Italian Bean Balls with Marinara

Ingredients

• Walnuts

  Nuts, black, dried

  ¾ cup, chopped or 94g

• 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

  Packed in oil, drained

  2 tbsp or 14g

• 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 350F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Toast the walnuts for 7-9 minutes until fragrant and golden.
2. Meanwhile, add the oats into the food processor and process until finely chopped. You want the texture to be like a coarse flour.
3. Add the grated carrot, chopped parsley, basil, chopped sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, walnuts, and oat flour into a large bowl. Stir to combine.
4. Add the drained and rinsed beans into the food processor and process until finely chopped. You want the mixture to be a coarse paste with some beans still intact, but don't completely puree the mixture. Stir the processed beans into the bowl with the vegetables and oat flour.
5. In a mug, whisk together the ground flax and water. Let it sit for only 15-20 seconds, any longer and it will get too thick. Stir into the vegetable bean mixture until fully combined.
6. Stir the oil, oregano, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes (if using) into the bowl, adjusting amounts to taste if necessary.
7. Shape the mixture into balls the size of golf-balls, packing each ball tightly between your hands so it holds together well. Place each ball onto the prepared baking sheet an inch or two apart.
8. Bake for 20 minutes, then gently flip the balls and and bake for another 15-20 minutes until golden on both sides. After baking, place balls on a cooling rack for 10 minutes to cool slightly.
9. Serve hot topped with marinara sauce.