Italian Bean Balls with Marinara

Ingredients

• Walnuts

  Nuts, english

  ¾ cup, chopped or 88g

• Rolled oats

  Plain, dry oatmeal

  ¾ cup or 60g

• Carrots

  Raw

  1 cup grated or 110g

• Parsley

  Raw

  ½ cup or 30g

• Basil

  Fresh

  ⅓ cup leaves, whole or 8g

• Sun-dried tomatoes

  2 tbsp or 7g

• Garlic

  Raw

  3 cloves, minced or 9g

• Kidney beans

  All types, mature seeds, canned

  1 ½ cup or 384g

• Flaxseed

  Finely Ground, Organic - 365 Everyday Value

  1 tablespoon or 7g

• Water

  Plain, clean water

  3 tbsp or 44g

• Olive oil

  Salad or cooking

  ½ tbsp or 7g

• Oregano

  Spices, dried

  1 tsp, leaves or 1g

• Salt

  Table

  ¾ tsp or 5g

• Pepper

  Spices, black

  1 dash or 0.1g

• Pasta sauce

  Spaghetti/marinara, ready-to-serve

  1 cup or 257g

• Crushed red pepper flakes

  ¼ tsp or 0.08g

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Toast the walnuts for 7-9 minutes until fragrant and golden.
2. Process the oats in a food processor until they resemble a coarse flour.
3. In a large bowl, combine the oat flour, grated carrot, parsley, basil, sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, and toasted walnuts.
4. Process the drained and rinsed beans in the food processor until they form a coarse paste, then mix into the bowl with the vegetables and oat flour.
5. Whisk together the ground flax and water in a mug, let sit for 15-20 seconds, then mix into the vegetable bean mixture.
6. Add the olive oil, oregano, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes to the mixture, adjusting to taste.
7. Shape the mixture into golf-ball-sized balls, packing tightly, and place on the prepared baking sheet.
8. Bake for 20 minutes, flip the balls, and bake for another 15-20 minutes until golden. Cool on a rack for 10 minutes.
9. Serve hot, topped with marinara sauce.