Incorporating Vegetarian Meals

     Hey everyone and welcome back! Lets start today's post with somewhat of a laugh! How many of you mamas out there have heard the dreaded 3 words that come out of every kid's mouth at some point? You know what I'm talking about right? If not, let me clarify. "I HATE YOU!" It's like nails on a chalkboard. Last night I got my very first "I hate you", and boy was it enough to make me want to cry. All because I told my little girl it was time for bed! Moments like that make me really wonder what I'm in for in the future. Needless to say I put her to bed and actually shed a few tears behind her bedroom door. However, I remembered that she is only TWO, and she doesn't even have a clue what hate is. I take moments like these and use them to push through parenthood, knowing I am doing the right thing, and sometimes, even though our children make it seem otherwise, I am a great mama!

     So back to the title of this post. "Incorporating Vegetarian Meals."  The reason I want to talk about this is not for moral reasons whatsoever.  However, more so because I think its important for people to understand that meat is not the only source of protein out there! Red meats especially, are hearder for our bodies to digest. Also, I have a picky little toddler who hates the texture of meat, but LOVES veggies. Her eating habits have absolutely had a affect on my meal plans for the whole family. I'm not the type of parent that cooks a separate meal for a picky eater, so I researched a few recipes that my daughter, fiancé, and myself can enjoy! Here's one of my favorites!

Portobello Mushroom “Meat”balls

Ingredients:

·        5 oz Portobello Mushrooms diced small

·        2 eggs

·        ½ cup seasoned breadcrumbs

·        1 Tbsp Italian Seasoning

·        2 cloves minced garlic

·        ½ tsp Salt

·        ½ tsp ground black pepper

·        Cooking Spray for searing

Method:

1.     Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

2.     In a medium bowl, combine all ingredients until well mixed.

3.     Using wet hands to prevent the mixture from sticking to you, form the meatballs about 1 ½ inch big. This recipe yields about 10 meatballs.

4.     Heat a skillet with some cooking spray to medium. Sear the meatballs on all sides just until browned.

5.     Transfer the meatballs to a baking dish and bake for 10-15 mins, until the mix is firm throughout.

6.     Enjoy!