Gnocchi & Mushroom Soup

Soup is the perfect hands-off lunch to have at the ready. At a season when more veggies are needed, I was glad to throw this together and have a few servings ahead of me.

Creamed spinach was the quick ingredient for a light creaminess. This was brothy, yet filling, though creamed spinach could swap for cream of mushroom soup with baby spinach for a creamier version.

Gnocchi and Mushroom Soup
Ingredients:
(serves 3-4)
1/4 white onion
2 carrots
1-2 garlic
1 pint baby portabellas
1/2 cup white mushrooms
1 package creamed spinach
1/2 pound gnocchi
2 1/2 cups vegetable broth

Directions:
Chop the onions, carrots, and garlic to saute over medium heat in olive oil. Add in the sliced mushrooms.

Add in the frozen creamed spinach, broth, and gnocchi.
Cook over medium-low heat for 10 minutes.

Enjoy!
This keeps well and freezes too. It was perfect to drop everything in – even frozen and let it come together. I packed it for lunch knowing there are never enough veggies this season. My carrots were the saddest ever, but useful for soup.

Burger Beans

I love a regular burger – (don’t let these burger beans or my burger rice bowl fool you!) but this twist came from our beloved pizza beans on a quest for a quick dinner or lunch.

The Three Bite Rule - Burger Beans

These bean-based bowls are super high in protein and cook so quickly. They reheat perfectly with the other toppings separate so make a bunch or reheat as eaters in your house are needing a meal.

Burger Beans
Ingredients: (serves ~2)

1 can white beans
3 tablespoons tomato puree or tomato sauce
1/4 cup broth
2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 teaspoon liquid smoke or Worcestershire sauce
2 burger patties (I used veggie burgers)
2-3 strips bacon (skip if going vegetarian)
2 tablespoons chopped onion
1-2 cups greens
3 pickle spears
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
ketchup & mustard

Directions:
Grill or pan fry the burgers.
Cook the bacon and drain. If desired, cook the onion until golden and caramelized.
Rinse beans and add to a pot with tomato and broth over medium heat. Add in the garlic powder and broth/Worcestershire sauce. Cook over medium heat for 10 minutes and add in the onions.

The Three Bite Rule - Burger Beans

Chop the greens, bacon, pickles, and shred the cheese.
Spoon beans into 2 bowls and add in the bacon, cheese, and burgers.

The Three Bite Rule - Burger Beans

Top with greens, pickles, and drizzles of ketchup and mustard.
Enjoy!

The Three Bite Rule - Burger Beans

This was everything I wanted it to be. Warm beans & burger contrasting with crisp pickles & greens was perfect in every bite. The beans make it super filling so it is also a good time to make it vegetarian or to use a smaller portion if you have leftover ground meat or burgers.

Bean & Mushroom Meatballs

Meatless meatballs don’t get everyone psyched, but these were so flavorful and filling. Also, if forming into meatballs isn’t your thing, they can easily be patties or pan fried all chopped up to be taco/burrito filling or for faux-Bolognese sauce!

The Three Bite Rule - Mushroom & Bean Meatballs

Mushroom & Bean Meatballs
Ingredients:

1/2 white onion, chopped small
1 pint (~2-3 cups) baby portabella mushrooms
2 tablespoons butter
1 can (15.5 oz) white beans (black beans would be good too & make them darker in color like any other meatball)
2 tablespoons garlic, minced
2/3 cup quick cooking oats
1 tablespoon Italian Seasoning
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon salt & pepper (I used a salt & garlic powder mix)
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce (or sub a teaspoon balsamic vinegar)
2 tablespoons parmesan cheese, grated
2 tablespoons panko breadcrumbs
1 egg (optional)

Directions:
Sauté the onions over medium heat until soft and translucent then remove from the heat and sauté the mushrooms in butter in that same pan – about 5 minutes over medium high heat.

The Three Bite Rule - Mushroom & Bean Meatballs

While the mushrooms cook (let them sit to caramelize before gently stirring), drain the white beans (and reserve some of the liquid). Add the beans, garlic, and a little liquid to a food processor blending until smooth.
Chop the mushrooms.
In a large bowl, mix together the bean puree, mushrooms, oats, onions, dried herbs, and worcestershire sauce. Mix well.

The Three Bite Rule - Mushroom & Bean Mea

Add in panko and egg (use the egg if forming into balls to better keep them together). Refrigerate 15+ minutes before forming into balls.
Bake at 375 degrees for 15 minutes & flip and bake for another 15 minutes. Or, air fry for ~15 minutes. They’re a bit soft to pan fry- mine didn’t stay together so I don’t recommend it! Air frying worked well as meatballs and as veggie burgers!

The Three Bite Rule - Mushroom & Bean Meatballs

These were good and super filling – the beans add some nice heft to keep you full and the mushrooms make them juicy. I made some into meatballs and served with sauce and garlic bread and froze a as patties to have as veggie burgers. They are soft so I cooked fully and cooled before freezing. I’m not sure if the meatballs would hold together if cooked in sauce for a long time.

When the pan-fried ones fell apart too much, I drained them all and broke them up further to be like a meat sauce!

Mushrooms aren’t everyone’s fav in my family so these will mostly be for me (I also don’t eat beef so I’d have these and everyone else could have beef meatballs).