Healthy Vegan Chickpea Meatballs

For the meatballs:
Preheat oven to 450ºF and spray a baking sheet with cooking spray.

Spread drained and rinsed chickpeas until a paper towel and gently dry them off. Gently rub the thin, papery skins off each one and place into a small food processor (mine is 3 cups.) along with the applesauce, salt and pepper.

Heat the olive oil in a large pan on medium heat. Cook the onion until it begins to soften and brown, about 4 minutes. Add in the garlic and lower the temperature to medium/low. Cook, stirring constantly until golden brown, about 1 minute.

Add the onion mixture into the food processor and blend until totally smooth and combined, stopping to scrape the sides as necessary.

Transfer to a bowl and stir in the panko and parsley. Use a cookie scoop to form 16 1-tablespoon-sized balls and place onto the prepared baking sheet.

Spray generously with cooking spray and bake for 14 minutes. Spray again and bake another 13–4 minutes, until crispy and golden brown.

For the sauce:
While the “meatballs” cook, heat oil in a large, high-sided pan with a lid on medium heat. Add onion and garlic and cook until onion is golden brown and soft, about 3–4 minutes.

Add tomatoes, tomato paste, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Boil, stirring constantly, for 1 minute.

Reduce heat to medium/low and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Uncover and cook for 2–3 minutes, or until liquid just begins to evaporate. Stir in parsley.

Stir “meatballs” into the sauce and serve over noodles of choice. Devour.