Spaghetti & Vegan Meatballs

Meal #1 of our Vegan adventure. Trying something as "normal" as possible to ease us into this new lifestyle.

Meatballs:

1 15oz. can of Kidney Beans

1/2 tablespoon olive oil

1 Large clove garlic, minced

1/2 Onion, chopped

1 tsp. oregano

1 tsp. basil

1 Tablespoon tomato paste

1 tsp. soy sauce

1/2 cup rolled oats

1/3 heaped cup sunflower seeds

Salt & Pepper to taste

Marinara:

Feeling overwhelmed with all the food prep that is going to go into being vegan so I decided not to make my own.

My go-to store bought marinara is Rao's Homemade. Only 3 grams of sugar and just a few ingredients (Italian tomatoes, olive oil, fresh onions, salt, fresh garlic, fresh basil, crushed red pepper, black pepper, oregano). I usually find it at Shaw's or Hannford.

Pasta:

Our favorite pasta is gluten free corn pasta or zoodles!!

Directions:

1.) Cook the spaghetti according to the instructions on the package.

2.) Rinse and drain the kidney beans. Put them in a medium bowl and mash them well with a fork. In a medium pan, heat some oil and sauté the onions for 3 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook for another minute. Add the sautéd onion and garlic to the mashed beans together with the spices, tomato paste, soy sauce, and oats. Put the sunflower seeds in a food processor and pulse until a fine meal is achieved. Add to the bean mixture and combine well. Season with salt and pepper. Form about 12-14 balls.

3.) In a medium pan, heat some olive oil over medium heat and gently roast the bean balls for about 4 minutes until they are golden.

Side Note: This is not my recipe. I found it on Pinterest on my quest to become Vegan :)