In case you didn't read earlier, my daughter announced that she might be a vegetarian that eats bacon and sausage and tacos. So, I agreed to make vegetarian meals for her, if she agreed to eat her vegetables. Not wanting to miss the opportunity to stuff her full of vitamins, I made a vegetarian meal for the family for dinner tonight, and carefully planned it to include lots of foods she wouldn't normally consider. It wasn't that I wanted to sabotage her healthy efforts, no, definitely not. Rather, I wanted to show her that the foods she snubs can be delicious. And it worked. Picky Eater loved it.
Multigrain Lentil Loaf
- 1/4 cup cornmeal
- 1/4 cup oat bran
- 1/2 cup Panko bread crumbs
- 1 cup cooked rice
- 2 cups cooked lentils
- 2 carrots, minced
- 1/4 cup chopped green chili peppers (from a can)
- 1/2 cup minced onion
- 2 tsp minced garlic
- 1/2 cup shredded cheese (I used mozzarella, because I had it. Any cheese will do, and feel free to leave it out if you'd prefer)
- 2 Tbsp soy sauce
- 2 Tbsp tahini (sesame butter)
- 2 Tbsp tomato paste
- 1 egg
- for topping: 2 Tbsp tomato paste plus 1 tsp soy sauce
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray a loaf pan with non-stick cooking spray. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine all ingredients except for topping ingredients. Mix thoroughly. Form into a loaf shape in the pan.
- Spread topping over loaf.
- Bake, uncovered, for 30 to 45 minutes. Let the loaf stand for 10 minutes before slicing.
- After slicing, if you prefer a firmer loaf, bake on a greased baking sheet for about 10 minutes or so, turning once.
Sweet Carrots
- 2 cups baby carrots
- 1 Tbsp butter
- 1 cup apple juice
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- Combine all ingredients in a sauce pan. Cook over medium heat, bringing to a simmer, until carrots are slightly softened, about ten to fifteen minuets. Sauce will have thickened.
That Multigrain Lentil Loaf look and sounds so good! I will have to try that out!
ReplyDeletewow, this is chock full of goodness. I think I would like it...I love lentils, but I'm afraid my family wouldn't touch it. Maybe I'll try it sometime.
ReplyDeleteI am definitely not a vegetarian, but I gotta say.. you made that lentil loaf look so good, I think even my picky eater would have loved it!
ReplyDeleteI have a bag of lentils that have been sitting around my pantry for far too long. I'm pretty sure its because they were waiting for this recipe - its their destiny! What a tasty looking loaf and chock full of goodness. I am bookmarking this one for sure YUM!!!
ReplyDeleteWhat a delicious looking loaf! My family loves meatloaf, but I'm not sure I can sub this for my regular recipe. Maybe sub some of the lean meat with some lentils or perhaps tvp. Any ideas?
ReplyDeletejessyburke88@gmail.com
Jessy, you could definitely add cooked lentils to a stadard meatloaf recipe to boost nutrition. :)
ReplyDeleteI actually thought I already commented to tell you this ... but I guess I didn't. So, I'll say it now. I made your lentil loaf, and I loved it. I actually have always loved lentils, but until reading your recipe, I'd never cooked them at home or made anything out of them. I was so impressed with this dish. The flavor was great! I cooked it for the full 45, and I thought mine was a little dry. So, next time, I'll shoot for 30 -- the lower time frame you suggested. My husband wasn't crazy about it, but I thought it was excellent, and I'll be making it again. I'm working my way through all your vegetarian suggestions!!
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