Thursday: Gingery Pork Meatballs with Noodles

AKA Dragonballs!

Adapted from Cooking Light

Personal Note: You read that correctly. SmithCale upon eating these loved them so much, he decided to rename them. I feel I should explain. We’ve been watching the Dragonball Series (judge me as you will), but it is something SmithCale wanted to share from his childhood. Anyway, now that I’m embarrassed about how I waste my time, doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try these even if I spend my weekends watching a Japanese cartoon. Now where did I put that paper bag to hide my face…

Plan of Attack:

1. Preheat oven

2. Prep meat, let set for 30 minutes

3. Create meatballs, cook 20 minutes

4. Cook noodles

Ingredients for 2:

Meatballs:

¼ C chopped fresh cilantro

1/8 C panko bread crumbs

1/8 C chopped red onion

1 Tbsp soy sauce

1 ½ tsp finely chopped fresh ginger

1-3 cloves garlic minced (choose based on your tolerance/love of garlic)

½ pound ground pork

1 large egg, lightly beaten

Noodles:

4 oz thai rice noodles (or wide rice noodles)

½ Tbsp sesame oil or wok oil

1 Red bell pepper cut into strips

¼ tsp salt

¼ tsp crushed red pepper

¼ C green onions sliced

Instructions:

1. Cook noodles as package directs, preheat oven to 450 degrees
2. Combine meatball ingredients in a large bowl; stir until incorporated; Cover and chill 30 minutes (or at least 20). Divide into 10 equal portions; shape like dragonballs (which is spherical). Arrange on either a foil covered/cooking sprayed pan. Bake for 20 minutes
3. When you have about 7 minutes left for the meatballs; heat oil in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat
4. Add bell pepper, salt and crushed red pepper. Cook for about 4 minutes; add green onions and noodles and cook for 1 minute more; stirring constantly
5. Enjoy

Nutritional Info, per 1 ¾ C noodle mixture & 5 meatballs:

506 calories

15.4 g total fat (5.1 saturated)

138 mg cholesterol

58.8 g carbohydrates

3.7 g fiber

30.6 g protein