Lentil Meatballs with Mushroom and Couscous

I always say, when in doubt go to your staples! Actually, I had never said that before, but I meant it! Staples are lifesavers and I have the perfect lentil meatballs to help me prove my point.

These lentil meatballs remind me of home so much and that's why I was so excited to share this recipe with you. It has all the typical flavours of German cuisine and it has that comforting feel to it. 

I always say how much I like trying food from all over the world and experimenting with different cuisines. But that doesn't mean I don't crave the food and flavours I grew up with. That's why I like coming up with recipes like this one. It makes being away from home a lot easier. 

Food is a big deal in Germany, it has a very special place in our days. Sometimes we can sit for over two hours while having lunch! We really take our feeding time seriously. Also, our cuisine is known for being heavy and hearty. And that's what our lentil meatballs are all about, more so hearty than heavy but really filling for sure. 

The meatballs are made mostly with lentils, breadcrumbs, almond butter, nutritional yeast, garlic, onion and a few other things. These ingredients are all staples in my kitchen. I like to have them around to make my life easier throughout the week.

The couple things I didn't have already were parsley and shiitake mushrooms. There's the dry version of both that you can easily keep in the pantry but I wanted to use them fresh. So I decide to make a quick trip to the store.  

The lentil meatballs are served on a bed of couscous and covered with an incredible sauce that is both creamy and flavourful. Cashew nuts make the sauce super creamy and the nutritional yeast adds a cheesy, silky texture and flavour. The sauce pairs great with the lentil meatballs but you will want to add it to absolutely everything! 

Finally, the lentil meatballs are served on a bed of fluffy couscous. I don't use couscous a whole lot. Honestly, I forget how easy it is to cook and how good it is as a side dish. I definitely need to incorporate it to more meals. And like some of the other ingredients in this recipe, you can have couscous in your pantry at all times. Just boil it with a veggie broth and it is ready!

When you stack the couscous, the lentil meatballs and the sauce you a get a delicious meal packed with nutrients and a whole lot of protein, 27g to be exact. It has only 543 calories and it only takes 30 minutes to make. Even less if you have good multitasking skills. As a busy mother, I have some experience with that. 

So, when you are not sure what to cook, always go to your staples! You might find some treasures in there as we did when we made these heartwarming lentil meatballs!