Cheesy Mushroom & Beef Meatballs al Forno

HomeClinics & ProgramsELLICSR KitchenCheesy Mushroom & Beef Meatballs al Forno

Skill Level	Intermediate

Preparation Time	20 minutes	Total Time	50 minutes
Servings	6 (3 meatballs per serving)	Cost Per Serving	$2.17

Cheesy Mushroom & Beef Meatballs

1 lbs	Lean Ground Beef (Ground Sirloin or Blade)*
1/2 cup	Low Fat Ricotta Cheese
1/2 cup	Zucchini, grated
1/4 cup	Ground Flax Seed
1/2 cup	Large Flake Oats or Bread Crumbs
5	Button or Cemini Mushrooms
1	Egg
1/4 cup	Parsley
2 cloves	Garlic
2 tsp	Dried Oregano
1 tbsp	Extra Virgin Olive Oil
To taste	Sea Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper

Tomato Sauce

2 cups	Crushed Tomatoes
1	Small Onion, roughly diced
1	Large Carrot, roughly diced
1 clove	Garlic, crushed
1 tsp	Olive Oil
To taste	Sea Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper

*Substitute 2 cups of cooked lentils for beef for a vegetarian version.

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
Combine oats, ground flax, mushrooms and garlic cloves in a food processor and pulse until the mushrooms are broken down. Don’t over mix and turn into a mush.
Gently combine mushroom mixture with remaining meatball ingredients in a large bowl.
Take about 2 tbsp of the mixture at a time and use your hands to roll out meatballs. Place them on a small baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Place in the oven to bake for about 15 minutes.
To start the sauce, add the olive oil to a deep oven-proof pan over medium heat. Add onion, garlic and carrot. Sauté for about 5 minutes, or until they soften.
Add crushed tomatoes and season. Simmer for about 10 minutes.
Remove meatballs from the oven and gently place each one into the pan with the sauce. Sprinkle a little grated cheese on top and place back in the oven for about 15 minutes or until the cheese melts. Allow to cool before enjoying.

PDF link to nutrition facts table for Cheesy Mushroom & Beef Meatballs

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Eating more than 18 ounces of red meat per week is associated with an increased risk of colorectal cancer. To reduce the amount of red meat in your diet, choose fish, poultry and vegetarian meals more often. When eating red meat, enjoy smaller portions in soups or stews, or make meatballs or meatloaf by combining the red meat with whole grains and vegetables.
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