VEGAN SPAGHETTI
Photo by Sophie Mackenzie WHOLEHEARTED EATS
AUTHOR NOTES
Last week I decided to switch it up and make something fancy – like spaghetti! While traditional spaghetti and meat balls aren’t the most healthy option, this version is full of good-for-you veggies. Instead of relying on a heavy flour based pasta it uses lighter zucchini noodles, a rich sun-dried tomato sauce, and “meat” balls made out of sunflower seeds and chopped full of veggies. Oh, and did I mention it’s entirely raw, vegan, and gluten free?. While you may look at this recipe and think that’s a lot to do, believe when I say that although it looks like a lot, it’s mainly just a little planing ahead. The time spent in the kitchen is really very minimal, with as much chopping involved as the salad making. Everything is made in the blender which makes for an easy clean up, and the use of the dehydrator means that you prepare the day before and spend the evening working on other, much more important, tasks.
SERVES: 4
PREP TIME: Over night soaking / Dehydrating 12 hours/ 10 – 20 min Prep
COOKING TIME: Sever immediately after prepared otherwise zucchini noodles will become watery.
DIETARY CONSIDERATION: Raw, Vegan, Vegetarian, Paleo, Sugar Free, Dairy Free, Gluten Free
INGREDIENTS
Veggie Balls
1 1/2 Cup Sunflower Seeds (soaked for 8 hours or overnight)
2 Tbsp Lemon Juice
1 Tbsp Tamari
1 Stock Celery, Chopped
1 Carrot, Chopped
1/3 Cup Chopped Red Pepper
1/3 Cup Chopped Zucchini
1/3 Cup Chopped Onion
2 to 3 Cloves Garlic
1/4 Cup Packed Parsley
1/4 Cup Packed Basil
1 Tbsp Ground Flax
1 tsp Mixed Italian Spices
1/2 tsp Smoked Paprika
Spaghetti
2 Medium Zucchini
1 Small Celeriac
Sun-dried Tomato Sauce
1/2 Cup Dried Sun-dried Tomatoes, soaked for at least 1 hour
1 Cup Chopped Fresh Tomato
1 Cup Chopped Red Pepper
1/4 Cup Chopped Onion
2 Cloves Garlic
2 tbsp Parsley
1 tbsp Raisins
1/2 tsp Smoked Paprika
1 tbsp Fresh Basil
1/2 tsp Sea Salt
1/2 tsp Black Pepper
4 Tbsp Water, or as needed
Parmesan Cheese
1/2 Brazil Nuts
1/2 tsp Sea Salt
EQUIPMENT
Food Processor or Blender
Dehydrator
DIRECTIONS
Veggie Balls: Begin by soaking the sunflower seeds for at least 8 hours or overnight. Before using them drain and rinse well under fresh water. Combine the soaked sunflower seeds in a food processor or high speed blender with the rest of the ingredients and puree until the mixture is fine, but you can still see small bits of the veggies. Taste and adjust with salt and pepper if needed. With damp hands, form the dough into balls approximately the size of a Tbsp. If the dough begins to stick to your hands at anytime, just rinse them under water and start again. Dehydrate at 40 C (105 F) for around 12 hours, or until the balls have a crisp exterior, but are still soft in the middle. Alternatively, you can dry them with the oven set to it’s lowest setting and the oven door slightly ajar. This will take far less time, but they will technically be “cooked”. Serve with Spaghetti, Sun-dried Tomato Sauce, Parmesan and a drizzle of olive oil. Extra veggie balls should be stored in the refrigerator. They are great added to salads, etc.
Spaghetti: Using a mandolin and a knife, or a grater like this, cut the zucchini into noodles. Peel the celeriac and slice very thinly into strips, then into matchsticks. Toss to combine. Use fairly immediate as the zucchini will get watery if left too long.
Sun-dried Tomato Sauce: Soak the sun-dried tomatoes in enough warm water to cover. Let sit for at least one hour before draining (important note: keep the soaking liquid for later) Combine the sun-dried tomatoes, with the fresh tomatoes, pepper, onion, garlic, herbs and spices in a food processor. Puree until the mixture is smooth. Add the reserved soaking liquid 1 Tbsp at a time until the sauce reaches the desired consistency.
Parmesan Cheese (mock): Puree in a blender until the nuts are finely ground, but not yet a paste. Store leftovers in a airtight container.