Vegan “Meatballs” in marinara

We developed this recipe for a “beet burger” at the restaurant and found that it is a great base for all kinds of other vegan dishes, such as “meatloaf” and spicy meatballs.  The vital wheat holds it together in place of the eggs and it can be seasoned any way you like!

For the Meatballs:
1/2 cup white onion, minced
1/2 cup raw beet, shredded
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup lentils, cooked
1 cup chickpeas, cooked

Pulse these ingredients in a food processor, being careful not to purée the mixture too much-it might become pasty!
Then, in a mixing bowl, fold in the following ingredients:

1 Tablespoon parsley
1/2 cup vital wheat gluten powder
1/2 Tablespoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon chili flakes or powder
1 Tablespoon nutritional yeast (optional)
1 Tablespoon wheat free tamari
1/3 cup bread crumbs, preferably whole grain
salt and pepper to taste
After all the ingredients are thoroughly mixed, form into balls about 1-1 1/2 inch in diameter.
Bake at 350 degrees fahrenheit for 20 minutes.
Serve warm topped with the marinara.
Makes about 20 “meatballs”

For the Marinara sauce:
1 qt. whole peeled tomato
1/2 medium white onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon oregano
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped
2-3 Tablespoons olive oil
In a medium sauce pan, heat the olive over medium heat and gently saute the onion until transluscent. Add the oregano and and garlic and saute briefly, about 1 minute. Add the tomatoes and simmer for about 30 minutes over very low heat. With an immersion blender (if you have one) puree the marinara until slightly chunky. If you don’t have an immersion blender, you can cool it and use a food processor or blender. Season to taste with salt and pepper.