Lentil Minniballs and Spaghetti

Adapted from: Post Punk Kitchen

 

What You Will Need:

Cheesie Tomato Sauce

{1 tsp} olive oil

{1/4 cup} finely chopped onion

{2 small cloves} garlic, minced

Fresh black pepper

{1/2 tsp} dried oregano

{1/4 tsp} dried basil

{1/2 tsp} sea salt

{1 and 1/2 tbsp} packed brown sugar

{1 tin} chopped tomatoes

{1 cup} passata

{1/4 - 1/8 cup} cashews, soaked for a few hours

{1 and 1/2 tbsp} nutritional yeast flakes

Minniballs

{1 clove} garlic

{1/2} small onion, shredded (try not to cry too much)

{3/4 cup} cooked green lentils (or brown)

{1 and 1/2 tbsp} nutritional yeast flakes

{2 tbsp} plain flour

{2 tbsp} soy sauce

{1 tbsp} tomato paste

{1/2 tsp} olive oil

{1 tbsp} water

{1/2 cup} store-bought breadcrumbs (store-bought is very important - normal breadcrumbs won't work)

Seasoning of choice

{1 serving} pasta of choice

Method:

1. SAUCE: in a sauceypan, sautée onions with a pinch of salt until translucent - about 3-5 minutes. Add garlic - 1 minute. Mix in black pepper, oregano, salt, basil, and brown sugar - 2 minutes. Pour in the tomato sauces, cashews, and nutritional yeast. Cover. Simmer for 20 minutes. In a blender, process until smooth. Set aside.
2. MINNI BALLS Mash together the garlic and shredded onion. Then, beat in the cooked lentils, nutritional yeast, flour, soy sauce, tomato paste, olive oil, seasoning and water. Blend until smooth.
3. Combine with breadcrumbs and mix with your hands for 2 minutes. Preheat oven to 160C. Mould the minni balls as seen below and heat up a skillet with a little oil spray. Pan fry minniballs for no more than 5 minutes.
4. Bake miniballs in oven for 18-20 minutes, tossing them in the baking tray every now and then to ensure an even oven cook.
5. Cook pasta per packet instructions and drain. Heat through the SAUCE set aside from earlier.Throw everything together and toss, making sure you don't break the minniballs.



Baked Butternut Squash and Green Lentil Hot Salad

Toast Note: This recipe will make you and your kitchen smell wonderful. I keep smelling the coconut and cinnamon on my fingers, like some obscene food pervert.

What You Will Need:
{1/2} large Butternut Squash, peeled and cubed (I'm sure this would work wonderfully with sweet potato too)
{1 tbsp} coconut oil
{1/2 tsp} ground cinnamon
{2 cups} vegetable broth/stock
{1/2 cup} uncooked green lentils
{1/2} red onion, chopped
{1 clove} garlic, minced
{1/2} red pepper
{1-2 handfuls} fresh, washed spinach, chopped
Freshly ground pepper and sea salt

Dressing: 1/2 tbsp maple syrup, 1/2 tbsp dijon mustard, 1/2 tbsp olive oil, 1/2 tbsp balsamic vinegar, and salt/pepper, to taste.

Add-ins: 1/4 cup toasted walnuts (optional)

Method:

1. Rinse lentils. Saucepan: bring the stock and green lentils to boil. Reduce to simmer. If all the stock boils off before the lentils are cooked, go ahead and add a bit more water. The lentils should be plump and soft, but not mushy. 30-35 minutes approximate cooking time.

2.Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 200C. Peel the butternut squash and chop into small chunks. In a microwaveable bowl, melt the coconut oil (if you don't want to use the microwave, using a saucepan over a low heat is just as good). Once melted, QUICKLY mix in the cinnamon and salt and pepper (once coconut oil cools, it hardens). Then, throw in the butternut squash and massage the mixture into the chunks - yes, here in the toast kitchen, nothing is too good for our vegetables.

3. Tip into a baking tray and drool over any oil mix left in the bowl. Bake in oven for approximately 30-35 minutes, taking out halfway through to flip over the chunks and coat in oil - adjust the seasoning too if you think it needs a little more salt and pepper.

4. When the lentils are cooked, leave to drain off in a seive and heat up a saucepan. Sauté the onions for a few minutes until they begin to soften (I coated the pan in oil spray, but you can use normal oil if you like). Then add the red peppers and cook for a further few minutes. Add the lentils and minced garlic - keep stirring.When the butternut squash is nicely brown and soft, add to the mixture.

5. If you want to add in some toasted walnuts, go ahead. Just dry pan them on a low heat, but make sure they don't burn.

6. In a mixing bowl, chuck in some chopped, fresh spinach. Dollop in the mixture. Drizzle with dressing and toss until well-mixed.

Yummy windowsill food for the soul