Vegan Meatballs with Pasta & Tomato Sauce

This was my first ever attempt at making Meatballs. I was so excited to get a copy of Sharon Gannon's new cookbook Simple Recipes for Joy that I decided to dive right in and try something completely new. They turned out extremely flavorful and the perfect consistency (I feared dry and crumbly). I served them on brown rice pasta with a delicious tomato sauce recipe also from Simple Recipes for Joy. I'm only two recipes in, but so far I'm loving Sharon's new book and excited to try out some more recipes!

Spaghetti and "Meat" Balls
1/4 cup oatmeal
1/4 cup cornmeal
1/8 cup rice flour
1 tsp nutritional yeast
1/4 cup sunflower seeds
1 tbsp oregano, basil
1 tsp onion powder, dry mustard, chili powder, paprika, garlic powder
1/2 tsp salt, pepper
1/8 tsp nutmeg
1/2 cup cooked green lentils
1/2 cup cooked brown rice
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp tamari
1 tbsp veg stock in 1/4 cup boiling water1 tbsp molasses (I omitted the molasses since I didn't have any on hand)
2 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp balsamic vinager
1 tsp vegan worcestershire sauce
6 mushrooms, sliced thinly
pasta
tomato sauce

Place dry ingredients and spices in bowl. Mix and pour into food processor. Add remaining ingredients. Transfer to bowl. Using your hands, for the mixture into small balls, approximately 1 inch in diameter. Bake 15-20 mins. Serve over your favorite pasta & sauce.
Note: This is a condensed version of Sharon's recipe. Check out Simple Recipes for Joy cookbook for the full version (with extra notes).
 
Don't miss Master Class and Book Launch with Sharon Gannon in Montreal, November 1st, 2014! She's one of my favorte teachers and an inspiring woman...
Sharon Gannon is a 21st-century Renaissance woman, an animal rights and vegan activist and a world-renowned yogini, perhaps best known as the founder, along with David Life, of the Jivamukti Yoga Method. She is also an accomplished writer, dancer, painter, musician and chef. Sharon has devoted many years exploring the role of diet in promoting physical, emotional and mental well-being as well as spiritual development. She lives in a 125-acre wild forest sanctuary in Woodstock, NY.