THESE ARE DELICIOUS!!!!
Lentil Veggie Balls are delicious on a bun, as a hoagie, on a pasta dish, or any way you might choose!! Be sure to let your kids "have fun" in the kitchen and they will continue to enjoy learning and even cooking a meal for the family!! T. is even learning the various tastes of spices, and adjusting the amount depending on tasting!!! Veggie Balls are one of his favorites. And they have also become a favorite of new WFPB eater - Robert C as he shifts his lifestyle to prevent another heart attack (see below)
"Veggie Balls Fresh from the Oven"
Ingredients for about a dozen Veggie Balls:
● 4 cups of well-cooked lentils (comparable to 1½ cups of dry, uncooked lentils boiled in 4 cups of water). They should be very soft. Note - put the lentils on to cook while you prep and mix the other ingredients
● 3 flax eggs chilled (3 tablespoons of ground flaxseed mixed with 9 tablespoons of water and then chilled for 40 minutes or more)
● 4 cloves garlic minced mixed with ½ cup onion minced and microwaved for 3 minutes on high.
● 1½ cups whole-wheat breadcrumbs
● ½ cup nutritional yeast
● ½ cup chopped fresh parsley
● 1 tablespoon each of basil and oregano
● ½ tablespoon sage
● 1 teaspoon black pepper
● whole-wheat flour, as needed
Instructions:
1. Put all the breadcrumbs, nutritional yeast, parsley, and spices into a mixing bowl and mix thoroughly.
2. Add the garlic and onion; mix again.
3. Add the lentils and flax seed eggs, and mix thoroughly using your hands. This is a great job for a child to get immersed in the cooking process. And adults can enjoy this too. This is Robert C. who recently had stents placed after a heart attack; he has jumped into WFPB cooking whole heartedly! Note the chopped mushrooms that he creatively added to the mixture!!!!
4. The final mixture should be “tight” and relatively dry. You might need to add some whole-wheat flour to the mixture. Add a tablespoonful at a time until you reach the desired consistency. It is better to have the mixture too tight versus too loose.
3. Hand roll the veggie balls to form 1½ to 2-inch diameter balls. You can cook as balls or press them into patties. Place them on a non-stick cookie sheet and bake in a 350-degree preheated oven. The length of time they need to cook will be determined by the amount of moisture in the mixture. You can assume they will require at least 15 minutes.
4. After fifteen minutes in the oven, check them every 3 or 4 minutes. They are fully cooked when a slight crust has
formed, and they are firm to the touch. After you have taken them out of the oven and allowed them to cool, they can be eaten on a bun, used in a recipe, in lentil ball sandwiches, spaghetti and 'eat' balls) stored in the fridge, or put into the freezer. These veggie balls freeze wonderfully.
I recently packed a lentil patty sandwich like this for lunch on a plane ride. Oh my it was delicious!! And guess what.... they now have oat milk for the coffee on United!!
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