Cheater Sauce n Meatballs & Hint of Chocolate Zucchini Pancakes

 I call this cheater sauce because I used a jar of Classico as the base, it's just too hot out to make a sauce from scratch. You could add any vegetables you like, I used carrot and zucchini because I seem to have an abundance on hand. I wanted to use walnuts as the "meat" in the sauce but wasn't sure how that would work out so I decided to try this recipe instead and they turned out quite well. I halved the recipe and froze what I didn't eat at dinner. Make the meatballs first, while they are baking in th oven you can start on the sauce. Hope you enjoy this simple meal as much as I do!

Cheater Sauce

1 16oz jar Classico, Tomato & Basil
1 large carrot, shredded or finely diced
1/2 large zucchini, cubed small
1 tsp Italian seasoning
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
1 tbsp olive oil
1/8 cup water

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add carrot, zucchini and Italian seasoning. Stir and cover with lid for 5 mins.  Add a 1/8 cup water to generate steam and speed up the cooking process. Let sit for 5-10 mins. Remove lid, turn heat down to low, add nutritional yeast and let simmer for a few minutes. Serve overtop your favorite noodle and top with meatballs.

Hint of Chocolate, Zucchini Pancakes
makes 4-5 small pancakes

1/2 cup flour (I used all purpose)
1 1/2 tsp sugar
1 tbsp baking powder
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp nutmeg
1 cup unsweetened chocolate almond milk
1/2 cup zucchini, shredded
1 tbsp cooking oil or magarine

Mix dry ingredients together in a bowl. Shred zucchini and pat dry with a tea towel or paper towel. You want to get as much moisture out of the zucchini as possible so your pancakes cook through properly, otherwise they won't cook very well inside. Mix the zucchini into the dry ingredients and coat evenly, then add almond milk and stir well. Heat oil or margine over medium-low heat in skillet. Spoon 1/8-1/4 cup of batter into pan. Cook over low heat (3) until the pancakes bubble, flip and cook the other side until golden brown. Serve with your favorite syrup!

*If you wanted a deeper chocolate flavour, add 2 tsps cocoa powder or 1/8 cup vegan chocolate chips.