Cocoa Bison Meatballs and Roasted Tomatoes

When I think about Valentine’s Day, I always think chocolate, but always desserts.  Today’s recipe incorporates chocolate with one of my favorite meats, bison.  I love bison meat because it is leaner, generally has fewer calories, and a lower fat content yet more protein than beef.  Another positive of eating bison meat, is that the animals are not handled like cows, but they live in a freer environment, are typically only grass fed, and are usually not treated with antibiotics.  So, I grabbed a pack of ground bison meat from Whole Foods and came up with the below recipe.  I thought the bison and cocoa would compliment each other and be a perfect Valentine’s Day dinner!

Cocoa Bison Burgers with Roasted Tomatoes:

1 Egg

2 TBSP Cocoa Powder

1/4 Cup Breadcrumbs

1 Cup Onions, cooked

2 TBSP Chocolate Balsamic Vinegar (you can use regular Balsamic if you don’t have or don’t want to purchase the Chocolate Balsamic Vinegar, but I thought this helped with the Cocoa flavor)

1 TBSP Worcestershire Sauce

1 Pound Ground Bison Meat

Bunch of tomatoes, on vine

Salt, Pepper Onion Powder, Garlic Salt, Cinnamon, and Cayenne Pepper (1 TSP of each)

(I pictured Feta cheese in the below images, but while I was making the meatballs, I decided not to add in meat mixture.  If you want, you can add to mixture!)

Preheat oven to 375

Cocoa Bison Meatball Ingredients

Place tomatoes in oven safe dish and coat with olive oil, salt, and pepper

Roast in oven for 30-45 minutes

While tomatoes are roasting in oven, place other ingredients in bowl

Ingredients ready to be mixed

Use your hands and mix the ingredients together!

Using a cookie cutter, shape meat mixture into hearts

Heart Shaped Meatballs

Put meatballs into oven so they bake for 15 minutes, and you can take the tomatoes out at the same time

Roasted Tomatoes

Baked Cocoa Bison Meatballs

Plate meatballs and tomatoes.  I also served with baby bok choy, which I am still perfecting the recipe.  Once I do, I’l be sure to share it with you!  You can drizzle the meatballs with balsamic and top with feta cheese if you desire!

Cocoa Bison Meatballs, Roasted Tomatoes, and Baby Bok Coy

Read more about bison meat in the below articles:

http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/blog/whole-story/bison-%E2%80%93-other-red-meat

http://www.chicagonow.com/katalin-fitness-health-driven/2012/02/5-reasons-to-eat-bison-the-new-healthy-red-meat/#image/1

Stay hungry…