Greek Meatballs with Roasted Veggies and Lemon Quinoa

Who's ready for a Greek feast of epic proportions? Apparently I am, because I made these meatballs last weekend and I am ready to make them again; they are that good. I've mentioned previously recipes don't get repeated often around here, in order to make way for fresh blog posts for you and interesting food experiences for my family.  Not true of this dish, though; this baby is going to be an instant classic. Perfectly roasted meatballs (did you know you could roast meatballs? this changed my life) with spinach, feta, oregano and cumin, complimented by roasted zucchini, yellow squash, onion, red bell pepper and grape tomatoes, all mixed together with lemon quinoa. I know it sounds like a lot of work, but it's really not. Plus the flavor payoff is fantastic - it'll leave you wondering why you've been missing this all your life once you pop these babies into your mouth.

First let's talk meatballs. The secret to a good meatball is to use ground beef that is no leaner than 85% and to mix all the ingredients you are adding to the meat together BEFORE you add the meat. So many people plunk the meat into the bowl then add the other ingredients. Not advisable, friends. The reason being you want a tender, soft, pillowy meatball and chucking the ingredients on top of the meat before mixing requires even MORE mixing...and more mixing makes for tough meat. Next time you make meatballs (which is when you are making THESE) try it; I promise you'll notice a difference. Next let's talk about uniform sizing for meatballs. Growing up, my grandma always made spaghetti and meatballs by simply eye-balling the meatball size. I am not that brave. I want, nay NEED, to know that my meatballs are all the same exact size (I also straighten cans on the shelves at the grocery store, if we're talking OCD confessions). Anyway, I chose to use my cookie dough scoop for this application and it worked out fabulously. The other option is to use a food scale and make each meatball exactly two ounces. Enough with the OCD - let's move on to roasted veggies.

As I've said before, almost any vegetable is enhanced in flavor by roasting. Roasting brings out the natural sweetness and juices, and is the easiest way to extract flavor. So many people steam veggies, which I think is such a crime. You end up with limp, lifeless, uninspired veggies. Roast them, I promise you'll notice the difference.

Lastly, let's talk quinoa. I chose quinoa for this dish because I always have it on hand (thank you giant Costco bag) but other great options are couscous or even brown rice. The secret is cooking the starch of your choice to perfection then adding the juice of just one lemon at the end of the cooking time. Flavor explosion - and it only costs about twenty-five cents. Win.

Next time you're thinking Greek food (which is weekly for me) think of this dish. I promise it will make your life better, and have you saying OPA! in no time flat. Just try not to throw your plates all over the floor in your enthusiasm. Leave that to the pros.

Greek Meatballs with Roasted Veggies and Lemon Quinoa (adapted from thecreativebite.com)

For the meatballs:

2 c. fresh spinach
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 large egg
1/3 c. panko breadcrumbs
1/4 c. feta cheese, crumbled
1 T. dried oregano
1 t. cumin
1/2 t. onion powder
1 t. salt
1 1/2 lb. 85% lean ground beef

For the veggies and quinoa:

1 medium zucchini, halved lengthwise then sliced
1 medium yellow squash, halved lengthwise then sliced
1 medium red bell pepper, seeded and diced
1 pint cherry tomatoes
1 medium yellow onion, diced
1 1/2 T. olive oil, divided
1 1/4 t. salt, divided 1 pint cherry tomatoes
1/2 t. dried thyme
1/2 t. dried basil
1 c. quinoa
Juice of 1 lemon

For the meatballs:

Preheat the oven to 400. Spray a jelly roll pan with cooking spray and set aside. Place the spinach in a food processor and pulse until finely chopped. Transfer the spinach to a medium bowl and add the garlic, egg, breadcrumbs, feta, oregano, cumin, onion powder and salt. Whisk to combine. Add the ground beef to the bowl and mix until just combined. Use a 2" cookie dough scoop to measure out the meatballs and place them on the prepared pan. Set aside.

For the veggies and quinoa:

Prepare another jelly roll pan with cooking spray and set aside. In a large bowl combine the zucchini, yellow squash, red pepper, yellow onion, 1 T. olive oil, 1 t. salt, dried thyme and dried basil. In a medium bowl combine the cherry tomatoes, 1/2 T. olive oil and 1/4 t. salt. Toss to combine then set aside. Spread the veggies (excluding tomatoes) in an even layer on the prepared pan and place in the oven. Roast for 15 minutes then add the meatballs to the oven and continue roasting both the veggies and the meatballs for an additional 15 minutes. Remove the veggies from the oven (leaving the meatballs to continue roasting) and add the tomatoes. Return the pan to the oven and roast an additional 10 minutes. While the meatballs and veggies are roasting prepare the quinoa according to package directions. Once cooked, add the lemon juice and stir to combine. Combine the veggies with the quinoa. Serve the meatballs on a bed of the veggie and quinoa mixture.

6 servings (505 calories each serving) according to my calculator on loseit.com