Friendly Broccoli Balls

-Friendly Broccoli Balls

Ingredients:

• 1.33 tsp oil
• 0.67 cup finely chopped onion
• 1.33 large head of broccoli, florets and tender stem (peel off the knobs from the stem and use)
• 2.67 tbsp fresh basil leaves or 1 tsp dried basil
• 0.67 tsp dried oregano
• 0.67 tsp garlic powder
• 0.67 tsp chipotle pepper (adjust to taste)
• 0.33 tsp ground black pepper
• 0.33 tsp salt
• 1.33 tbsp or more nutritional yeast
• 0.33 cup almond meal
• 0.33 cup or more whole wheat breadcrumbs
• 1.33 chia seed egg (1 tbsp chia seeds or chia seed meal mixed with 3 tbsp warm water, let sit for 2 minutes to gel)
• 0.33 cup unsweetened almond milk
• 0.33 cup reduced-fat vegan cheese shreds (optional)

Instructions:

1. Heat oil in a pan over medium heat. Add onions and cook for 3 to 4 minutes.
2. Pulse the broccoli and basil in a food processor until grated. Add to the pan (aim for approximately 2.5 to 3 cups grated). Add a dash of salt, mix, and cook for 3 to 4 minutes to dry out excess moisture. If the broccoli is already dry, cook for only a minute. Take off heat.
3. Add in the dried oregano, garlic powder, chipotle pepper, black pepper, salt, nutritional yeast, almond meal, breadcrumbs, and almond milk. Mix well.
4. Make the chia seed egg (1 tbsp chia seeds or chia seed meal mixed with 3 tbsp warm water, let sit for 2 minutes to gel) and mix it into the mixture. Adjust the consistency with more breadcrumbs if needed.
5. Shape the mixture into balls. If the balls are too crumbly, add another chia egg, or sprinkle some non-dairy milk and mix well.
6. Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Preheat the oven to 400°F / 200ºC.
7. Bake for a total of 20 to 25 minutes or until crisp and golden on the outside. Turn the sheet around after 15 minutes and continue to bake. You can also sprinkle reduced-fat vegan cheese shreds on the balls in the last 5 minutes.
8. Serve warm with marinara sauce, over spaghetti, or as veggie balls in a sub sandwich.