Savoury Raw No-Meat Balls
I’m just back from a whirlwind trip to Ontario, Canada, and California, and this CNE grad is pooped! While I spend most of the year running raw food and yoga retreats in Costa Rica at a unique boutique wellness resort (thanks to Meghan for introducing me to this oasis back in 2013!), I do enjoy flying up to North America and spreading the raw food love when I can.
This past trip I had a couple of television appearances booked, as well as some fun in the sun in LA at Matthew Kenney’s Santa Monica creative kitchen. But the highlight of my trip, I’d have to say, was my 1/2 day rural retreat that I ran in my hometown of Exeter that brought ladies from far and wide to learn about plant-based cuisine and being “in their bodies.”
Early on that day, I overheard one of my guests telling the group about a past workshop she had been to of mine, and she was raving about my meatball recipe. This is a dish I often teach in classes, and a common fave for many of my students both in Canada and the international ones I meet in Central America. So I thought it only made sense that I share this recipe once more so that we can all rawk Meatless Monday (or any day of the week) in the MOST magnificent way!
Savoury Raw No-Meatballs
1 cup raw sunflower seeds
½ cup + 1 tablespoon raw almond butter
4 sun-dried tomatoes, soaked and chopped
3 Tbsp fresh basil, shredded
1 Tbsp nutritional yeast (optional)
1 clove of garlic
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp olive oil
Pinch cumin
Sea salt to taste
Combine all ingredients in food processor and blend until the mixture reaches a texture similar to ground meat.
Scoop the mixture out by into heaping teaspoons and form each meatball. Try not to over-roll them; we are going for “rustic” Italian here!
This mix can be served as balls over raw zucchini pasta as seen here, but it can also be a great vegetarian stand-in for any recipe you’d use ground meat. Try it as a taco or sandwich filling, a base for a raw chili, or as a crunchy topping for salad or soup! This protein-packed flavour blend pairs well with marinara sauce, cashew sour cream or pesto!
