Vegetarian (Tempeh) Meatballs

I was really in the mood for spaghetti and meatballs but unfortunately we did not have any ground meat in our freezer and O and I were not interested in venturing out into the 90 degree weather to get some meat. So... I found some tempeh in our refrigerator and I figured there must be some way to make meatballs out of these! I found this great recipe online that I altered slightly and they were delicious! They taste almost as good as real meatballs but there is nothing quite like a ground beef and pork meatball so I won't proclaim them just as good. However, it is a great way to get some protein and a healthier meatball with your pasta meals!

*I forgot to take a photo of the meatballs so instead I am sharing my new flour and sugar storage containers! I have been looking for something like this for a few months so I was psyched to find them on sale at target this week...

Tempeh Meatballs

Ingredients

2 8 oz. Packages of Soy Tempeh

1/2 cup Quinoa Flour (or whole wheat/other grain flour) 

1/4 cup Italian bread crumbs

1/2 cup Balsamic Vinegar 

1/4 cup Olive Oil 

1 tsp. Garlic Powder 

1 tsp. Onion Powder 

1/2 tsp. Black Pepper 

1/2 tsp. dried Oregano

1/2 tsp. dried Basil

3/4 tsp. Salt 1 Tbsp. Fresh Thyme, finely chopped, or 1 tsp. dried thyme 

Directions

Cut the tempeh into 1 inch cubes and steam with a little bit of water for 10 minutes in the microwave
Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees.

Place the steamed tempeh and all other ingredients in a food processor or large bowl. Process until the tempeh is completely broken up and everything comes together.

Lightly grease or spray a cookie sheet. Form the tempeh into ~1 inch meatballs and place on cookie sheet. Bake in the oven until browned, about 20 minutes.

If freezing, make sure to allow these to cool completely before doing so. Otherwise the water vapor will make them quite hard to get out after they have frozen together.

Makes 24 Meatballs.
4 meatballs is a serving.

Number of Servings: 6


Reference: http://recipes.sparkpeople.com/recipe-detail.asp?recipe=633944

Canning!

My mom is the QUEEN of canning fruit jams! She spends time every summer picking fresh raspberries and blackberries and turning them into delicious jars of jam. They are so popular that we even gave them away as my wedding favor. As a teenager and young twenty-something I had no interest in learning how to make jam and can vegetables. Fast forward a few years and I am finally extremely excited to learn how to can. Now that we live in southern North Carolina, peaches and okra are abundant so I thought that it was only fitting that we make peach jam and pickled okra!

     I was planning to give most of these jars away as Christmas presents but I am quickly going to be depleted of my stash! It sure looks like a lot of jars and it was a lot of work but I wish we had twice as many to show for our efforts. The pickled okra will be less popular than the peach jam but I am excited to give a jar to my Uncles Darrell and Randy as they are the KINGS of canning and I am in love with their homemade canned sauerkraut and pickled beets. It will be nice to finally give back with some Southern Okra!

Pickled Okra

Ingredients

• 1  (9-piece) canning kit, including canner, jar lifter, and canning rack
• 7  (1-pt.) canning jars
• 2 1/2  pounds  small fresh okra
• 7  small fresh green chile peppers
• 7  garlic cloves
• 2  tablespoons  plus 1 tsp. dill seeds
• 4  cups  white vinegar (5% acidity)
• 1/2  cup  salt
• 1/4  cup  sugar

Preparation

1. Bring canner half-full with water to a boil; simmer. Meanwhile, place jars in a large stockpot with water to cover; bring to a boil, and simmer. Place bands and lids in a large saucepan with water to cover; bring to a boil, and simmer. Remove hot jars 1 at a time using jar lifter.
2. Pack okra into hot jars, filling to 1/2 inch from top. Place 1 pepper, 1 garlic clove, and 1 tsp. dill seeds in each jar. Bring vinegar, salt, sugar, and 4 cups water to a boil over medium-high heat. Pour over okra, filling to 1/2 inch from top.
3. Wipe jar rims; cover at once with metal lids, and screw on bands (snug but not too tight). Place jars in canning rack, and place in simmering water in canner. Add additional boiling water as needed to cover by 1 to 2 inches.
4. Bring water to a rolling boil; boil 10 minutes. Remove from heat. Cool jars in canner 5 minutes. Transfer jars to a cutting board; cool 12 to 24 hours. Test seals of jars by pressing center of each lid. If lids do not pop, jars are properly sealed. Store in a cool, dry place at room temperature up to 1 year.

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