Italian Lentil Quinoa Balls

• Vegan
• Gluten free

• Produce

  • 1/4 cup Basil, fresh
  • 1 tsp Garlic powder
  • 1 cup Green lentils
  • 1 Yellow onion

• Pasta & Grains

  • 1/4 cup Quinoa

• Baking & Spices

  • 1 1/2 tbsp Italian seasonings
  • 1 Sea salt and pepper

• Oils & Vinegars

  • 1 tbsp Olive oil

• Nuts & Seeds

  • 1/4 cup Sunflower seeds

Found on staceyhomemaker.com

Description

Ingredients

• 1 Tbsp ground flaxseed + 3 Tbsp water
• 1 cup green lentils, rinsed & drained
• ¼ cup quinoa, rinsed and drained
• 1 Tbsp olive oil for cooking onions + 2-3 Tbsp for sautéing lentil balls
• 1 medium yellow onion, minced
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1½ Tbsp Italian seasonings
• ¼ cup sunflower seeds, ground to a fine powder
• ¼ cup fresh basil, thinly sliced + extra for garnish
• Sea Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

• Combine flax and water in a small bowl, stir and set aside.
• Rinse and drain the lentils, cook according to package. (I let them cook a few extra minutes to make it easier to mash.) Drain the excess water, transfer to a large bowl and mash with the back of a fork until you dont see anymore whole beans.
• Rinse and drain quinoa. Cook according to package directions, add to the bowl with the mashed lentils.
• Mince onion, saute in olive oil in a large pan, over medium heat for 8 minutes. Add onions to the bowl with lentils and quinoa. Dont wash or drain the pan because youre going to cook the lentil balls in the reserved onion infused olive oil.
• Use a food processor to blend the sunflower seeds to a fine powder, add to the bowl.
• Add basil, Italian seasonings, garlic powder, flax mixture, salt and pepper to the lentil mix. Using your hands, mix until everything is completely combined.
• If the mixture feels dry, add 1 tbsp olive oil to the mixture.
• Form golf ball sized balls with your hands. Once all balls are shaped, add a little more olive oil to the pan and arrange your lentil balls in the pan. Cook for 8-10 minutes, occasionally turning the balls to let all sides brown. Theyre delicate, so be careful when rotating. I use rubber tongs to handle them in the pan.
• Serve immediately over pasta or zucchini noodles with your favorite tomato sauce.