When I saw these tiny green beans in Hauler oriental market, I knew I had to buy a package and try to do something with them!!

 

 

I looked at many, and I mean many recipes with mung beans. I saw that they are used in all sorts of dishes. However, there was this one use of them in these vegan balls that made it richest.

 

You see, in this Mediterranean take on vegan mung bean balls, there are so many lovely ingredients that in each ball there are loads of different tastes you are feeling. These are all fresh, delicious ingredients and since the balls are baked only and not, for instance, fried, they are also very light and healthy.

 

 

 

I got the original recipe from citnutritionally.com, but I made some changes. For instance, instead of black olives only, I use a mixture black and green olives and instead of parsley, I use fresh basil – this gives me more of a Mediterranean feeling. You can also make your own changes and try different herbs and spices.

 

So, go ahead, enjoy your lovely veganballs!

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Ingredients:

 

Difficulty: ★★☆ (Medium)
(makes 16 balls that are about the size of walnuts)

 

Printable PDF without photos

 

1 tbsp ground flaxseed
1 1/2 cups / 3 dl + 4 tbsp cooked mung beans (1/2 cup plus 2 tbsp raw mung beans cooked in 1 1/2 cups water for 45 minutes – first medium heat, then simmer – yields 1 1/2 cups cooked mung beans)
1/2 cup / 1.2 dl olives, a mixture of green and black olives
1/2 cup / 1.2 dl onion, chopped finely (I make mini cubes)
1 garlic clove, mashed
2 tbsp sun dried tomatoes, chopped (the original recipe calls for the tomatoes not in olive oil but I use the ones in olive oil – just wash the excess olive oil a little)
2 tbsp canned paprika, chopped
1/4 cup / 4 tbsp fresh basil
1 tsp dried oregano
1/4 tsp ground red chili pepper
1/4 tsp salt
a pinch of black pepper
2 tbsp tomato sauce

 

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1. In a small bowl, mix ground flaxseed with 3 tbsp water (room temperature). Set aside for 10 minutes at least (until it becomes like a gel, which is called “flax egg”).

 

 

 

2. In a food processor, add mung beans and process them a little (you don’t have to mash them into a puree, and you can also make this with a potato masher).

 

 

 

3. Add the rest of the ingredients.

 

 

4. Finally, when your flaxseeds become a flax egg, add that and process them all into a nice mixture. Again, do not try to make a puree, because it is so much better with some texture.

 

 

 

5. Take about a walnut size from the mixture and make balls. Cover with a stretch film and put in the refrigerator to rest, for about an hour.

 

 

 

 

6. Preheat the oven to 175C.

 

7. Put the balls on a baking tray with baking paper. Leave about 2 cm space in between. Bake for 20 minutes in middle rack of the oven. Then take the tray out, quickly flip all the balls and then bake for about 10-15 minutes more. You can eat them warm or cold and they go well with salads, rice or just by themselves.