THE ULTIMATE VEGETABLE LENTIL LOAF

After a few attempts (five to be exact) at making this lentil loaf, I have finally come up with a veggie version that tastes pretty darn good and is extremely filling!

I wanted to keep this lentil loaf recipe (aka vegan meatloaf) easy, with ingredients you may already have in your pantry. After doing a little digging, I was able to piece this together from a few resources.

• One source was this recipe from Made to Create, which is wonderfully simple
• Then there was this one from Oh She Glows, which is a walnut version using apples and raisins, but I wanted one with all veggies (Angela’s looks delicious and I will be trying it later).
• Last but not least, I referenced this recipe at My Vegan Cookbook.

I especially love the glaze for the top of this lentil loaf, which was adapted from Angelas recipe. You could serve a little extra on the side, or double the amount if you like, slathering a little more over top the lentil loaf once cooked.

And if you like spicy, you’ll love the ground chipotle pepper in this recipe with the glaze, it’s such a nice combo of sweet and spice! I found the higher amount of chipotle listed in the recipe to be just perfect for myself, but adjust to your liking, starting with the smaller amount if you’re not a fan of spice.

Be prepared, one slice will most likely fill you up, it sure does for me. I’m not kidding when I tell you this is one hearty and filling lentil loaf!

Feel free to sub in other veggies if you like. Some have left comments of adding in zucchini for the bell pepper. You get the idea, you can adjust to what you have on hand or prefer.

Any leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator for up to a 5 – 6 days. They make for great sandwiches too!

For a fall flavored or holiday lentil loaf, try this Apple, Fennel + Sage Lentil Loaf. It’s just as amazing!

Now on with the recipe – make a loaf and share the love!

Ingredients

Loaf

• 1 cup dry lentils (use green/brown)
• 2 1/2 cups water or vegetable broth
• 3 tablespoons flaxseed meal (ground flaxseeds)
• 1/3 cup water (6 tablespoons)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil or steam saute using 1/4 cup water
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 small onion, finely diced
• 1 small red bell pepper, finely diced
• 1 carrot, finely diced or grated
• 1 celery stalk, finely diced
• 3/4 cup oats (I used GF oats)
• 1/2 cup oat flour or finely ground oats (any flour of choice will work here too)
• 1 heaping teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/2 heaping teaspoon cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon each garlic powder & onion powder…for good measure!
• 1/4 – 1/2 teaspoon ground chipotle pepper, optional
• cracked pepper & sea salt to taste

Glaze

• 3 tablespoons organic ketchup
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup

Instructions

Rinse lentils. In large pot add 2 1/2 cups water/broth with lentils. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer for about 40 minutes, stirring occasionally. It’s ok if they get mushy, we are going to roughly puree 3/4 of the mixture when cooled. Once done, remove lid and set aside to cool (do not drain), they will thicken a bit upon standing, about 15 minutes is good.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In small bowl combine flaxseed meal and 1/3 cup water, set aside for at least 10 minutes, preferably in the refrigerator. This will act as a binder and will thicken nicely upon sitting.
Prepare vegetables. In saute pan heat oil or water over medium heat. Saute garlic, onion, bell pepper, carrots and celery for about 5 minutes. Add spices mixing well to incorporate. Set aside to cool.
Using an immersion blender or food processor, blend 3/4 of the lentil mixture. For me this was an important part, I tried it other ways and this worked to help as a binder. If using an immersion blender, tilt your pot slightly to the side for easier blending. Alternately, you can mash the lentils with a potato masher or fork.
Combine sauteed vegetables with the lentils, oats, oat flour and flax egg, mix well. Taste, adding salt and pepper as needed, or any other herb or spice you might like. Place mixture into a loaf pan lined with parchment paper, leaving it overlapping for easy removal later. Press down firmly filling in along the edges too.
Prepare your glaze by combining all ingredients in a small bowl, mix until incorporated. I recommend making each tablespoon heaping so you have plenty of this great sauce on top (if using tomato paste and mixture is too thick, add a teaspoon of water, or a little extra vinegar & syrup). Spread over top of loaf.
Bake: Place in center of the oven, and bake in oven for about 45 – 50 minutes. Let cool a bit before slicing.

more instructions please visit: https://simple-veganista.com/the-ultimate-vegetable-lentil-loaf/

"ATTENTION! inewsb.blogspot.com no responsibility for the contents and all material on this site including photos and images. If you need further information after reading this, please Contact Us. The material is being provided to you for educational purposes only. "

Share this post