Let's learn more about the uses in the kitchen of Chenopodium quinoa? What am I saying? Don't worry, I'm not inventing a new language: Chenopodium quinoa is the scientific term with which quinoa is recognized, a pseudo-cereal that belongs to the same family as beet and spinach. Quinoa can be used like rice and millet, so it can be eaten in salads, as a first course or as a filling with meat or vegetables. But today I want to offer you the vegetarian quinoa meatballs.
Video of the Recipe
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Identity Card of the Recipe
- 185 KCal Calories per serving
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Ingrediants
For about 10 meatballs
- 150 g of quinoa
- 3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
- 1 sprig of parsley
- 1 pinch of red pepper
- q.s. of pepper
- q.s. of salt
- Gluten-free product: 70-80 g of breadcrumbs
- 200 g of radicchio
- 200 g of cauliflower
To cover
- Gluten-free product: about 30 g of grated bread
Materials Needed
- Bowls
- Casserole
- Ladle
- Immersion mixer
- Pan with lid
- Plate
- Chopping board
- Knife
- Dense mesh strainer / colander
Preparation
- First, rinse the dried quinoa thoroughly in fresh running water.
Did you know that
It is important to carefully rinse the quinoa in fresh water to remove the saponins, substances naturally contained in this pseudocereal, responsible for a bitter taste.- Cook the quinoa in lightly salted water (the amount of water must be double the volume of the quinoa). It is advisable to pour a tablespoon of oil directly into the quinoa cooking water to prevent the seeds from sticking together.
- Meanwhile, clean the cauliflower and steam it, cutting it into small pieces to speed up cooking times.
- Clean the radicchio and cut it into thin strips. Sauté the radicchio in a pan, adding a drizzle of oil, salt and pepper.
- Pour the cauliflower into a beaker, add a drizzle of oil, salt, pepper and a couple of tablespoons of the quinoa cooking water: blend everything with the immersion blender until you get a cream.
- Once ready, drain the quinoa from the water and pour it into a bowl.
- Add the cauliflower cream and the quinoa radicchio and mix thoroughly, flavoring everything with a little chopped parsley.
- Those who wish can also add a pinch of red pepper to the mixture.
- At this point, gradually add the gluten-free breadcrumbs (variant for celiacs), until you get a consistency that allows you to work the dough with your hands. About 70-80 g of gluten-free breadcrumbs will be needed.
- In this way, obtain meatballs and roll them in gluten-free breadcrumbs.
- Pour a drop of oil into a pan and, when hot, brown the meatballs: they will be ready in 5 minutes.
The right idea
For an even lighter version, you can brown the quinoa balls in the oven at 180 ° C for about 15 minutes.- Serve the quinoa balls on a bed of fresh radicchio.
Alice's comment - PersonalCooker
These meatballs will delight not only our vegetarian and vegan friends. As it does not develop gluten in contact with liquids, quinoa can easily be eaten even by those suffering from celiac disease, or by a "permanent intolerance towards gluten. Serve them as a main course or as a delicious appetizer!
And don't miss my millet meatballs recipe!Nutritional values and Health Comment on the recipe
Quinoa Vegetarian Meatballs are a cereal-based preparation that perfectly plays the role of first course. Meatballs DO NOT contain ingredients of animal origin and for this reason they are also cholesterol-free; total fats are moderate, especially in the respective saturated fraction. Quinoa Vegetarian Meatballs are therefore suitable for feeding hypercholesterolemic people.
There are not many proteins and the biological value is of medium entity; carbohydrates (especially complex ones) represent the predominant energy macronutrient. Fiber is abundant. Quinoa Vegetarian Meatballs could also be contextualized in the diet against diabetes (but in the right quantities). The average serving of Vegetarian Quinoa Meatballs is around 150-200g (280-370kcal).
