As you have probably noticed, my monthly recipe is usually a healthy, vegetarian dish. I am not a vegetarian – although I was for ten years – and enjoy meat in moderation. This meatball dish is one of our favourites. I have adapted it from an old synagogue cookbook. The recipe makes A LOT – prepare to freeze half if you don’t have five people in your family like I do.

Meat Mixture:

• 3 lb lean ground beef
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp meatball seasoning (any kind – just make sure it doesn’t have salt)
• ½-1 tsp salt (use ½ if using kosher meat)
• ½ tsp ground black pepper
• 1 cup bread crumbs, chickpea flour, almond flour, ground pumpkin seeds, or a combination

Sauce:

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 cup ketchup
• 1 cup unsweetened grape juice
• 1 tbsp chilli powder
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• ¼ cup brown sugar

Start by heating the olive oil in a large pot. Add the onions and cook until soft and juices are released. Add the other ingredients for the sauce, and bring to a boil. Turn off heat.

Combine ingredients for meat mixture by hand (you do not need an egg – I actually find an egg makes the mixture too mushy). Form into balls that are about 1.5” in diameter, placing into the pot as you work. Once all the balls are made, turn heat back on and simmer for 45 minutes. Check occasionally to make sure sauce is not sticking to bottom of pot. You can avoid this by keeping the light as low as possible to elicit a simmer.

Serve with rice or spaghetti. Enjoy!