Health Essentials from Cleveland Clinic

For a twist on the traditional, try this recipe the next time you crave Italian. You’ll eat fewer calories, less fat and less cholesterol. And as a bonus, the tofu is a good source of calcium.

Ingredients

Meatballs
1 pound firm tofu
2 tablespoons onion flakes
¼ teaspoon oregano
¼ teaspoon salt
Pepper
Dash of garlic powder
½ cup corn squares cereal, crushed
½ cup rice squares cereal, crushed
1 egg
1 tablespoon dried parsley flakes

Sauce
1 eight-ounce can tomato sauce
¼ teaspoon oregano
¼ teaspoon dried basil
Pinch of garlic powder
1 tablespoon Parmesan cheese

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Drain tofu well and slice it.
3. In a large bowl, combine tofu, onion flakes, oregano, salt, pepper, garlic powder, cereal, egg and parsley. Mix well with a fork. Mash to blend ingredients.
4. Shape mixture into 24 balls, squeezing tightly.
5. Place a single layer of meatballs on a lightly oiled, shallow baking pan.
6. In a small bowl, combine sauce ingredients. Spoon over meatballs.
7. Bake uncovered for 20 minutes.
8. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese prior to serving.

Nutritional information

Yield: 6 servings (4 meatballs/serving)

Calories: 102
Protein: 8.6 g
Carbohydrate: 9.1 g
Dietary fiber: 1.6 g
Fat: 3.95 g
Saturated fat: 1.1 g
Cholesterol: 36 mg
Sodium: 374 mg

Recipe from Cleveland Clinic Children’s Nutrition Support Team