Veggie-ball courgetti

The recipe might look complicated, but it is actually very easy. Just mix everything together then bake it. 

The real recipe use thyme rather than basil, and rapeseed oil rather than vegetable oil. I switched them just because I don't want to buy things that I rarely use and have it around unused for a while.

INGREDIENTS

3 garlic cloves

For the veggie balls
2 tsp vegetable oil, plus extra for greasing
1 small onion, very finely chopped
2 tsp balsamic vinegar
100g canned red kidney beans
1 tbsp beaten egg
1 tsp tomato purée
1 heaped tsp chilli powder
sprinkle of salt
½ tsp ground coriander
15g ground almonds
40g cooked sweetcorn
2 tsp chopped basil leaves

For the courgetti
3 tomatoes, chopped
1 tsp tomato purée
1 tsp balsamic vinegar
sprinkle of salt
2 courgettes/ zucchini cut into 'noodles' with a spiralizer, julienne peeler, or by hand

METHOD

Finely chop the garlic. Heat the oil in a large pan and fry the onion, stirring frequently, for 8 mins. Stir in the balsamic vinegar and cook for 2 mins more. Meanwhile, put the beans in a bowl with the egg, tomato purée and spices, and mash until smooth. Stir in the almonds and sweetcorn with the thyme, a third of the chopped garlic and the balsamic onions. Mix well and shape into about 8 balls the size of a walnut, and place on a baking tray lined with oiled baking parchment.

Heat oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7 and bake the veggie balls for 15 mins until firm. Meanwhile, put the tomatoes, tomato purée and balsamic vinegar in a pan and cook with 2-3 tbsp water until pulpy,  add salt, then stir in the remaining garlic and courgetti. Turn off the heat as you want to warm the noodles rather than cook them. Serve with the veggie balls.

I packed it for lunch, 

so I didn't stir the courgette to the tomato to make it fresh on the next day

The veggie balls

find the original recipe here: https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/veggie-meatballs-tomato-courgetti