are tender and the mushrooms have darkened and shrunk. Stir in the sesame seed oil and remove from heat.
  3. Preheat oven to 400°F and spray a 9x13 inch baking dish with a nonstick cooking spray. In a medium mixing bowl, using your hands, combine the breadcrumbs, 3 tbsp of asian sauce, sausage, and vegan egg until well combined. Mix in the slightly cooled mushroom mixture.
  4. Form into 10 two inch meatballs an arrange in the baking dish. Drizzle half of the sauce over them and roll them in the sauce. Bake for 10 minutes.
  5. Flip the meatballs and again drizzle half of the sauce over them and roll them in the sauce. Bake for another 10 minutes.
  6. Serve hot and with whatever you like; saving the sauce from the baking dish to use over rice or vegetables. We ate them with broccoli and brown rice, or serve as a side or appetizer!
Vegan Asian Meatballs - Produce On Parade - We used to make these all the time when I was a kid. I’m now thrilled to be able to eat them once again, but without harming animals! A sweet and salty sauce smothers delicious onion and mushroom ‘meatball…

Asian Glass Noodles with Tofu & Wild Greens

“Introversion - along with its cousins sensitivity, seriousness, and shyness - is now a second-class personality trait, somewhere between a disappointment and a pathology.”
— Susain Cain from her book, "Quiet - The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking"

Have you read the book above? It's really a very interesting exploration into introversion. As a profound introvert myself, I am learning quite a bit. It'd be impressive what an extrovert could learn from reading the book! Take my word for it and get it. Tell me what you think. Acquiring a more complete understanding of the ones you love and just everyday people in general (especially the wallflowers that often can be difficult to get to know and understand) is always a good thing. In fact, I recommended the book to my supervisor at work!

However, I haven't had much time to read lately. Nor cook, sleep, snuggle, or just in general kick back. I seem to need an uncustomary amount of the stuff. You know, just be alone. I'll decidedly lose my shit if I don't get to be by myself for just a little while within the next few days. It's been a full month of non-stopness (it's a word) and it's got to stop. Someone please put me in solitary confinement, or at least a timeout. Take me to my doctor's office so I can sit alone for two hours in that cold, tiny room while waiting for her to come in, you know what I'm talking about. Anything! I'll do anything! My battery is almost dead!

When life swings into full gear with intense social activities, triple-threat car problems, serious work changes, jury duty, and just general life quandaries...I tend to retreat into my shell of calm. Irish exits (minus any drunk insinuations) become my norm and in an effort to quiet my life, I quiet myself instead, and become almost mute. This can be misinterpreted as "grumpy" and/or "moody", so I do try to rein it in a bit. I couldn't actually be mute in real life. That probably wouldn't go over very well. Does anyone else have these problems?

Yesterday was the beautiful rehearsal dinner for my best friend's wedding. Todd and I had to eat before we dashed over there #lifeasavegan, so while he was commuting home I whipped up this scrumptious glass noodle dish and took advantage of some chickweed before the frost comes!

Produce On Parade - Asian Glass Noodles with Tofu & Wild Greens
Produce On Parade - Asian Glass Noodles with Tofu & Wild Greens
Produce On Parade - Asian Glass Noodles with Tofu & Wild Greens

That, my friends, is chickweed. Which I adore with all my little heart. The flavor is devilishly earthy and green, and eating it makes me feel like a real wild woman!

Produce On Parade - Asian Glass Noodles with Tofu & Wild Greens
Produce On Parade - Asian Glass Noodles with Tofu & Wild Greens
Produce On Parade - Asian Glass Noodles with Tofu & Wild Greens
Produce On Parade - Asian Glass Noodles with Tofu & Wild Greens
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Asian Glass Noodles with Tofu & Wild Greens
by August-1-2014
This quick asian dish is infused with ginger, garlic, lime, and sweet chili. Studded with browned tofu, kale and wild greens are strewn throughout the chewy, flavorful glass noodles.
Ingredients
  • 6 oz. dry glass noodles (mung bean thread noodles)
  • 1 Tbsp. sesame oil
  • 10 oz. extra firm tofu, pressed and diced
  • 2 Tbsp. hoisin sauce
  • 2 Tbsp. sweet chili sauce
  • 2 Tbsp. soy sauce
  • 1 Tbsp. agave nectar
  • 1 Tbsp. minced ginger
  • 1 lime, juiced (scant ¼ cup)
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • Dash of crushed red pepper
  • ½ bunch of kale, de-stemmed and torn
  • 1 large handful of wild greens, washed well and chopped (chickpea, arugula, purslane, lamb’s quarters, spinach, etc.)
  • 2 splashes of soy sauce
  • sprinkling of sesame seeds, for garnish
Instructions
Bring about 6 cups of water to boil for the glass noodles. Place the dried noodles in a large bowl and cover with the boiling water. Allow to rest about 10 minutes, then drain the noodles and set aside.Meanwhile, heat the sesame oil over medium in a large frying pan. Add the diced tofu and sauté about 8 minutes, until browned.In a small bowl, whisk together the hoisin sauce through and including the crushed red pepper. Set aside.Now, add the torn kale to the tofu. Throw in a splash of soy sauce and cover. Cook for about 3 minutes, until the kale has wilted. Transfer the kale and tofu mixture to a large serving dish.Add the wild greens to the now empty frying pan along with a splash of soy sauce and sauté for one to two minutes, until wilted. Add to the tofu mixture.Pour the sauce into the frying pan and bring to a slight boil, then remove from heat.Mix the glass noodles into the tofu and greens mixture along with the sauce. Toss with tongs to combine.Serve hot with a sprinkling of sesame seeds.
Details
Prep time: Cook time: Total time: Yield: 6
Produce On Parade - Asian Glass Noodles with Tofu & Wild Greens
Produce On Parade - Asian Glass Noodles with Tofu & Wild Greens
Produce On Parade - Asian Glass Noodles with Tofu & Wild Greens

German Word of The Day

Overwhelmed --> überfordert (uber-four-dort)

Good Deed of The Day

Read this article on 30 Things You To Stop Doing To Yourself from Lifebuzz.