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.



Toasted Walnut Spaghetti With Lentils

High protein concentration. After a week of swimming, running, and yoga, my body is in need of some carbilicious (and protein-heavy) dishes.

{1 serving} wholewheat spaghetti (75g)
{1/4 cup} walnuts, lightly toasted
{1/2 cup and 3 tbsp} passata
{1/4 tsp} chilli powder
{A pinch} ground coriander
{1 and 1/2 or 2 tbsp} virgin extra olive oil (make it a fancy one)
{2 and 1/2 tbsp} nutritional yeast flakes
{1 and 1/2 tbsp} tomato ketchup
{1 clove} garlic, chopped very finely (alternatively 1/2 tsp garlic powder)
{1/2 tsp} dried basil (fresh would be better, but I'm at the mercy of my kitchen cupboards)
{1/4 tsp} ground black pepper (or to taste)
{1/2 tsp} sea salt
{A pinch} crushed chilli
{A good 1/2 cup} chopped red capsicum
{1 - 2 cups} fresh spinach, destalked
{1/2 cup} cooked red lentils (not too well cooked - mushiness is not your friend)

Some of the ingredients. Pretty bowls all in a row...

Cook the spaghetti in boiling water, as per instruction on the packet. Add a little salt. If you need to cook the lentils, do so now - but don't overcook - and set aside.

Meanwhile! In a dry saucepan, toast the walnuts over a moderate heat, making sure you don't burn them. Once they're all toastie, throw in the rest of the ingredients, including the lentils (but not the spinach! Leave that until later). Heat on medium-low for 8 minutes.

Rinse spinach in a collander.

Pour in the cooked spaghetti.

And top it off with the saucy-sauce

Stir it all up and season with a little salt and pepper, if you like.

Coming to a food blog near you: the perfect garlic bread recipe to accompany this dish.

WARNING: this dish may cause cohabitants to utter the accursed words: "you will make someone a good wife one day," and talk about all your future offsprogs. Best to make this cullinary baby incognito to avoid casual sexism.