Monday, March 15, 2010

Vegetarian Meatloaf



I know, why bother? Why make a vegetarian meatloaf, when I have 5 pounds of brisket corning in the fridge? I've been curious about this vegetarian meatloaf recipe ever since I got the email from Recipezaar. The reviews were all good and the ingredients sounded like they'd go well together. I thought this would be a good addition to my collection of "leftover-busting" recipes to take care of those little pieces of cheese and jars of spaghetti sauce, that seems to take up so much valuable space.

I'm no vegetarian, but this loaf is better than most 
meatloaf recipes that I've tried. It is flavorful, moist, and with the exception of the egg and cheese, is nearly fat free. It is packed full of protein, fiber, and iron. All in all, a nutritious, one-pan dish. I wished I had remembered to add some chopped up leftover vegetables, but... next time.



Here is my version of the vegetarian meatloaf:


Ingredients:


2 C water
2 T soy sauce
1 C lentils
1 C rolled oats


Spice mixture:
1 t garlic powder
1 t dried oregano
1 T dried parsley
1 t Eric Spice
1 T paprika
1 t cayenne
1/2 t coarsely ground pepper

1 egg, beaten
2/3 C spaghetti sauce


1 medium red onion, chopped
1 C grated Asiago and Finlandia cheeses


2 T ketchup
1 T brown spicy mustard


Bring water and soy sauce to a boil.  Add lentils and simmer, covered, 25-30 minutes, until lentils are soft and most of the water has been absorbed.  Remove from heat.  Stir in oats and cover with lid for 5 minutes.

Fluff lentils and oats to help cool.  Partially mash with a potato masher.  I didn't over mash it, because I wanted it to be more meaty in texture, than mealy.


Add spice mixture and mix well.  Add egg and spaghetti sauce, mix well.  Lastly, add the onions and cheese and mix well.

Line a loaf pan with parchment paper and spoon mixture into pan.



Bake at 350°F for 30 minutes.  Cool in pan for about 10 minutes.




Place a cookie sheet over the pan and carefully invert the loaf onto the cookie sheet.


Remove and discard parchment paper.  Brush loaf with ketchup mixed with spicy brown mustard and bake for another 15 minutes, until the outside has caramelized.





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