Sesame Pork Meatballs with Cucumber Salad

I have a new favorite way to make meatballs: Sesame pork meatballs with cucumber salad.

What I love so much about sesame pork meatballs

I took about an eight day hiatus from blogging... but for good reason.  Last week I joined a group of dietitians in their teaching kitchen and we practiced knife skills, recipe development, cooking class curriculum development, cooking on camera, filming tasty-style videos and we ironed out their program logistics. 

It was an absolute blast and I seriously pinched myself afterwards.  Is this really my job?!  YES, yes it is!  I feel incredibly happy, blessed and so glad to see the concept of 'teaching kitchens' in health care coming to fruition. 

If you're not super familiar with the term, it basically means that cooking classes (hands-on or demonstrations) are being offered in some hospitals and clinics to help patients and the community learn how to cook as a means of preventing chronic diseases or helping them manage them by cooking and eating better. 

It seems just logical, but as we know, the health care system in the U.S. has become more 'sick care' than health care.  So this whole teaching kitchen thing is extremely necessary, and I am so glad to be part of it! 

And I am so very excited that THIS IS MY JOB.  If we can inspire just one more person or a handful of people to cook for themselves by taking the guesswork out of healthy eating, showing them easy ways to prepare produce and balanced meals and help them understand that healthful eating can ROCK, we are doing great things.  Am I right?!

And ya know what's also my job?  These meatballs.  Which is obviously also super exciting because... meatballs.

Tell me you'll make this cucumber salad...

But they're not just any meatballs, they're Asian-style pork meatballs with sesame cucumber salad, and let me tell ya, the meatballs AND the cucumber salad are absolutely packed with flavor. 

The meatballs are made with ground pork, soy sauce, fresh garlic, ginger and cilantro and a touch of brown sugar, and they roast up nice and crisp on the outside and just melt away in your mouth.  Hands down one of the best things I've ever eaten in my life.  No joke.

Also, this cucumber salad is shaved cucumber and carrots (just use your veggie peeler and peel them lengthwise) tossed in rice wine vinegar, sesame oil and a pinch of salt and crushed red pepper flakes. 

And you thought eating veggies wasn't fun.... and absolutely delicious.

This whole set-up makes for such a light and totally dynamite meal, perfect for springtime (or anytime).

Seriously, folks.  I hope I inspired you to cook these little balls and whip up this salad.  You won't regret it.

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