Instructions

Toast sunflower seeds in a toaster oven until lightly browned. Set aside. Heat some olive oil in a pan and saute the onions for a few minutes. Then add the mushrooms and minced garlic and saute a bit longer. Add the sauteed mushroom mixture, toasted sunflower seeds, drained kidney beans, ground oats, flax egg, tomato paste, basil leaves and spices to a food processor and pulse until combined. Shape the mixture into balls and place them on a lined baking sheet 1-2 inches apart. (If your mixture is too soft to shape, add more ground oats.) Bake for 15 minutes, remove and flip the balls to cook the other side. Bake for another 15 minutes. Enjoy over zoodles, slathered in your favorite marinara sauce.

Have a jar of marinara sauce on hand? Spiralize some zucchini and top them with these vegan meatballs made with oats, beans, seeds and herbs.

They’re nutrient-dense, packed with flavor and perfect when slathered with sauce. Who needs pasta when you’ve got a dish this good?

Zoodles with Vegan Meatballs

Ingredients:

• 1 15 oz can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• ⅓ cup Anthony’s Goods Sunflower Seeds
• 1 ½ cups chopped mushrooms
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• ½ onion, chopped
• ½ cup rolled oats (gluten-free if desired), processed into flour
• Flax egg (1 tbsp Anthony’s Goods Organic Flaxseed Meal mixed with 3 tbsp water)
• 2 tsp oregano
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• 10 fresh basil leaves
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 tsp chili pepper
• 3 zucchinis, spiralized
• 1 large jar marinara sauce

Directions:

1. Toast sunflower seeds in a toaster oven until lightly browned. Set aside.
2. Heat some olive oil in a pan and saute the onions for a few minutes. Then add the mushrooms and minced garlic and saute a bit longer.
3. Add the sauteed mushroom mixture, toasted sunflower seeds, drained kidney beans, ground oats, flax egg, tomato paste, basil leaves and spices to a food processor and pulse until combined.
4. Shape the mixture into balls and place them on a lined baking sheet 1-2 inches apart. (If your mixture is too soft to shape, add more ground oats.)
5. Bake for 15 minutes, remove and flip the balls to cook the other side. Bake for another 15 minutes.
6. Enjoy over zoodles, slathered in your favorite marinara sauce.

Serves: 3 people

Prep time: 15 minutes

Total time: 45 minutes