Earlier this week, Erin from She Cooks She Gardens shared a startling statistic. Each year, the average person throws away $1000 worth of food. That's pretty much the same as going to the ATM, withdrawing ten $100 notes then going home, shredding them and tossing them in the bin.
The stinge in me doesn't like the idea of throwing away a 5c coin let alone big notes. Yes I try really hard not to buy too much food and to use it all up before anything goes off but in reality, life quite often gets in the way and even my well-thought-out plans go down the drain. Actually it's usually because of a slight difference between what Sunday-good-meal-planning Claire wants for diner during the week and what actual Claire wants to cook and eat.
A few weeks ago my grandma told me about a meal she'd had at her son's house (made by my aunt who is a great cook). The best way she could describe it was throwing a whole lot of veges/herbs, some meat and something to hold it all together, into the food processor, shaping them into balls and baking them in sauce.
As soon as I got home and scrounged around to see what I had in the crisper and threw it all in with a few extra ingredients. My grandma was right. The result was absolutely delicious and so ridiculously easy. Here's why I loved them:
- you can use up any sad-looking or lonely veges in the fridge which saves them from the bin
- because there are so many veges in there they're super healthy
- you can make heaps with just a little bit of meat so it's quite economical
- they're so tender you could eat them with a spoon
- they freeze well
- they're delicious
- it's a great base recipe - vary it up with different meats, spices, herbs and sauce (cook it in a curry sauce/coconut milk/other soup)
In case you can't watch the video, basically you throw some semi-frozen meat, old veges, garlic, fresh herbs, tomato paste, salt, pepper, 1 cup of breadcrumbs, some grated cheese and an egg in the food processor. Whiz it up until smooth then either add more sauce/egg or breadcrumbs to get the mixture to hold in meatballs.
Shape it into balls and place it in an oiled, lidded dish then cover them with tomato soup, passata or tomato pasta sauce then into the oven at 180C fan-forced for about 25 minutes. Serve them with mash or veges, over pasta, in a sub... however you like. Enjoy!
Don't forget to enter for your chance to win one of five $100 Woolworths vouchers thanks to Broccolini baby broccoli.
Maureen | Orgasmic Chef says
I'm guilty. I have the best of intentions and then I get busy working and I forget the great vision I had when I saw the mini capsicums in the supermarket. These meatballs look so easy and who doesn't love a meatball sub? I'd put these meatballs and sauce in a roll, add some cheese on top and bake in a hot oven just til the cheese melts. Heaven.
Claire says
Me too and it gets to the end of the week and I remember when they look a little sad. Ooh that sounds like the perfect idea!
Jo Smith says
Thanks Claire. That's dinner for Tuesday night sorted.
Claire says
Let me know how you like it Jo!
The Café Sucré Farine says
You could have just pretended this was a recipe from some fancy-schmancy gourmet restaurant Claire, they look amazing! And you're such a smarty to be so frugal and so creative! Love it!
Claire says
It is a fancy-shmancy restaurant Chris... Claire's Kitchen :-)
Hotly Spiced says
That really is an awful statistic and I know I'm guilty of throwing out food I didn't use before it reached it's use-by date. This is certainly an excellent idea and one our wasteful generation should adopt. What fabulous looking meatballs! xx
Claire says
Thanks Charlie! I feel so terrible throwing food away but I think it's something we all do. I know it's still throwing it away but I'd love to have a compost heap. At least then it's being re-used.
Lorraine @ Not Quite Nigella says
I totally hate throwing out food too! It's such a waste to do it. these meatballs look like a really tasty way of using leftovers! :D
Claire says
I always feel badly too. Thinking...the poor person who grew this and picked it and now it's going in the bin :-(