Vietnamese Meatball Bowls

INGREDIENTS

Salad:

• 4 large carrots, grated
• 2 cups grated cabbage, kale, or brussel sprouts
• 1 large cucumber, peeled, halved and sliced
• 1 cup loosely chopped fresh cilantro
• juice from one lime
• salt & pepper to taste

Rice:

• 2 T butter
• 2 T grated fresh ginger
• 1.5 cups brown rice
• three cups water

Meatballs:

• 1.5 lbs ground beef or turkey
• 2 T grated fresh ginger
• 4 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
• 3 T liquid aminos (or soy sauce)

Sauce:

• 4 tablespoons hoisin sauce
• 2 tablespoons rice vinegar (not seasoned)
• 2 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon honey

INSTRUCTIONS

Salad:

1. Grate carrots with a box grater (or a food processor). Or, you can also buy pre-grated carrots at the store — they’re okay, but won’t be quite as fresh.
2. Add all other salad ingredients, toss, and store in the fridge until all the other parts of the meal are ready.

Rice:

1. Melt butter in a medium saucepan on medium heat.
2. Add grated ginger and sauté for a couple minutes.
3. Add rice and toss until it’s coated and starting to toast a bit (about 3 minutes).
4. Add water and cover. Cook for about 40 minutes, then check. Be sure all the water has cooked into the rice, then remove from heat and leave covered until meatballs are ready.

Meatballs:

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
2. Place all meatball ingredients in a large, sturdy bowl and mix until combined. This is easiest to do with your hands.
3. Spread a thin layer of oil on a cookie sheet.
4. Roll meatballs (about 1.25″ diameter), place them on the sheet, and bake for 18 minutes, or until they’re cooked through.
5. While the meatballs are cooking, mix together sauce ingredients.
6. Once meatballs and rice are done cooking, toss sauce with meatballs, then serve over rice with carrot salad.