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Once thickened, turn off the heat and add the balsamic vinegar. When the pasta is ready, drain it and add it to the pan. Stir well and let it sit for a few minutes to absorb the flavors. Taste for salt and seasonings.

To serve, transfer the mushroom fettuccine to bowls and top with sliced green onions.

Cajun Beanballs & Spaghetti

SERVES 4 • ACTIVE TIME: 30 MINUTES • TOTALTIME: 1 HOUR

(CAN BE MADE GLUTEN FREE IF USING GF TAMARI IN PLACE OF SOY SAUCE; GF CRACKERS IN PLACE OF BREAD CRUMBS; AND GF SPACHETTI)

PER SERVING

(¼ RECIPE):

Calories: 450

Calories from fat: 45

Total fat: 5 g

Saturated fat: 1 g

Trans fat: 0 g

Total carb: 87 g

Fiber: 17 g

Sugars: 11 g

Protein: 23 g

Cholesterol: 0 mg

Sodium: 790 mg

Vitamin A: 70%

Vitamin C: 60%

Calcium: 25%

Iron: 35%

They say that black-eyed peas bring you luck when eaten on New Year’s Day, and New Year’s is also the time of year many people go vegan, so not only will you be lucky, so will the animals! I love a couple of big meatballs over supersaucy and slurpy spaghetti. This version pays homage to Louisiana with some Cajun spices, hot sauce, and a smattering of scallions. Make sure to bulk up your pasta with some veggies (see page 164 for ideas). In this recipe we use zucchini, but you can use any veggies you like, or use one of the veggieful marinara options (page 194).

1 recipe Spicy Cajun Marinara (page 195)

12 Black-Eyed Pea and Tempeh Beanballs (recipe follows)

8 ounces whole wheat spaghetti

2 cups zucchini, cut into thin half-moons

1 cup thinly sliced scallions

I realize there are a lot of recipes within a recipe here, so let me just tell you how to get this done quickly and efficiently. Prepare the marinara first. Once you’ve got that going, start the meatballs. When the meatballs are in the oven, start the water for the pasta.

Cook the pasta according to the package directions. In the last 3 minutes of cooking, add the zucchini to the pot.

Drain the pasta and zucchini, then add them back to the pot. Pour in the marinara sauce and mix well. Toss in the beanballs to coat. Transfer to individual bowls and top with three beanballs each. Scatter the scallions over the top. Serve!

NOTE

This is a lot of food, so expect leftovers! To make this gluten free, use crushed GF crackers instead of the bread crumbs in the beanballs and use a gluten-free tamari for the soy sauce. And, of course, gluten-free spaghetti.

Black-Eyed Pea & Tempeh Beanballs

MAKES 20 BEANBALLS, 3 PER SERVING • ACTIVETIME: 20 MINUTES • TOTALTIME: 45 MINUTES

(CAN BE MADE GLUTEN FREE IF USING GF TAMARI IN PLACE OF SOY SAUCE AND GF CRACKERS IN PLACE OF BREAD CRUMBS)

PER SERVING

(3 BEANBALLS):

Calories: 170

Calories from fat: 20

Total fat: 2.5 g

Saturated fat: 0 g

Trans fat: 0 g

Total carb: 28 g

Fiber: 8 g

Sugars: 3 g

Protein: 10 g

Cholesterol: 0 mg

Sodium: 260 mg

Vitamin A: 35%

Vitamin C: 4%

Calcium: 15%

Iron: 8%

This recipe makes twenty beanballs, so that once you’ve eaten them on your spaghetti, you’ll have a few left over to do what you please with. Try them in a wrap or on top of a salad.

12 ounces tempeh

1 (15-ounce) can black-eyed peas

2 cloves garlic

1 teaspoon dried thyme

2 teaspoons dried oregano

½ teaspoon paprika

Several pinches of freshly ground black pepper

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1 tablespoon tomato paste

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

¼ cup whole wheat bread crumbs

¼ teaspoon salt

First, prepare a steamer to steam the tempeh. Once the steamer is ready, break the tempeh into bite-size pieces and steam for 10 minutes.

In the meantime, preheat the oven to 350°F and line a large cookie sheet with parchment paper.

In a mixing bowl, use a fork or mini potato masher or avocado masher to mash the beans. They should be well mashed, with no whole beans left, but not completely smooth like a puree. Use a Microplane grater to grate in the garlic (if you don’t have one, just mince it really well). Add the herbs and spices, soy sauce, tomato paste, and balsamic vinegar, and mix well.

When the tempeh is ready,