Veggie Meatball Subs

So I can't take credit for this recipe because I have never had the yearning to make a veggie meatball, I love meat.  Besides that I found this recipe and had to try it because it is something different, not the same old meat, potatoes, salads, grains...blah blah blah.  I adapted the recipe slightly from The Small Boston Kitchen and I am impressed with how well the balls actually stuck together.  This night began with going over to my friends' (Legrand and Corey) lovely house.  Welcoming me at the door was their adorable dog Phoebe and a dirty martini, amazing.  Since this was a new recipe I wanted to try I gave the "I hope this turns out good" disclaimer and we began our decent.  And one more disclaimer I went a little photo crazy with this one:)

Serves 4

Ingredients
1 jar marinara sauce
4 small french baguettes
1 cup quinoa, uncooked
3 cups chicken broth
6 button mushrooms, finely chopped
1/2 bag baby spinach, finely chopped
1/2 red pepper, finely chopped
1/4 cup red onion, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, pressed
2 tablespoons pine nuts
2 eggs, one for wash
a couple generous pinches of crushed red pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon soy sauce
salt and pepper to taste
Olive oil
Parchment paper

The Process
1.  Cook quinoa with chicken broth according to package and set aside to cool.  Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

2.  Heat up oil in medium skillet over medium heat.  Add onions and mushrooms, cook for about 5 minutes or until soft.

3.  Lower heat and add garlic, red peppers, and spinach.  Cook for about 1 minute until spinach is wilted.

4.  In large bowl combine quiona, veggies mixture, pine nuts, crushed red pepper, oregano, salt, pepper, soy sauce, and one egg.  Mix very well.

5.  Make egg wash with the last egg.  Beat egg with a little water.

6.  Take mixture and roll into meat ball size balls and place on cookie sheet with parchment paper.

7.  After all mixture is rolled brush the tops of each ball with the egg wash and put in oven.

8.  Bake about 15-20 minutes or until the balls get a light golden brown.  While these are cooking heat up marinara and cut baguettes and place provolone cheese slices on halves.

9.  When veggie balls are done take out and place on counter.  Turn oven on broil and broil the cheese baguettes until melted and remove from oven.

10.  Place veggie balls in sandwich and douse with marinara sauce and eat!

These were unbelievable good!  I could have eaten 20 of them.  We served them with a nice simple green salad and it was the perfect combination.