Lentil and Quinoa Meatballs

To prepare the lentil and quinoa meatballs, rinse the quinoa under running water 1 , then drain it in a saucepan, salt 2 , cover with about 200 g of water 3 and cook for 15 minutes, or until the water has been completely absorbed.

Turn off the heat, cover with the lid 4 and let it rest for 5 minutes. After this time, fluff the quinoa and set aside 5 . Peel and chop the garlic 6 .

Clean and finely chop the onion 7 , then do the same with the carrot 8 . Also chop the fresh parsley with a knife 9 .

In a pan, heat a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and sauté the onion and garlic 10 until translucent. Add the carrot 11 and cook for another 5 minutes, stirring occasionally 12 .

In a large bowl, pour the quinoa, the drained pre-cooked lentils 13 , the breadcrumbs 14 and the sautéed vegetables 15 .

Season with parsley, cumin 16 , sweet paprika 17 , salt and pepper. Then add an egg 18 .

Mix well until you get a homogeneous mixture 19 . If the mixture is too wet, add a little more breadcrumbs. With wet hands, take a spoonful of the mixture 20 and form meatballs the size of a walnut, then flatten them slightly and arrange them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper 21 .

Bake the meatballs in a preheated static oven at 200°C for about 20-25 minutes 22 . Meanwhile, in a bowl, mix the Greek yogurt with the chopped mint 23 , lemon juice, salt and pepper 24 .

After the cooking time, take the lentil and quinoa meatballs out of the oven 25 and serve them with the yogurt and mint sauce 26 27 !