Spaghetti and Beanballs

serves 4

Spaghetti:
4 cups Marinara Sauce
1/2 pound whole wheat spaghetti (I used rice spaghetti)

Beanballs:
1 (20oz) can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons steak sauce or tomato paste
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves garlic, grated or minced finely
1/4 tsp grated lemon zest
1/2 cup plain bread crumbs
1/4 cup wheat gluten
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/4 tsp dried thyme

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees

Prepare the bean ball mixture:
Mash the kidney beans in a mixing bowl until no whole beans are left. You don't want them to be completely smooth, you should still be able to recognize that they are kidney beans. Add the soy sauce, steak sauce, 2 tablespoons olive oil, garlic, lemon, crumbs, gluten, and herbs, and use a fork to mix everything together. Use your hands to knead the mixture for about a minute, until everything is really well combined and firm.
Roll the bean mixture into walnut size balls. Don't make them too big.

Cook the pasta according to the package directions.

To bake the beanballs:
Grease a rimmed baking sheet with olive oil. Place the balls on the sheet and then drizzle them with a little more oil to coat. Bake for about 15 minutes, until lightly browned on the bottom, then flip them and bake for another 10 minutes. Remove them from the oven and pour about 1/3 cup of your marinara sauce onto them, flipping them around to coat. Bake for an additional 5 minutes.
To Assemble:
Drain your spaghetti and put it back in the pot. Pour your remaining marinara sauce over the pasta and mix. Use a pasta spoon to transer the spaghetti to plates, then top with three or four beanballs and their sauce.

NOTE: This is a good recipe but next time I would add spinach to the marinara sauce.