Green Meatballs

Kids Recipe Challenge winning recipe – Honourable mention
Category : School day lunch, grades 1-3

From Nepean, Jillian’s recipe inspired this green meatball version to enjoy hot from a thermos or cold packed in kids’ lunches. Send along some dipping sauce for a fun addition or pack them in a sub bun for a meatball sandwich.

Serve with spaghetti or mashed potatoes and baby carrots.

Preparation Time: 15 minutes

Cooking Time: 30 minutes

Makes: 30 meatballs

Tips

You can pan-fry the meatballs in a large nonstick skillet until the internal temperature of the beef/pork meatballs reaches 71 ºC (160ºF) on a digital food thermometer
If using ground chicken, cook until the internal temperature reaches 74 ºC (165ºF)
Put leftovers away within 2 hours or sooner if they are in a warm location.  Reheat leftovers to an internal temperature of 74°C (165°F). Discard uneaten leftovers after they have been reheated.

Ingredients
Chopped fresh broccoli florets	3 cups (750 mL)
Garlic	1 clove
Fresh ginger	1Tbsp (15 mL), about 1/2'' piece
Extra-lean ground beef, chicken or pork	250 g (8 oz)
Rice wine (mirin) (optional) or rice wine vinegar	1Tbsp (15 mL)
Salt and pepper	½ tsp (2 mL) each

Directions

Wash hands with soap and warm water for at least 20 seconds. Clean all countertops and equipment used for food preparation.
Gently rinse broccoli, ginger and garlic under cool running water. Cook broccoli in a pot of boiling water for about 8 minutes or until very tender.
Drain well and using potato masher, mash broccoli until fairly smooth to make about 250 mL (1 cup); let cool slightly. Finely chop ginger and garlic; place in a large bowl.
Add beef, rice wine, salt and pepper to the bowl. Use separate equipment for handling raw food and cooked food.
Add broccoli and using washed hands, mix together until broccoli is evenly distributed.
Using about 15 mL (1 tbsp) of the mixture, roll into balls and place on parchment paper- or foil- lined baking sheet to make about 30 meatballs.
Wash hands with soap and warm water for at least 20 seconds after rolling meatballs.
Bake in 180°C (375°F) oven for about 20 minutes until the internal temperature reaches 71 ºC (160ºF) on a digital food thermometer.