Albondigas Soup

(Or Mexican Meatball Soup)

(Vegan)

By Mary Bernt

(Serves about 12 bowls)

MEATBALLS

• 1 pkg. Gimme Lean Beef flavor burger (by Lite Life) It is a cylinder shape.
• 1 C. cooked brown rice (this is a great place to use up some leftover rice)
• 1 tsp. salt

Spray a cookie sheet with Pam or use a Silpat on a cookie sheet to avoid the oil. Mix Gimme Lean burger, rice and salt together with your hands till well mixed. Form into quarter-sized meatballs and place on the cookie sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes. To form the balls easily just wet your hands as you make them.

SOUP

• 1 large yellow onion, diced
• 3 garlic cloves, pressed
• 1 large carrot, sliced
• Water sauté till they soften some. Then add:
• 1-3 oz. can diced green chilles
• 2- 14 oz. cans Del Monte Basil, Garlic, Oregano, Diced Tomatoes
• 1-14 oz. can tomato sauce
• 8 C. water
• 1⁄4 C. Mary Bernt Chicken seasoning
• 2 tsp. dried oregano
• 1 tsp. ground cumin
• 2 Tbs. maple syrup
• Shake of cayenne pepper
• Simmer for 20 minutes

Then add:

• 1⁄2 lb. frozen green beans, cut into 1 inch pieces
• 3⁄4 C cilantro, chopped

Simmer for 5 more minutes
Add the meatballs and warm through.

The meatballs can be made ahead and frozen for later use. Because this makes a lot of soup, you can freeze half of it but don’t add the meatballs till after you thaw it. They will fall apart.

The meatballs will start to fall apart if your keep the soup for 3-4 days in the refrigerator. Just add them as you need them.

The Cornmeal muffins go great with this soup.