Raw Vegan Swedish "Meatballs"

Sometimes eating a high raw diet is like playing house. A lot of the time a big salad or a bowl of fruit is some of the best tasting stuff to eat. Other times, it can be nice to have things that are a bit more exciting, or nostalgic, or evoke a certain feeling.

There has been a lot of talk about Ikea releasing their vegan meatballs. I am not really sure what they are made out of, but I am guessing soy or wheat gluten is somehow involved. They are also definitely cooked, and I doubt they are cooked in coconut oil. (Why isn't there a restaurant yet that only cooks with coconut oil? At least then eating cooked food at a restaurant wouldn't be that bad!)

So, while I am happy for my vegan friends that this Ikea option has popped up, it hasn't done much for me personally. So I did something for me personally, and made my own Swedish "meatballs".

One of the best things about this recipe is that it used a lot of leftover pulp that would have gone into the trash if I didn't have a use for it... and what a waste of fiber that would have been! I will warn you to drink a tall glass of water with these, so you don't get too dehydrated after. It is also a good idea to pair these with a salad of some sort, as you'll need to rehydrate.

"Meatballs"

1 cup beet pulp (leftover from juicing)
1 cup almond pulp (leftover from almond milk)
1 large portobello mushroom
1/4 cup red onion
1 small tomato
1/4 cup water
1 teaspoon coconut aminos
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon paprika
Celtic sea salt to taste

Sauce

1/2 cup tahini
1/4 cup almond milk
1 tablespoon coconut aminos
1 date, pitted
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
1/2 teaspoon all spice
dash of paprika
dash of cumin
dash of white pepper
pink Himalayan salt to taste
small handful of parsley

Put all "meatball" ingredients in a food processor and blend to desired texture (depending if you prefer chunky or even "meatballs". Roll in to 1" balls and place on dehydrator sheets. Dehydrate at 110 degrees for 8 to 10 hours.

For the sauce, combine all ingredients (minus the parsley) in a small food processor and blend until smooth. Pour into a bowl, along with "meatballs", and cover evenly. (There may be a bit of color bleeding from the beets, but that is okay!) Finely chop the parsley and sprinkle on top. Serve and enjoy!