LENTIL-WALNUT LOAF

Page 167.. *recipe included

I love veggie burgers! There are no tears when the family wants to light up the grill for hamburgers and I heat up my veggie burger on the warming rack inside the grill. WELCOME veggie meatloaf!!!! I have looked at the picture of this Lentil-Walnut Loaf for almost a year now and finally decided to give it a try. I really like meatloaf and so does my husband so I went in with fingers crossed and tentative expectations. While Angela Liddon’s picture shows bigger chunks of the veggies inside, I used my food processor to grate and grind veggies and nuts a little more. I think mine looks more like a meatloaf and it tastes Devine!!! Not only will it make a wonderful dinner, but I’m already looking forward to a hot meatloaf sandwich for lunch later this week. The spices are just right in this recipe. I used dried Thyme and the flavor popped but wasn’t over-bearing. I also used craisins instead of raisins which added a little splash of color and tart flavor pop. I used crushed Rice Krispies instead of bread crumbs to keep this recipe gluten free. ( Heads up…. the brand name Rice Krispies is not Gluten free but the Kroger brand is!!!) The Balsamic-apple glaze absolutely makes this dish for me because I like sauces and condiments. I only used about 1/2 of the sauce for the top and yet it was plenty. It enhanced the meatloaf instead of taking over the meatloaf. I am serving my meatloaf with broccoli salad and mashed potatoes. When can you get here for dinner?????? (see recipe below)

1)Cook 1 cup of green lentils in 3 cups of water for about 20-25 minutes. Drain any left over water.

2) In a food processor: grind these and place in a mixing bowl

3 cloves of garlic

1 medium yellow onion

1 c. chopped celery

1 c. chopped carrots

grind 1/3 c. chopped, skinned apple….add to bowl

grind your Lentils into a paste with a few little chunks for texture…add to bowl

grind 1 c. of walnuts and add to bowl

3)Add to the bowl:

3 Tbl. ground flaxseed

1 tsp. olive oil

1 tsp sea salt

1/4 tsp fresh ground pepper

1/2 c. oat flour (I grind up a half cup of rolled oats to make a flour)

1/2 c. bread crumbs or Rice Krispies for Gluten Free

1 tsp. dried Thyme or 2 tsp fresh Thyme leaves

1 tsp oregano

1/4 tsp red pepper flakes

Mix all ingredients together well. You can even get your hands in there to mix it up like your Mom used to. 🙂

Preheat over to 350 and line your loaf pan with parchment paper (this will serve as a sling to help you get it out of the pan later) so leave some hang over to hang onto.

Put your mixture into the loaf pan and press down to fill every nook and cranny, eliminating any air pockets. (PRESS HARD)

Top loaf with Glaze:

1/4 c. Ketchup

2 Tbl. applesauce

2 Tbl. Balsamic vinegar

1 Tbl. pure maple syrup

Bake uncovered for 50-60 minutes, until edges are slightly browned. Cool the loaf for 10 minutes BEFORE removing from the pan. Use a knife to loosen the edges of the loaf. Use the Parchment sling to transfer to a cooling rack for at least 60 minutes before you try to slice it.