Spaghetti and Meatballs with "Parm" Topping; Tomato Sauce; Garlic Avocado Dressing on Mixed Green Salad

This is another meal most people think they'll never enjoy again when on a dairy-free or gluten free, or low cholesterol diet. Not true! These meatballs are made from a mushroom base. Meat-eating tasters report they thought they were made from meat! The sauce is a homemade cabernet-tomato sauce and the purchased spaghetti is made of rice. The dish is topped with a "parmesan cheese" made from almonds. This topping is a "go to" in my house. I use it to fortify the flavor of lots of things like tuna patties, meatloaf, on top of carbanara, etc. This is a fun meal to make and one your whole family will enjoy.

Spaghetti and Meatballs with Mixed Green Salad

Meatballs:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees
Sauté:
2-3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 yellow onion, chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
20 large button mushrooms
Combine:
1 cup gluten-free bread crumbs (4 slices)
1 tablespoon oregano
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 tablespoon dried parsley
1 teaspoon garlic salt
1 tablespoon vegetable bouillon*
1 egg equivalent of egg substitute** (or two egg whites)
1/4 cup almond “parmesan” cheese (See “Parmesan” nut topping recipe.)

Clean the mushrooms. Place half into the food processor and process until the mushrooms are chopped.  Add mushrooms to the sauté pan and cook with onions and garlic. In a food processor, chop onion and add to mushrooms.  Sauté onion in olive oil until translucent.  Add minced garlic.

To make the bread crumbs, place bread in a clean, dry food processor.  Add herbs and salt and process into crumbs.  Place bread crumbs in mixing bowl. Add cooked mushrooms, onions and garlic to the mixing bowl along with herbs, salt, bouillon and egg substitute. Chop parsley and place in mixing bowl. Salt mixture.  Mix.  Form balls.  Place on baking sheet.  Bake at 400 degrees about 20 minutes. 

*Suggestion: Gaylord Hauser’s Vegetable Broth or take dehydrated vegetable soup mix (make sure it's dairy and gluten free), process it into a powder and use for seasoning. (Delicious in soups, etc!)

**Suggestion: Ener-G Egg Substitute or Flax Mix (Blend until thick: 1/3 cup water, 1 tablespoon flax seeds)

Cook rice spaghetti according to the directions on the package.  Suggestion:  Tinkyada Rice Spaghetti (cook, drain, and spray with spray-on oil)

Tomato Sauce:
28 oz. of tomato puree
1 teaspoon each: oregano, basil, tarragon
1 cup Cabernet wine
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
Mix ingredients together and heat sauce. 

Mixed Green Salad:
6 cups of mixed greens
1 English Cucumber
1 cup grape tomatoes
Combine vegetables in a salad bowl.

Dressing:
1 clove of garlic, minced
1 avocado
1/2 peeled English cucumber
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
1 tablespoon brown rice vinegar
Mince garlic in blender.  Place other ingredients in blender.  Blend.  Pour over salad.  Toss.