🧆 Lentil Veggie Balls in Classic Marinara Sauce

A hearty, protein-rich comfort meal made with real food ingredients — perfect for batch cooking and packed with savoury, healing flavour.

This delicious dish is part of your Too Tired to Cook™ Week 1 Menu Plan — and it’s a prime example of cook once, eat twice. We’re using our Classic Marinara Sauce, made earlier in the week for the Potato-Layered Lasagna, to dress these flavour-packed lentil veggie balls. Easy, nourishing, and satisfying.

🍽️ Ingredients – Veggie Balls:

• 1 cup cooked green lentils

• 1/2 cup rolled oats

• 1/2 cup mushrooms, finely chopped

• 2 tbsp onion, finely chopped

• 2 cloves garlic, minced

• 2 tbsp ground flaxseed + 5 tbsp water (flax egg)

• 1 - 2 tbsp nutritional yeast

• 2 tsp Dijon mustard

• 1 tbsp lemon juice (for brightness)

• 1 tbsp Italian seasoning

• 1 tsp smoked paprika (optional but deepens flavour)

• Salt + pepper to taste (or skip salt for Eat Real to Heal)

👩‍🍳 Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment.  

2. Mix flaxseed and water in a small bowl. Let sit for 5–10 minutes. Mince garlic and let sit for 10 - 15 minutes to enhance enzyme properties.

3. In a large bowl or food processor, combine all other ingredients (except flax egg). Pulse just until combined — don’t overprocess.

4. Stir in flax egg. Taste and adjust seasonings.

5. Form into balls (~1.5 tbsp size) and place on baking sheet.

6. Bake for 30 - 45 minutes, flipping halfway through, until golden and firm.

7. Serve warm, topped generously with marinara sauce and optional chopped parsley or red onion.

🍅 Classic Marinara Sauce

This simple stovetop marinara is made from real tomatoes, simmered to sweet-savory perfection without canned goods or added sugars. Check out our demo - click or tap here.  

Ingredients:

• 6–8 fresh tomatoes, chopped

• 1/2 cup chopped onion

• 2 cloves garlic, minced

• 1 tsp oregano

• 1 tsp basil (optional)

• 2 tbsp miso paste (stir in at the end)

Instructions:

1. In a pot, sauté onion and garlic in water until soft.

2. Add tomatoes and herbs. Simmer gently (medium-low) uncovered for 45–60 minutes, stirring occasionally.

3. Blend until smooth, then stir in miso off-heat.

Nutrition Note:
Fresh tomatoes are rich in lycopene, a powerful antioxidant, while miso adds probiotics and umami without the need for salt. No sugar, oil, or cans — just whole, healing ingredients.

🥣 Nutrition Commentary:

These lentil veggie balls are:

• 🌱 Rich in plant protein from lentils and oats

• 💪 Full of fibre to support digestion and fullness

• ✨ Loaded with minerals like iron and zinc from mushrooms and flax

• 🧠 Boosted with brain-supportive B vitamins from nutritional yeast

• 💚 Perfectly balanced with lemon for digestion and flavour pop

Pair with a big leafy salad and you’ve got a powerhouse meal!

🍲 Lentil Cooking Instructions (Flavour-First)

🛒 Ingredients:

• 1 cup dry green lentils

• 3 cups water or veggie broth (salt-free if ERTH strict)

• 1 small bay leaf (optional)

• 1/4 tsp garlic powder

• 1/4 tsp onion powder

• A few strips of kombu (optional, for minerals + umami)

• Pinch of black pepper

👩‍🍳 Instructions:

1. Rinse lentils under cool water.

2. In a medium pot, combine lentils, water/broth, bay leaf, garlic powder, onion powder, and kombu (if using).

3. Bring to a boil, then lower to a gentle simmer.

4. Cook uncovered for 15–20 minutes, or until tender but not mushy.

5. Drain excess water and remove bay leaf/kombu.

6. Let cool completely before using in your veggie balls or storing.

💡 Bonus Flavour Tips:

• Use roasted garlic in the veggie ball mix for deeper flavour.

• Add porcini mushroom powder or a tiny bit of tamari (if not strictly ERTH) when forming the balls.

• A squeeze of lemon right before serving brightens the whole dish.

🍝 Simple Roasted Spaghetti Squash

This no-fuss method brings out the sweet, nutty flavour of spaghetti squash while keeping the texture light and perfect for soaking up sauces.

👩‍🍳 Ingredients:

• 1 small spaghetti squash

• A splash of water (optional for roasting tray)

🔪 Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.

2. Cut squash in half crosswise.

3. Use a spoon to scoop out the seeds.

4. Place squash cut-side down on a parchment-lined baking tray. Add 2–3 tablespoons of water to the pan (optional).

5. Roast for 45–60 minutes, until the flesh is fork-tender.

6. Let cool slightly, then use a fork to scrape out the strands.

🌿 Nutrition Notes:

Spaghetti squash is:

• A great whole food pasta swap

• High in fibre and low in starch

• Loaded with vitamin C, B6, and antioxidants

• Gentle on digestion and naturally gluten-free