Lentil Loaf

Meatloaf substitute--and a great way to get more beans in your kids diet.  Top with a savory tomato based sauce and bake, serve with mashed cauliflower and a salad.  The lentil loaf can be made a day or two ahead and kept in refrigerator until baking.  I bake this in a 4 x 8 loaf pan but you can use any size you like, even muffin tins!
I served ours with a cauliflower, turnip and sweet potato mash, roasted baby carrots and swiss chard.

Leftovers freeze and reheat really well!










Lentil Loaf:

1 cup lentils, boiled in 6 cups water for 30 minutes
1 1/4 cup onion, chopped
1/2 cup carrot, diced
1/2 cup grated squash
1/2 cup celery, chopped
1/2 cup red bell pepper
3 TB garlic, diced
1 TB cumin
1/2 TB roasted onion powder
sundried tomato powder (because I had some I made from last year--otherwise omit or add chopped sundried tomatoes)
salt to taste
1 TB olive oil or vegetable broth
flax egg (see below)
1 TB nutritional yeast

Saute onion through garlic in olive oil or vegetable broth until softened, about 10 minutes.  Add cumin, onion powder, sundried tomato powder and season with salt..  Cook another 3-5 minutes.  Place half the lentil in a food processor with half of the vegetable mix.  Pulse processor 5 times just so lentils and vegetables break down but don't become too mushy.
Place in large mixing bowl and add remaining lentils and vegetables.  Mix in flax egg and nutritional yeast.
Place in refrigerator for 30 minutes.  Spray a loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray and fill with lentil mixture.
Top with tomato based sauce (what I used is below)
Bake at 350 for 20 minutes or until sauce is getting caramelized.

flax egg:
3 TB warm water
1 TB flax seed meal
let stand about 10 minutes, it will get gelatinous and have an egg-like texture

Tomato Sauce for lentil loaf:
The agave and peach preserves add sweetness and the adobo smokiness.  The peppadews add a kick so leave out if you want it mild.

1/2 cup onion diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 c adobo sauce
6 peppadew peppers, minced
1/4 cup tomato puree
1/2 TB agave syrup
1/2 tsp peach preserves
1/2 TB olive oil

Saute onion and garlic in olive oil until translucent.  Add remaining ingredients and cook a few minutes until it begins to thicken.  The agave and peach preserves add sweetness and the adobo smokiness.  The peppadews add a kick so leave out if you want it mild.