Quick Juicy Vegetable Meatballs
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Vegetable and meat balls
Feeding picky kids can be quite a headache. I know it because I have one at home….*sigh*. But no worry, learn to cheat and hide by being creative. Sadly, I am not that creative. I wish I am. My youngest girl, though big now, is still not keen on vegetables. I have learned along the way to hide vegetables in food. I have not learned a lot but have a few that I manage to pull it off each time….*big smiles*.
Food where you can hide quite a lot of vegetables are like dumplings, meatballs, vegetable pancakes and bolognese sauce for spaghetti. These are the usual ones that I make. I had just made some meat balls the other day with lots of vegetables inside. The meatballs are very easy and simple to make and yet very tender, juicy and delicious. You can go with your favourite dipping sauce. We are just happy with the sweet chilli sauce.
Here’s my recipe for the Vegetable and Meat Balls.
Ingredient A
500g mince (of your choice)
Ingredients B
1 big carrot
1 red onion
1 bunch coriander
1 knob ginger
Vegetables for meat balls
I love to look at fresh vegetables and fruits. The bright colours are just so refreshing and healthy to look at.
Minced vegetables
Wash all Ingredients B, peel (except coriander) and chop roughly. Put all into the processor and process till fine. If you don’t have a processor, it’s time to get one. It will definitely add more fun to your cooking when you see how much quicker you can prepare your food.
Ingredients C
1T sesame oil
2T red wine
2T sweet chilli sauce
3T light soya sauce
1 egg
3T corn flour
Mix all vegetable and meatballs ingredients
Put all Ingredients A, processed Ingredients B and Ingredients C into a big mixing bowl and mix it well. I just put all into my big cake mixer and mix up with the K beater like making cake. It mixes fast, well and quick and yet doesn’t dirty my hands.
Heat up some oil in a frying pan. Using 2 spoons, scoop them into the hot oil and pan fry them using medium fire. When it’s browned on one side, turn over and cook the other side until brown. Dish up and serve with your favourite dipping sauce.
I am not very particular about the shape. You can see that my meatballs are not that round. I am more particular about not dirtying my hands…..*grin*. I also like to finish cooking fast. Using 2 spoons help. Just keep scooping into the frying pan. However, a word of caution here. Don’t get burnt by the hot oil, just in case there’s any splatters.
If you are busy, you can make this ahead. After mixing up everything, keep it in the fridge and fry them when you are free. They can be reheated in the oven before serving.
If you have little kids and you want to make it more fun for them to eat, you can skewer them, maybe 2 or 3 pieces per skewer.
You can even make bigger meatballs and make your own burger with it. I will try that next time. I’m sure it will be really good, especially if you make your own bread. Oh dear, this is making me hungry now…….*wink*.
I hope you have a great start to the week. Have fun cooking and baking!
Quote of the day……
“Happy are those who dream dreams and are ready to pay the price to make them come true.”
- Leon J. Suenes
Keep Learning Keep Smiling
28 Comments
penny aka jeroxie on February 13th, 2012
I do that to myself too! hide vege and then eat it. I hate salads.
Belinda @zomppa on February 13th, 2012
Those are great meatballs - and healthy ones at that!!
Christine's Recipes on February 13th, 2012
Oh, love quick and yummy dish.
I also use the method of hiding veggies and get my daughter eat more healthy goodies. Great minds think alike. 
lena on February 13th, 2012
great idea incorporating these veggies into the meatballs. also never seen anyone using k beater to do mixing for meatballs..sensible enough for not dirtying your hands!
raquel@eRecipe.com on February 13th, 2012
This is a good recipe to make my kids eat vegetables without them knowing =)
Mary on February 13th, 2012
@suituapui - Crushed biscuits? Wow….you are a good cook, Arthur! I never thought of using biscuit crumbs! I need to try that next time. I think it’s a good way to use up leftover biscuits 
@penny aka jeroxie - Haha…I am amused, Penny! I actually wonder how much vegetable you hide in the food before you eat it
@Belinda @zomppa - Thanks very much, Belinda!
@Christine’s Recipes - Yes, great minds think alike…and our daughters seem to be alike too…haha
@lena - Yes, I never like to handle raw meat, especially mixing them. I don’t like that squishy feel. That’s why I love my cake mixer, can be used for doing so many things
@raquel@eRecipe.com - Hope you give a try, Raquel. have fun cooking
Ann@Anncoo Journal on February 13th, 2012
Totally agree! This is the way to hide vegetables. I usually hide them in the prawn fritters
Happy Valentine’s Day to you Mary!
Angie@Angie's Recipes on February 13th, 2012
I too love adding a bit of veggies into the meatballs. These look very tasty.
Dulee An ;) on February 13th, 2012
I think sooner or later your daughter will go buy herself a vegetable detector to help her detect all the hidden veggies in your food. Teehee. My girl is starting to become picky too. This would be a perfect recipe for us. I like the idea of skewers…reminds me of meatball lollipops, remember that? Haha. Still waiting for Loopy Lollipop to open :P. oh and I see red wine in your recipe…even better! A little for the meatballs, a lot for me. Hehehe. Wonderful recipe, Mary! I don’t eat much meat but looking at these makes me want meatballs now. Hope you had a lovely weekend!
tigerfish on February 13th, 2012
I like those veggies in meatballs. Makes the meatballs extra juicy and moist!
yeeling on February 13th, 2012
With the outer look, I can cheat my girl. But once she put it into her mouth, she will throw out..sigh**She can taste the vege.**faint**
Ling visiting from QuayPo’s blog. Have a nice day.
nammi on February 13th, 2012
Hello Mary!, You are right about kids not eating vegetables, this is a winner in sneaking in the veges in. Have a nice day!
