Vegan "Meat"balls!

I have been trying to find a better way to enjoy Italian food without all the carbs and calories, and I have really grown to love spaghetti squash as an alternative to pasta!  Making the squash with some marinara sauce on top is great, but I also needed some heartiness and protein, so I tried these vegan "meat"balls, and they are absolutely delicious!

Recipe for Vegan "Meat"balls

INGREDIENTS

3/4 cup walnuts, finely chopped and toasted

3/4 cup gluten-free rolled oats, processed into a coarse flour

1 cup shredded carrot

1/2 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped

1/3 cup fresh basil leaves, finely chopped

2-3 tablespoons finely chopped oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes (about 2 large)

3 large garlic cloves, minced

1 (15-ounce) can kidney beans, drained and rinsed

2 tablespoons ground flax + 3 tbsp water, mixed

1/2 tablespoon olive oil

1 teaspoon dried oregano

3/4 teaspoon fine grain sea salt, or to taste

Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

INSTRUCTIONS

1   Preheat the oven to 350F and line a large baking sheet with foil. Toast the walnuts for 7-9 minutes until fragrant and golden.

2   Meanwhile, add the oats into the food processor and process until finely chopped. You want the texture to be like a coarse flour.

3  Add the grated carrot, chopped parsley, basil, sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, walnuts, and oat flour into a large bowl. Stir to combine.

4   Add the drained and rinsed beans into the food processor and process until finely chopped. You want the mixture to be a coarse paste with some beans still intact, but don’t completely puree the mixture. Stir the processed beans into the bowl with the vegetables and oat flour.

5   In a mug, whisk together the ground flax and water. Let it sit for only 15-20 seconds, any longer and it will get too thick. Stir into the vegetable bean mixture until fully combined.

6   Stir the oil, oregano, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes into the bowl, adjusting amounts to taste if necessary.

7   Shape the mixture into 15-20 balls (the size of golf-balls), packing each ball tightly between your hands so it holds together well. Place each ball onto the prepared baking sheet an inch or two apart.

8  Bake for 20 minutes, then gently flip the balls and and bake for another 15-20 minutes until golden on both sides.

9   After baking, place balls on a cooling rack for 10 minutes to cool slightly.