Thanks, everyone, for your well wishes! I'm better but a bit tired, and back today with what would have been Monday's lunch. I simmered Nate's Meatless Meatballs in tomato sauce and packed them in a warm thermos. I cut the top off a wheat roll in a bowl shape, so shmoo could scoop out the meatballs and make himself a hot meatball sub at lunch. Above the sub are blanched, chilled asparagus, Barbara's Snackimals Oatmeal Wheat-Free Cookies, and fresh blueberries. You may note that the cookies are in a brand new container. I just found a boxed set of six 2.5 oz stainless steel ramekins at Target, complete with little plastic lids. And yes -- oh happy, happy day! -- they fit in the lunchbox with their lids on! Look how it fits between the two medium containers just so. Having a mediumish container with a lid should be handy, although they don't hold as much as the square containers do. I would give you a link but can't find them for sale online; I hope everyone who wants one can find them at Target.
Verdict: Man, those Nate's Meatballs are spooky good. I get a bit anxious when I first bite into one and have to double-check the package for the word "meatless". Shmoo raved about the sub and ate every bite, but only ate the tender tops off the asparagus. 5 stars.
:O i get to comment first! jeje...good to hear you are getting much better! now, those meatballs just made my mouth water! yum yum. and hurray for ur finding at target!
ReplyDeleteGlad you are feeling better!
ReplyDeleteMy omni coworkers even comment about how good Nate's meatless meat balls smell when I heat them up at work. I enjoy the classic flavor with out of the bottle barbeque sauce poured over them and eaten just plain. The meatless meatballs don't worry me because they taste too good to have meat in them...
I make myself a Nate's mealtless sub on a wheat roll for lunch about twice a week! I top mine with VeganRella. Mmmm!
ReplyDeleteI like how you kept the meatballs in the thermos to keep HOT. I was wondering what the verdict was going to be on the asparagus!
ReplyDeleteAs for those containers, I can't wait to see what you are now going to come up with to put in them...
Hi Jennifer!
ReplyDeleteI found your blog via Kai's. I'm not a vegan but am working my to it. You look like a great chef! I'll be stopping by to read up some more (I'm sure I could learn a lot) Nice to 'meet' you!
TTYL
Teddy
That container is darling! Awesome lunch!
ReplyDeleteglad you're feeling better
ReplyDeleteWhat's on the napkin? It looks like Egyptian art.
ReplyDeleteAlso, for my lunch today I am having something from a previous lunchbox. The peanut butter and sliced kiwi fruit on pitta bread. I thought you'd like to know that this continues to be one of the best ideas ever.
Good to hear you are on the mend... The weather on this side of the Atlantic is miserable for May _ from a distant Welsh lunchbox cousin.
ReplyDeleteHope you're in tip-top form soon! I love the idea of macaroni hotdog. And the price drop in papaya has really got me smiling!
ReplyDeleteI like to see Jennifershmoo in good state!
ReplyDeleteMeatballs look delicious! I'll try to cook it.
It may be great with Spanich Rice...
glad to hear you are feeling better.
ReplyDeletethat meatball sub idea...flashbacks from pre-vegetarian school cafeteria lunches. One of the few things I actually liked, though who knows what was in them (probably mostly soy anyway). I'll have to have these sometime this week.
I had the same reaction to those meatballs, as well! I bit into one, and re-checked the package to make sure I hadn't grabbed the wrong thing from the freezer at the co-op. They are so tasty, any way you make them.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you're feeling better!
Oh my YUM! Glad you are feeling better Jen!
ReplyDeleteGlad to hear you're feeling better! I love those little containers - they also sell them at Storables and WorldMarket. We use them for dressings and salad toppings...well, and a bunch of other things too.
ReplyDeleteI'll have to try the Nate's Meatballs if they have them in the area.
-Crystal
About those Nate's Meatballs. I have friends who bought them and I babysat their farm for 2 weeks and had some there. I, being rather naive in the meat department, didn't know they tasted like meat, but didn't like them (prob bec they tasted real). My nephew, staying with me one night, convinced me to have them on pizza and I liked them then. Yet another way to use Nates!
ReplyDeleteGood to hear you're feeling better! I make "meatball" subs with the Trader Joe meatless meatballs pretty often. I like to sauté up some sweet peppers and onion with some garlic and throw that in with the sauce too. Mushrooms sometimes too. I can get a bit carried away with sandwich fillings, it’s a problem when things start spilling out all over the place :P
ReplyDelete>>how exactly do you blanch the asparagus?
ReplyDeleteAfter cleaning and cutting off the tough ends of the stalks, I cut their tender tops off and set them aside, then cut the remaining stalks into roughly 2-inch pieces.
I put the stalks in boiling water until they are almost but not quite tender, then throw in the tips for the last bit of cooking time (the tips cook more quickly and would get mushy if I threw them all in at once).
When it's all done I drain the asparagus, plunge it into ice water quickly to stop the cooking, then drain it again. That's blanching.
Mmm looks great!
ReplyDeleteNew York Bathrooms
I'm on a mission to make your hot meatball sub - it looks amazing & your description motivates me even more. way to go finding some goodies to stoke out shmoo's lunch box & such a nice fit!
ReplyDeleteHi, Essy! Glad you like the pb & kiwi!
ReplyDelete>>What's on the napkin? It looks like Egyptian art.
Yep! Shmoo picked out this fabric for napkins. He loves Egyptian hieroglyphics and mummies.
Hi, Jane M! I make something similar with grape jelly and chili sauce:
ReplyDeletehttp://veganlunchbox.blogspot.com/2006/01/sweet-sour-meatless-meatballs.html
May sound funny, but they sure taste good!
Hi,
ReplyDeleteCan someone tell me if the TJ brand meatballs taste or smell like meat? Just curious, I'm a vegetarian from birth and mentally have an issue eating any products that have that smell, even if it's fake. Strange but true. Thanks!
Harini
Hi, Golden! It was in the cooking section, near the other ramekins.
ReplyDeleteYes, it was in an aisle with mixing bowls, right next to a wall of spatulas and spoons. I hope you can find them! I wish they had them online...
ReplyDeleteHarini: I couldn’t really tell you how closely the TJ “meatballs” resemble the real thing, I’ve been veggie since I was 14 (12 years ago) and I find I have a really hard time remembering what meat tasted like. I am also put off by the smell of real meat and I like them so I would suggest giving them a try. Everyone I know who has tried them loves them!
ReplyDeleteJennifer, you make me hungry :) I had to run out and get veggie-balls this week :)
ReplyDeleteHey I found the little ramekins today at the Temecula,CA Target!!! They were in the aisle with the clear glass jars and dish drainers. There was a big stainless steel section with mini gravy boats (looked like they held a tablespoon each) and lots of other shiny metal products and there they were! WOO HOO for me and good luck to anyone else still on the hunt.
ReplyDeletethank you
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