Quick Flavorful Meatballs

Did you ever think you could make meatballs out of food storage!?!  Lindsey over at Why Just Eat did!  Lindsey creates incredible recipes using THRIVE products and shares them almost every day on her blog.  One of her recipes was even recently featured by Shelf Reliance on their website and in the corporate Q-Club newsletter! 

These meatballs are Lindsey's creation and they do not disappoint!  They are so flavorful! I changed my up a bit from Lindsey's recipe in order to better meet my family's taste.  First, I didn't leave any of the veggies "chunky": not that we don't like veggies b/c we eat them all the time, but I don't like chunks in my meatballs.  I know, picky! 

I also used bell peppers and tomato powder instead of celery and wheat flour instead of oats and added a few other ingredients to change up the flavor a bit.  I would encourage you to do the same. Try different veggies, grains etc.  Try peas or spinach and cornmeal or the cracked cereal.  How much nutritional punch can you pack into these meatballs?

Quick Flavorful Meatballs:

Recipe adapted from that created by Lindsey Mote of Why Just Eat When you can THRIVE?

Makes 10-12 meatballs
(I only made 1/2 the recipe in the pictures)

• 1 cup freeze dried ground beef
• 1 T. freeze dried onions
• 1 T. tomato powder
• 1 - 1 1/2 tsp beef bullion
• 3 T freeze dried monterey jack cheese
• 7-10 slices freeze dried bell peppers
• 2 T. egg powder
• 2 T. whole wheat flour
• 1 T. dried parsley
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1/3-1/2 cup hot water

Place all ingredients but water in a food processor:

Pulse until you have a fine powder:

Remove from food processor and place in a bowl.  Add water and mix into a thick paste.  Start with 1/3 cup, then let the mixture sit for 10-15 minutes.  Add a bit more water if it is too dry.  You want it thick enough to come together into a ball, but wet enough to be a bit sticky:

Form mixture into balls:

 
The beef and eggs in these meatballs are precooked, so there is no need to cook them.  However, you will obviously want to warm them before eating.   I've found baking to be the best re-heating method.  They don't stay together well when frying (plus that adds extra oil/fat).  Bake at 400 for 10-15 minutes until just brown / crisp on the outside.  Yum!

I am an independent consultant for Shelf Reliance; a company with a mission to empower others to become self reliant, prosperous and charitable.  You can learn more about Shelf Reliance, becoming a Shelf Reliance consultant ,buying their products, or earning free products, on my Shelf Reliance Consultant website.