Sun-Dried Tomato White Bean Wheat Balls

These bean balls are inspired by Isa's bean balls, but aren't everyone's? I wanted to do more of a mock turk'y meat ball so I used white beans instead of kidney. Plus those were already waiting in my pantry. I have a rather large amount of sun dried tomatoes I preserved last year that I obviously forgot about - so be ready for more recipes for them in the near future.

Make sure to check out the recipe for the Slow Cooker Hide and Seek Veggie Pasta Sauce on my other blog, Healthy Slow Cooking.

You might be able to do a gluten-free version by leaving out the wheat gluten flour and using pre-cooked rice in its place in the food processor. I have a sausage recipe in my book that uses walnuts and rice and it works great. I would probably make them patties rather than balls, but you could make a mean bean patty Parmesan.

Sun-Dried Tomato White Bean Wheat Balls

soy-free

Makes 2 dozen

• 1/4 cup sun dried tomatoes 
• 1 1/2 cups cooked white beans, or 1 (15 ounce) can drained 
• 1/4 to 1/2 cup water, or broth 
• 1/4 cup almonds 
• 1 cup vital wheat gluten flour 
• 3 tablespoons nutritional yeast 
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder (or 2 cloves minced)
• salt and pepper to taste (I used smoked salt)
• 1/4 to 1/2 cup oat bran (or bread crumbs, wheat germ, etc.)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a food processor pulverize the sun dried tomatoes (or puree if they are packed in oil). Add beans and 1/4 cup of the water and puree. 

Add everything except the oat bran and process until well combined. You will add the extra 1/4 cup water if needed, but leave out if the mixture is a just right. At this point you want to be able to knead it and roll into balls.

Spread 1/4 cup of the oat bran on a cutting board. Dump the ball mixture onto the cutting board and knead for a minute or two until all of the dough is the same consistency. 

Cut the dough into 24 similar sized pieces. I use a dough cutter, but a dinner knife works just fine. Roll into balls and then roll into the remaining cup of oat bran.

Place the ball on a greased sheet pan and cook for 15 minutes, then turn them over and cook them for 5 to 10 minutes more.

Serve on top of pasta covered with pasta sauce, or in a hoagie roll covered with tomato sauce and Daiya mozzarella shreds. I'm thinking of some other interesting ways to use the leftovers, so stay tuned!

Cherry Pomegranate Gardein Beefless Tips Over Cauliflower Mash

Another quick and easy weeknight meal. A simple and nutritious cauliflower mash is the base for the beefless tips in a cherry pomegranate savory glaze. The sauce/glaze has red wine, pomegranate balsamic vinegar and Crofter's Organic Europe Superfruit Spread.

The plan for this complete meal is to start the cauliflower mash once you get home. While the cauliflower is cooking you can start the beefless tips. You can also steam some green or broad beans in the time it takes everything else to cook. It only takes about 20  minutes start to finish.

Gardein has soy and gluten. To make it soy-free use seitan. To make it gluten-free you could use chunks of pressed tofu, chopped mushrooms, or even kidney beans in place of the Gardein.

Cauliflower Mash

Serves 4 to 5 (Cut this recipe in half if you don't want any leftovers.)

1 head cauliflower, chopped into medium pieces
1 to 2 tablespoons Earth Balance
2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
1/4 to 1 cup Unsweetened So Delicious Coconut Milk
salt and pepper to taste

In a large pot add cauliflower and enough water to cover. Bring to a boil and cook for 15 minutes until cauliflower is tender. Pour into a colander to drain off water and then return to hot pot with the Earth Balance, nutritional yeast, and 1/4 cup of the coconut milk.

Puree with an immersion blender adding more coconut milk if needed. They should be thicker than what's in this picture. I used my vitamix this time and it was very smooth. I actually prefer it a little lumpier - it mimics mashed potatoes better that way.


Cherry Pomegranate Gardein Beefless Tips

Serves 2 to 3
3/4 cup red wine (I used Trader Joe's Nouveau)
2 tablespoons Crofter's Organic Europe Superfruit Spread
2 tablespoons pomegranate balsamic vinegar (or plain balsamic)
1 package Gardein Beefless Tips
salt and pepper to taste

In a large saute pan add wine, superfruit spread, and balsamic. Heat over medium high heat and whisk to incorporate the ingredients as it reduces by half. This will take about 10 minutes.

Add the beefless tips and cook for 4 to 5 minutes more. Add salt and pepper to taste.

The sauce will reduce more during this and you can add more wine to thin if needed. You can keep it saucy or let it reduce to a glaze depending on your preference.

Penne with Fresh Peas Topped with a Creamy Sun-dried Tomato Sauce

This is an easy dish to throw together on a busy week night. It's a perfect place to use up some fresh summer peas and any leftover dried tomatoes you have on hand. I like to add some extra nutrition by using whole wheat pasta and flour. 

You can use any pasta you have on hand instead, just make sure to add the fresh peas in the last 5 minutes of cooking. It's also ok to substitute the nondairy milk that you have on hand. I prefer the So Delicious Coconut Milk because it is already has such a great thick texture.


This recipe is listed on Pennywise Platter, check out some of the other yummy recipes.

Penne with Fresh Peas Topped with a Creamy Sun-dried Tomato Sauce
soy-free and gluten free * with suggested substitutions

Serves 4

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/8 cup (2 tablespoons) minced sun-dried tomatoes
  (I used the food processor since mine were really dry)
• 2 cups Unsweetened So Delicious Coconut Milk
• 7 ounces whole wheat penne (* use a gluten-free pasta)
  (about 1/2 a box)
• 1 1/2 to 2 cups fresh shelled peas, rinsed
• 1 to 2 tablespoons whole wheat flour (* use a gluten-free flour or cornstarch)
• zest from 1/2 lemon
• 1 tablespoon fresh mint, minced
• salt and pepper to taste

Fill a large pot half way with water, cover and bring to a boil. By covering you slow the evaporation of the water and can buy some time for the sauce if needed.

Heat the oil over medium heat then add the garlic and sauté for about 1 minute. (You can use a non-stick pan and leave out the oil if you are reducing fat and/or calories in your diet.) Add milk and sun-dried tomatoes and simmer for 10 minutes. Add pasta to boiling water now.

The pasta will cook about 12 minutes. After it cooks for 7 minutes, add the peas. The pasta and peas should be tender in about 5 minutes.

Once you add the peas to the pasta, go ahead and sprinkle 1 tablespoon of the flour over the sauce mixture. Raise the heat and mix using a whisk. The sauce should thicken, but you can add the other 1 tablespoon of flour if needed. Mix in mint and lemon zest. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Strain the pasta and peas together in the strainer, then mix the pasta and peas in with the sauce in a pan, pot, or serving bowl. Top with extra lemon zest and a sprig of fresh mint.