Elin on February 14th, 2012
Mary Moh…Happy Valentine’s Day to you and have a sweet Valentine’s Day with your loved ones ! Great idea to add those veggies to the meatballs ..and thank you so much for these delectable balls!
Nasifriet on February 14th, 2012
Hi Mary, I’ve not been blogging in the longest of time and I’m now playing catch up. I hope you had a great start to the New Year! What caught my eye is this recipe as it was coincidence that I made these veg meatballs, burgers rather, last weekend. It’s a hit with the boys, and definitely, as you said, a great way to hide veg in food
Juliana on February 14th, 2012
I love meatballs…especially with lots of veggies in it. Yes, I remember “hidding” vegetables in pasta sauce when my son was growing up 
Hope you are having a wonderful week Mary
pigpigscorner on February 15th, 2012
You are right, this is great for hiding all the ‘yucky’ stuff! They always come out super tasty!
TasteHongKong on February 15th, 2012
I love eating vegetables on their own, but also adore your way of adding them in meat balls, hearty too : ).
skip to malou on February 15th, 2012
shhh.. i don’t eat much veggies too and I’m sure my mom had that problem before haha. but this is a sure way of concealing veggies. I’m sure I will eat them unsuspectingly haha.
thanks for dropping by Mary. It’s great to be back here too.
blessings,
malou
noobcook on February 16th, 2012
this is a great way to sneak in vegetables, look yummy.
busygran on February 17th, 2012
We always have some tricks up in our sleeves! I do the same when I cook for my grandsons.
Do drop by my blog - there’s an award for you!
vianney on February 17th, 2012
Tasty way to hide the veggies,my girla would love these!!
Sophie on February 19th, 2012
Waw! These mixed meat & veggies balls look so delectable & apart! So rich in real flavours too!
A must make! waw!
Magic of Spice on February 19th, 2012
I have never had to hide veggies from my kids, but since I am a vegetarian and they are not, it can still be challenging to satisfy everyone. These sound so good, and will have to give them a try…love the flavors
Hope you are having a great weekend Mary
kitchen flavours on February 20th, 2012
These looks delicious! I just made some steamed meatballs last week, luckily for me my two kidos love veggies!
Katerina on February 21st, 2012
Tell me about it! I have to improvise every time I make something so as to be likable to my son. I believe you found the perfect way to sneak these vegetables!
Mary on February 22nd, 2012
@Ann@Anncoo Journal - Oh….Ann, you make me want to eat prawn fritters now…..haha. Maybe I should make them for midnight supper Hope you had great Valentine’s Day!
@Angie@Angie’s Recipes - Thanks very much, Angie
@Dulee An - Haha….now, don’t you teach her that! There’s no veg detector. I only know there’s a lie detector..haha. I really should make meatball lollipops, especially when you come You will be here when Loopy Lollipop opens, right? And if I have to serve you these, I will pour wine over the meatballs before serving them to you 
I will call them ’swimming meatballs’…hah
@tigerfish - Thanks very much, Tigerfish!
@yeeling - Thanks very much for dropping by, YeeLing! Your daughter is very smart. My daughter dare not throw out. She ran it down but glasses of water….haha…..like eating medicine!….sigh.
@nammi - Sometimes I wonder why kids are so smart these days or is it the mommies’ fault…hmmm. Sometimes i feel like blending everything into baby food…haha
@Elin - Thanks very much, Elin! Hope you had a wonderful Valentine’s Day
@Nasifriet - So glad to know you are back. I do hope you are well and enjoying the new year. I have yet to make bigger ones to make burgers. I’m sure my family will like it, too
@Juliana - Looks like all of us mommies are going through the same problem…haha. But we overcome Our children are going to do the same tricks to their children I am sure…hehe
@pigpigscorner - Totally agree with you that they are super tasty. I have just bought a packet of turkey nice. Going to make these again
@TasteHongKong - Thanks very much, Maureen!
@skip to malou - Oh….you naughty girl, Malou!…haha Bet your mom had many creative ways to make you eat vegetables!
@noobcook - Ya, that’s right
@busygran - You are such an awesome grandma! I have to do that to my grandkids one day…already dreaming huh…haha. Awww…thanks very much for the award! Really appreciate
@vianney - Have fun cooking, Vianney!
@Sophie - Thanks very much, Sophie! Have fun cooking
@Magic of Spice - Thanks very much! Wow…you must be creative to cook both vegetarian and non-vegetarian! I would have buckled under the pressure Hope you have great week, too!
@kitchen flavours - Steamed meatballs? I got to try that. Never thought of steaming them. Must be very tender, juicy and delicious and best of all, no greasy kitchen to clean up
@Katerina - Sometimes out children make our lives difficult huh. But then on the positive side, they make us more creative and a better cook
Norma Chang on February 23rd, 2012
Agree, kids make us more creative and better cook. They can be such finicky eaters and they go through so many different stages.
suituapui on February 13th, 2012
Looks so yummy. I use onions and crushed biscuits. Never tried vegetables. Good idea! All in one.