Post by Alexandra Courts 

There’s something special about fresh tomato sauce that doesn’t come out of a jar or a can. It’s aromatic, rich in flavour and incredibly versatile. This time around I’ve paired this homemade sauce with some nutrient-dense lentil “meat”balls. Whether it be served overtop a bed of pasta or sandwiched in bread, these two are a match made in heaven!

Keep reading to find out how you can recreate this lovely and comforting meal at home.

TOMATO SAUCE:

Ingredients…

• 2 cans of diced tomatoes (14oz each)
• 1 sweet onion (diced)
• 4 cloves of garlic (minced)
• 1/2 cup tomato paste
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 2 tbsp dried basil
• 1 tbsp coconut sugar
• 1 tbsp coconut oil
• 1 tsp ground black pepper

Directions…

1. Sauté the onion and garlic in coconut oil on medium heat in a saucepan until tender.
2. Stir in the diced tomatoes, tomato paste, soy sauce, pepper, coconut sugar and basil.
3. Simmer sauce on low heat slightly covered for about 20-25 minutes.
4. Allow the sauce to sit while you prepare the lentil “meat”balls.

LENTIL “MEAT”BALLS:

Ingredients…

• 2 cups chopped kale
• 2 cups chopped mushrooms
• 1 1/2 cups brown rice (cooked)
• 1 1/2 cups lentils (cooked until very tender)
• 1 cup rolled oats
• 3/4 cup raw walnuts
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 1/4 cup tomato paste
• 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
• 1/4 cup coconut oil
• 1 sweet onion (diced)
• 5 cloves of garlic (minced)
• 2 tbsp basil (fresh/dried)
• 1 tsp ground black pepper

Directions…

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees farenheit. Coat an aluminium foil-lined baking pan with coconut oil.
2. Sautée the onion and garlic in coconut oil on medium heat in a deep skillet pan until tender.
3. Pulse mushrooms and kale in a food processor/blender. Ensure that the pieces aren’t too fine.
4. Add the kale and mushroom blend to the pan. Sautée the combination for a couple of minutes before adding the soy sauce, brown rice and lentils. Mix the combination together throughly and then add in the tomato paste, nutritional yeast, basil and pepper.
5. Continue to cook the mixture on low-medium heat. Pulse the raw walnuts and rolled oats in a food processor/blender. Ensure that the pieces are only coarsely combined. Mix into the “meat”ball mix. Allow this to cool before rolling.
6. Roll the “meat”balls in your hands so that they are about 1.5 inches in diameter. Place them onto baking sheet.
7. Bake for about 25-30 minutes or until they are golden brown.
8. Enjoy!

Makes 2 servings.