Nutrient-rich baked meatballs with TAHINI YOGHURT & burnt eggplant
One simple (and enjoyable) way to include nutrient-dense, whole-food supplements into your lifestyle is to incorporate them into your regular meals. Here's a great way to do that with a scrumptious and wholesome meal that includes two wonderful whole foods - Thankfully Nourished Collagen Peptides and either Liver Powder, Organ Blend or Organic Heart - take your pick!
The combination of these meatballs with smoky eggplant is very comforting. Add the freshness of parsley and the crunch of toasted almonds and you have a perfect accompaniment to a brown rice pilaf, bulgur or quinoa. Or even crusty, fresh-baked bread.
Ingredients
4 medium eggplants
2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
Salt and black pepper
350g minced lamb or beef if you prefer
1 small egg, beaten
1 small onion, peeled and finely chopped
1 medium potato, coarsely grated
3 tbsp Liver Powder, Organ Blend or Organic Heart - take your pick!
30g chopped parsley, plus extra to garnish
3 tbsp oil (your choice)
100ml chicken stock
100ml water
20g flaked almonds, toasted
METHOD to make Eggplant
Line a gas stove top with foil, then turn on all four rings to moderate
Lay the whole eggplants over the flames and roast for 10-12 minutes, turning occasionally, until the skin is burnt and the flesh soft.
Remove from the heat and when cool enough to handle, peel and discard the skin
Pull the soft flesh into thin strips and drain in a colander for 30 minutes
Stir in the garlic and half a teaspoon each of salt and pepper, and set aside
METHOD to make Meatballs
Put the meat in a bowl with the egg, onion, potato, parsley, collagen peptides, liver powder (heart or organ blend), a teaspoon of salt and three-quarters of a teaspoon of pepper
Knead the mixture well, then form into ping-pong-sized balls
Heat the oven to 160C
Heat the oil in a frying pan and brown the meatballs in batches
Transfer to a plate, reserving the oil in the pan
Place a 1cm layer of eggplant in a 27cm x 21cm ovenproof dish and top with meatballs. They should fit snugly
Add the stock and 100ml water, cover with foil and bake for an hour. Remove the foil for the last 15 minutes
Leave to rest for five minutes, sprinkle over the parsley and stir gently
Serve on a platter or in a bowl dotted with tahini yoghurt (recipe below) and sprinkle with almonds
Note: If you don’t have a gas burner you could try the BBQ or under the grill for the same effect with the eggplants.
Tahini yoghurt INGREDIENTS
1/4 cup unsweetened Greek Yoghurt (or your choice of alternative yoghurts)
3 tbsp tahini, preferably hulled
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar or lemon juice
salt and pepper to taste
Method to make Tahini yoghurt
Combine the yoghurt, tahini and cider vinegar in a small bowl or a mug
Whisk together with a fork
Season with salt and pepper to taste
Enjoy!
SHOP THE THANKFULLY NOURISHED RANGE
Our nutrient-rich range can be ordered via our sister store, GPA Wholefoods. GPA's extensive product range is designed to suit any home or whole food pantry.