Spinach and Sweet Potato Balls

 

 

Spinach and Sweet Potato Balls

By GostinhoDeBrasil [CC-BY-3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

 

Training with Drilldoggy (that’s me!), running after your kids and struggling at work to meet deadlines wear you off at the end. So you need lots of carbs to pep you after a hectic day. So pamper yourself with spinach and sweet potato balls. There are packed with nutrients which refill you with energy and set you for the next day struggle again!

These delicious veggie orbs might remind you of knodel, the flour dumpling enjoyed in Central Europe. Indeed, I took the inspiration from the delicacy and conjured up my version with spinach and sweet potato for a healthy twist.

It called for some tapioca flour to hold them together and roll them up into small balls. When fried, they turned so delicious that it made a carnivore, like me, fall in love with the yummy balls of pleasures. They were like flavor bombs with a tad crunchy outer layer and mushy interior with ‘melt-in-the-mouth’ texture.   The aromatic thyme, garlic and onions bring out the fresh flavors of the veggies and turn this dish into an absolute winner. Though the balls itself serves as an appetizer, you can soak them in a tomato gravy and serve with cauliflower rice to turn it into a wholesome dinner. So enjoy these veggie balls the way you like it best and stay active!

Ingredients:

  • 1 ½ cup spinach
  • 2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and diced
  • 2 garlic cloves, peeled and diced
  • 1 large brown onion, peeled and diced
  • Zest of 1 lemon
  • 4 fresh thyme sprigs
  • 1 tbsp tapioca flour
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • Coconut oil, for frying
  • 2/3 tsp freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 ½ tsp sea salt

Method:

  • Blanch the fresh spinach in hot water for a minute or until they wilt and drain them out into a colander.
  • Give it a tight squeeze to get rid of excess water and transfer it onto a cutting board.
  • Chop it finely and set aside.
  • Dump the sweet potato cubes into a saucepan and fill it up with cold water.
  • Heat the mixture until it starts boiling and cook likewise for 10 minutes or until they are fork-tender.
  • Drain them out into a bowl and mash them with a potato masher into a slightly grainy mass.
  • Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a skillet and stir fry the onion for 10 minutes over slow flame, until they soften and caramelize.
  • Stir in the garlic, chopped spinach and thyme leaves.
  • Sprinkle the lemon zest over them and sauté for 3-4 minutes, stirring often, until the mixture becomes fragrant.
  • Stir in a splash of lemon juice and tip the mixture into the bowl with mashed sweet potatoes.
  • Dust with tapioca flour and sprinkle a dash each of seasonings to taste.
  • Work them together to mix thoroughly and pinch out small portions of the mixture.
  • Roll each of them into small golf-sized balls, using moist hands and lay them out onto a plate.
  • Pour enough coconut oil into a frying pan so that they form a thin layer and heat over medium heat until it sizzles.
  • Lower the veggie balls into the hot oil, few at a time, and cook each side for a couple of minutes, until they turn golden brown.
  • Serve hot alongside lemon wedges.