Asian Sesame-Ginger Meatballs

Happy Fourth of July Weekend! I hope everyone has fun plans for their holiday weekend filled with family, friends, and (most importantly) some delicious food. I’ll be the first to admit that holidays can get tricky (mentally) when we overindulge and enjoy ourselves a little too much. I know it’s easier said than done, but try to let go of those guilty feelings and just let yourself enjoy everything in moderation. Have fun this weekend, the food galore won’t last forever, so don’t sweat it!

Today I am back with another @halfbakedharvest inspired meal. I tweaked her recipe by substituting some ingredients for cleaner ones and added in more veggies (easy peasy!). Once again, I am obsessed with Asian flavors because they make anything so delicious! I can’t say I’ve ever had an Asian-style chicken meatball before, but I’m here for it.

This recipe features a bed of brown rice, tons of colorful vegetables, and sesame-ginger chicken meatballs… YUM! The best thing about this recipe is that while it seems like there’s a lot to it, you do a lot of the steps at the same time (make the sauce and cook the veggies while the meatballs are cookin’).

Add these ingredients to your last minute grocery list so that you can make this yummy dinner! I think this would make an awesome Sunday night dinner because it will really set the tone (food wise) for your entire week. Happy Fourth!

Ingredients

Meatballs:
1 lb ground chicken
1/3 cup green onions, finely chopped
1 inch fresh ginger, peeled and grated
1 clove garlic, minced
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Vegetables:
1 head broccoli, cut into florets
1 bell pepper, cut into bitesize pieces
1 cup asparagus, cut into bitesize pieces
2 tbsp sesame oil

Honey-Soy Sauce:
1 tbsp sesame oil
1/3 cup low sodium soy sauce (healthier substitute: coconut aminos)
1/3 cup orange juice
3 tbsp hoisin sauce
3 tbsp honey
2 tbsp rice vinegar (substitute: apple cider vinegar)
½ tsp crushed red pepper flakes

Other:
Brown rice, steamed
Sesame seeds, for garnish
Green onions, for garnish

Directions

1) Preheat the oven to 450 °F.
2) Steam brown rice according to packaged instructions.
3) In a medium size mixing bowl, add the chicken, green onions, ginger, garlic, salt, and pepper. Mix until combined and the texture is wet and sticky. Coat your hands with a splash of oil to prevent sticking. Roll the meat into tablespoon-size balls (makes 15 meatballs) and transfer them to a baking sheet. Place in the oven and bake for 18 minutes, until the meatballs are slightly brown on the outside. Ensure they are cooked through.
4) Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, combine the sauce ingredients: sesame oil, soy sauce, orange juice, hoisin sauce, honey, vinegar, and crushed red pepper flakes. Set over medium-high heat and bring the sauce to a boil. Boil for 10 minutes, until the sauce thickens up. Remove from the heat.
5) In a medium sized sauté pan, warm ½ tbsp sesame oil. When the oil shimmers, add the bell peppers. Cook, tossing often, until soft, about 6 minutes. Place the cooked peppers in a bowl off to the side.
6) In the same sauté pan, warm ½ tbsp sesame oil. When the oil shimmers, add the asparagus. Cook, tossing often, until soft and bright green, about 8 minutes. Place the cooked asparagus in the bowl off to the side.
7) In a medium sized sauté pan, warm ½ tbsp sesame oil. When the oil shimmers, add the broccoli. Cook, tossing often, until soft, about 8 minutes.
8) Transfer the cooked bell peppers and asparagus back into the pan with the broccoli.
9) Pour half of the honey-soy sauce over the meatballs, tossing to combine. Return to the oven for 4 minutes, until the sauce thickens over the meatballs.
10) Arrange the bowls by serving the meatballs on top of a bed of steamed brown rice. Top with vegetables, more sauce, sesame seeds, and green onions.

Enjoy!