Meatballs with Parsley Spinach Pesto

Meat? No, I did not use meat in this vegan savory meal. In fact, these meatballs are made primarily of walnuts and almonds, which are a great source of magnesium and copper!  Nuts provide lots of protein and good fats; consider them a gift from nature. For the pesto, I used parsley from my backyard. Fortunately the plant weathered the recent hurricane quite nicely. Parsley is rich in potassium, calcium, manganese, iron, and magnesium. Herbs are natures medicine, and thankfully we have access to so many of them! 

Alrighty, now for the good stuff. These meatballs are a great appetizer, a meal addition, or snack. They should be crispy on the outside and moist on the inside. They have a little kick from some red cayenne pepper I put in. 

Meatballs:

• 1 cup soaked almond**
• 1 cup soaked walnuts**
• 2 cloves crushed garlic
• 2 tbsp nutritional yeast
• 1 tbsp fresh chopped basil
• 1 tsp onion powder 
• 1 tbsp fresh chopped rosemary
• 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
• 1 tbsp ground flax seeds
• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil 
• 1/2 tsp sea salt    

   **soak walnuts and almonds overnight in water
Parsley Pesto:

•  2 cups parsley 
• 1/2 cup raw cashews
•  1/2 lemon, juiced 
• 1/2 cup pine nuts
• 3 tbsp nutritional yeast 
•  1 avocado
•  2 cups baby spinach
•  1/2 cup broth or water
•  pinch of salt and pepper

 What to do:

1. Add soaked  walnuts and almonds to your food processor and pulse until nuts are chopped. Add the rest of the ingredients and blend until mixture is evenly combined. 
2. Lightly oil a nonstick cookie sheet. Roll the mixture into even balls and place them about 1 inch apart on the cookie sheet. 
3. Bake at 375 for 15-20 minutes or until crispy on the outside. 
4. For the PESTO: Combine all ingredients in your food processor and pulse until mixture is even in texture and consistency. 
5. Enjoy!