In the last year or so, I have become a huge fan of of a vegan sweet and sour meatballs recipe from Cooking with the Micheff Sisters, one of my favorite vegan cookbooks. The only issue is that I don’t always keep stocked up on tofu, which is one of the main ingredients of the Micheff Sisters’ recipe. And, of course, I didn’t have any pecans today either, another main ingredient of the Micheff Sisters’ recipe. So, I improvised…and made my own recipe in the process.
And these meatballs were yummy. Very. Yummy.
I even tried some meatballs without being smothered in sweet and sour sauce. Okay, so I did end up smothering them in sweet and sour sauce too, just not all at once, and not to be baked. I dipped each meatball in to the sauce, one by one, just prior to stuffing the whole thing into my mouth. The whole process was very satisfying, to say the least.
Aside from all yumminess, I want to have a little chat with you about goals.
The New Year is just around the corner (Yikes! Where has 2012 gone???), and I have been mentally creating a list of goals for 2013. While I haven’t finalized the list, improving my physical fitness is somewhere near the top. Chilly weather, strange creepers loitering around my neighborhood, being mommy to a 6 month old infant, and cooking for vegan yumminess have all contributed to my current out-of-shape exterior.
This week I have been doing a lot of thinking. I am 20-something years old. This is the time of life when I should be feeling fabulous–fit, healthy, happy, energetic, and beautiful. And, for the most part, I do feel happy and often healthy and sometimes energetic and beautiful. But, fit. Rarely do I feel fit.
This brings me to an exciting announcement. Starting the first week of January, I will be hosting our first Exercise Challenge here on VeganYumminess. As January gets closer, I will be filling you in with more details. But, basically, the challenge will involve documenting 30 minutes of physical activity 5 days per week. I’m even toying with the idea of requiring myself to photograph myself exercising everyday, as proof somehow. I don’t know. We’ll see where this ends up.
Do you have any suggestions for me?
I hope you have a fabulous day!
Oh yeah, and don’t forget to try these tasty sweet and sour meatballs made out of garbanzo beans and walnuts.
Vegan Baked Sweet and Sour Meatballs
Ingredients
For the Meatballs:
- 2 cups garbanzos cooked
- 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 cup water
- 1/2 cup walnuts
- 1 1/4 cup crushed saltine crackers about 36 crackers, or 1 long plastic package, or use breadcrumbs.
- 6 tablespoons gluten flour
- 1/4 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon seasoned salt
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon nutritional yeast flakes
- 1/2 teaspoon salt or to taste
For the Sweet and Sour Sauce:
- 1 1/2 cup canned tomato sauce (or 12 ounces)
- 1/2 cup apricot preserves
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 1/2 teaspoon cumin ground
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon paprika
Instructions
- Place garbanzos, olive oil, and water in a strong blender or food processor. I use Vitamix. Blend until smooth. This substance will be fairly thick, so you may need to stop your blender a few times and stir,
- Once your garbanzo mixture is fairly smooth, add walnuts, and blend those until the mixture is fairly smooth.
- In a mixing bowl, combine saltines, gluten flour, paprika, seasoned salt, onion powder, salt, and yeast flakes.
- Pour blender mixture into mixing bowl and stir. You will probablly need to use your hands.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Roll dough into 2 tablespoon sized balls and place on prepared cookie sheet.
- Bake at 350 for about 30-35 minutes.
- While the meatballs are baking, combine tomato sauce, apricot preserves, lemon juice, salt, cumin, and paprika in a saucepan on medium heat. Cook until sauce has boiled for about 5 minutes. Then remove from heat.
- When meatballs are finished, place in a casserole dish, one meatball deep, and pour sauce over them.
- Return casserole dish to the oven and bake for another 10 minutes or so uncovered, or until sauce becomes bubbly.
- Serve hot.
These were so easy to make and delicious. I made them one night for dinner and then the next night I made them again and brought them as an appetizer to a friends house. They were a hit.
Hi, glad I found your recipe but I had 1 Q before I attempt it.: the gluten flour, can u tell me if u mean any like wheat flour, all purpose OR is this vital wheat gluten that you’re referring to?
Sorry for the confusion. Yes, I mean vital wheat gluten. Hope you enjoy it!