• 1 box vital wheat gluten (found in vegan bread section)
• 1 cup quaker oatmeal (from the canister) processed into flour
• a few tablespoons tamari soy sauce in a quart of water (to boil)
• Italian spices and seasonings
• tomato sauce
• oil
• any pasta you want
• toasted powdered nuts (optional)

Combine vital wheat gluten with enough water to make a gummy mass. Boil the tamari water. Slice the gummy mass into small peices and boil them for a few minutes, or until they swell and are no longer sticky. Drain and cool the pieces and grind them in a cuisinart until the mass resembles cooked ground beef. Transfer to a bowl and add the oatmeal flour, italian seasonings, and salt and pepper to taste. Make into balls and fry balls until crispy on the outside, then add to boiling tomato sauce mixed with enough water to cover all the balls. Simmer on low for an hour until alot of the water has cooked off. Cool balls slightly while you cook the pasta because they hold together better when they are not piping hot. Carefully remove balls to a serving bowl and reconstitute some of the sauce with water before serving. Serve over the pasta with the sauce on the side. You can use toasted powdered nuts in place of parmasan cheese as a topping.

Refrigerate leftover meatballs and use for meatball subs and sandwiches the next day. They are even better the next day and will keep in the fridge all week. After that, freeze for up to six months.

Serves: lots

Preparation time: not too long