Realizations Inc

While staying with me during my post-op hip-joint-replacement surgery, my cousin Carmen prepared some delicious meals. One day she made meatless meatballs -- the upside being that you can make three different versions for three different occasions from the same ingredients. They freeze well so you can made a double batch with very little additional work--ready to take out of the freezer and serve at a moment's notice.

Check out the three versions below.

Ingredients

• 1 onion, chopped fine
• 1 cup chopped nuts (or 1/2 c nuts and 1/2 c seeds)
• 1 ½ cups steel cut oats soaked overnight, if possible, or old fashioned rolled oats
• ½ cup egg whites (or equivalent to equal 4 eggs)
• 1 cup rice milk or vegetable broth
• 1 T McKay’s mock-chicken seasoning
• ½ tsp salt
• ⅛ tsp thyme
• ¼ tsp sage
• ⅛ tsp marjoram
• ½ tsp garlic powder (or 1 clove garlic, minced)
• ½ cup diced mushrooms, sauté in frying pan with 1 Tbsp oil until dry (if desired)
• 1 Tbsp white truffle oil or olive oil

Preparation

Mix all ingredients together in a bowl (except for rice milk or broth).

Place rice milk or broth in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Remove from heat.

Pour over ingredients in bowl and mix well. Cover and let stand for 40 minutes or so.

Version #1 – Meatless Meatballs

Form into walnut-sized balls and place on greased cookie sheet.

Bake in oven preheated to 350 degrees F. for about 45 minutes until meatballs are brown and cooked.

Remove from oven. Serve in any type of sauce over pasta.

Version #2 - Meatless Patties

Form into two inch patties about ½ an inch thick.

Fry in small aount of olive oil, both sides, until cooked and brown

OR

Place on a greased cookie sheet and bake in oven preheated to

350 degrees F. for about 45 minutes until patties are brown.

Place in layers in a 9x12 inch casserole. Pour 3 cups of brown or mushroom gravy over the patties.

Cover with aluminum foil and bake in oven preheated to 350 degrees F. for 45 minutes.

Remove from oven and serve with mashed or baked potatoes or spoon over egg noodles that have been cooked and drained.

Version #3 - Meatless Burgers

Form into burger-sized patties and fry in small amount of olive oil. Turn over until cooked and brown.

Serve on a burger bun with lettuce, pickles, tomatoes, cucumber and/or etc.