Vegan MoFo Spaghetti and Neat balls

So, I planned this meal knowing I already had all the ingredients in my pantry, just in case I wasn't able to get to the store as I usually do on Mondays. Good thing I did, because sometimes an expensive grocery run is just not in the budget, and these types of dinners become fiscally responsible.

I received the package of Neat in a vegancuts box earlier this summer, and hadn't gotten around to trying it yet. It is a powder that you mix liquids into to make a substitute for ground beef.

I followed the instructions for making patties or burgers, which were to add two eggs (or egg substitute). Good thing I keep some Ener-G egg replacer on hand. I mixed up two "eggs" worth.

I did think it was odd that Neat would label itself as being vegan, but not offer suggestions for an egg substitute.

After mixing, I found this mix to still be really dry, so I added a tablespoon more of water.

Later, when we ate these, they still seemed dry. My husband compared their consistency to a cracker. The taste was decent (not very meaty at all, more like a falafel), but if I were to make these again, I'd use more liquid, or sub in soft tofu instead.

I pan fried these into meatballs, and also made spaghetti, green beans, and simmered my own marinara sauce for about 20 minutes (one can tomato sauce, one can tomato paste, one can diced tomatoes, Italian seasonings, basil, and rosemary).

I remember growing up, we always seemed to have green beans with our spaghetti, I'm not sure if there was a reason for that, but now, I still like the two paired together. I layer them all in the same bowl: noodles, neat balls, sauce, beans, and sprinkle a little garlic powder over everything.

A nice, cheap, easy vegan meal..

Enjoy!