Although Sarah, my older sister, would hate to admit this now after being a vegetarian for nearly 7 years; she loved meatball subs from Subway. Now her meatless diet has not stopped her from loving Subway, but her sub choices have drastically changed. Does Subway even sell meatball subs anymore??? Regardless, the move closer to a meat free diet is one we really all should be working towards whether for health or the environment.
But just because we should limit our meat intake does not mean we should limit the food we love. When flipping through one of my cookbooks, I came across this recipe. I immediately thought of S and her past love for that meaty saucy cheesy sandwich; I had to give it a try.
As I have mentioned in my previous Meatless Monday post, eating vegetarian is about creating fun and inventive dishes. I loved the idea of turning a classic meatball sub on its head. Instead of wondering about the 100 ingredients that went into that mystery meatball, creating it at home you know exactly what you are eating. By swapping the ground beef for chickpeas, you will still be getting your protein without increasing your cholesterol levels. The combination of eggplant, sauce and spices provide the Italian flare we are truly craving. The results are a delicious wonder that your health will also thank you for. You will realize you don’t need the red meat to fill your appetite; with a tiny bit of work you can create a yummy lunch that any meat eater and vegetarian alike would be dying to bite into.
[kindred-recipe id=”1692″ title=”Eggplant Parmesan ‘Meatball’ Subs”]