Veggie Balls

Name: Veggie Balls
Yield: Makes about 2 dozen 1 1/2-inch meatballs
Ingredients: 2 cups lentils; 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons olive oil; 1 large onion, chopped; 2 carrots, chopped; 2 celery stalks, chopped; 1 garlic clove, minced; 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme; 2 teaspoons salt; 3 tablespoons tomato paste; 8 ounces button mushrooms, wiped clean and sliced; 3 large eggs; 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese; 1/2 cup bread crumbs; 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley; 1/4 cup finely chopped walnuts

January 24, 2012

Sometimes you just gotta take a break from hard-core carnivordom, and these are the way to go—just ask our staff, who eat them around the clock. These balls happen to be Mike’s favorite, too. You’ll often find us at the bar with a big bowl, topped with Classic Tomato Sauce (page 56) or Spinach-Basil Pesto (page 58) and a side of steamed or sautéed spinach. And when it comes to kids, this is a great and tasty way to sneak in more veggies.

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