Need to clean out that fridge? Do you ever open your veggie bins in your fridge and think, I better use up these veggies soon or they are going to go bad? I try very hard to plan meals each week so that I only buy ingredients I know I will use up. Especially when it comes to fresh vegetables since they don’t last as long as pantry items. However, with such a busy schedule it seems that the days just fly by. I then open that fridge and wonder why I still have all these beautiful veggies sitting there waiting for me to grab them out of there. Then there is the dilemma of what to make with all those veggies.
We really like Quinoa; not only is it healthy (high in protein), it is also very easy and quick to make and you can do so much with it by adding different ingredients to it. It is great hot or cold. It really is incredible because it is so versatile. What we love even more is Mediterranean food. You will find a lot of veggies used in Mediterranean cooking such as peppers, eggplant and spinach. You will also see ingredients such as cucumbers, lemons and Feta Cheese. Not only do I love all the flavors in Mediterranean cooking but it is so colorful. They say you should use a lot of colors when cooking healthy. Cooking with Mediterranean ingredients definitely fits that motto.
So why not incorporate all these great flavors? This recipe is such a great way to clean out those veggies bins. This dish is simple to make and tastes incredible with the roasted vegetables. The meatballs turned about perfectly; they were slightly crispy on the outside but tender on the inside. The Quinoa salad and meatballs were packed with so much flavor. If you have leftovers, don’t worry. It makes for a great lunch the next day; the Quinoa salad tastes great hot or cold.
Quinoa Salad-Mediterranean Style
Makes approx. 4-5 Servings
*(print and share the recipe at the bottom of the post)
Ingredients
Meatballs:
1 lb.-1.20lb, Ground Meat (beef/veal/pork combo)
1/2, White Onion, chopped
6 Mushrooms, cleaned & chopped
2-3 Cups, Fresh Spinach, chopped
1 Teaspoon, Garlic, minced
1/2 Teaspoon, Rosemary, finely chopped
1/2 Teaspoon, Thyme, finely chopped
1/2 Teaspoon, Dill, chopped
1 Tablespoon, Olive Oil
1 Tablespoon, Butter
1 Egg
1/4 Cup, Italian Breadcrumbs
3 Tablespoons, Fresh Parsley, chopped
1/4 Cup, Crumbled Feta Cheese
S&P
Roasted Veggies:
1 Thai Eggplant
1/2 White Onion
1/2 Purple Onion
1 Cubanelle Pepper
1 Red Bell Pepper
6-8 Mushrooms
S&P
1/2 Teaspoon, Fresh Rosemary, finely chopped
1/2 Teaspoon, Dill, finely chopped
1/2 Teaspoon, Thyme, chopped
1 Bunch, Asparagus, ends trimmed, cut into bite size pieces
Quinoa Salad:
1 Cup, Quinoa
2 Cups, Chicken Broth or Water
1/2 Cup, Crumbled Feta Cheese
1 Cucumber, peeled, seeded and cut into bit size pieces
2 Tablespoons, Fresh Parsley, chopped
Roasted Veggies
3-4 Tablespoons, Tzatziki Sauce *link to recipe below
Instructions
Quinoa with Roasted Veggies, Cucumbers & Feta
Preheat oven to 400 Degrees. Spray 2 baking sheets with cooking spray and set aside.
Roast the Veggies: cut the eggplant, onions, peppers, mushrooms, asparagus all around the same (bite size pieces). Place them onto 1 of the baking sheets. Drizzle with olive oil and season with S&P, rosemary, thyme and dill. Roast in the oven for approx. 20 minutes or until they start to get soft. Stir/toss the veggies about 1/2 way through roasting them. Remove from oven, set aside.
Making Meatballs
Making the Meatballs: Place a saute pan on the stove over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil and butter. Then add the onions and mushrooms and cook until the onions start to get translucent and the mushrooms start to brown. Once mushrooms are browned, add S&P, rosemary, thyme, dill and stir well. Turn heat to medium-low and cook for another minute or two then add the garlic and fresh spinach. Once spinach is wilted add a splash of chicken broth and cook for another 1-2 minutes. Once the broth is adsorbed, transfer the sauteed veggies to a food processor and pulse several times, set aside to cool. In a bowl, add the ground meat(s), egg, breadcrumbs, parsley, S&P and mix together. Add the chopped veggies and Feta Cheese to the meat and mix to combine all ingredients. Form into meatballs and place onto the 2nd baking sheet. Drizzle meatballs with a little olive oil. Bake the meatballs in oven for approx. 15 minutes or until they reach an internal temp of about 160.
Mediterranean Meatballs
Quinoa & Plating: cook the Quinoa according to the package. Once finished cooking, transfer to a bowl and lightly toss with a fork. Add the roasted veggies to the Quinoa and toss. Then add the chopped cucumber, Feta Cheese, 1 Tablespoon of the Parsley, a drizzle of olive oil and gently toss. Transfer to bowls or plates and top with a few of the Meatballs. Garnish with the remaining parsley. Drizzle a little Tzatziki sauce over each meatball and serve.
Quinoa
Notes
Click here to get my recipe for the Tzatziki Sauce: Tzatziki Sauce
Herbs: if you do not have fresh herbs, you can substitute with dry herbs. They work very well in this recipe and when roasting veggies.
Thai Eggplant
Veggies: I happened to find the Thai Eggplant at my local supermarket. I had never tried them before, thought they looked really fun (loved their color) so I thought I would give them a try. They were really great in this recipe. If you cannot find them you can use regular eggplant. You can also use any veggies you have on hand or like to eat. This is a great recipe when you are trying to clean out your fridge and use up ingredients. I tried to stick to the traditional Mediterranean ingredients using eggplant, peppers, spinach and cucumbers and making some Mediterranean meatballs. You will also see lemon used in many Mediterranean dishes. If you like, you could squeeze some lemon on the veggies before roasting them or garnish your plate with some lemon wedges.
Mangia! Enjoy!