Vegan Lentil Loaf
Ingredients
- 1 cup green lentils uncooked
- 1/2 cup pumpkin seeds
- 1/2 cup walnuts chopped
- 1 cup butternut squash, chopped in 1 cm cubes
- 1 cup carrot, grated
- 1 cup apple, grated
- 1 sweet onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/4 cup vegetable broth (or water)
- 8 dried apricots, diced
- 3 tbsp flax meal
- 1/2 cup oat flour
- 1/2 cup nutritional yeast
- 6 sprigs-worth of fresh thyme, de-stemmed
- 1 tbsp oregano
- 1 tsp tarragon
- 1/4 cup molasses
- 1/2 cup ketchup
- 2 tbsp dijon mustard
Preparation
Pre-heat oven to 325 F
Cook lentils according to package
Spread pumpkin seeds and walnuts on cookie sheet, then toast in the oven for 8 minutes
Turn oven up to 350 degrees F
Roast butternut squash for 20 minutes
While squash is roasting, heat a pot to medium heat
Oil-free sautéing time... Add onions to pot, and stir until you see browning/caramelization on the bottom (about 5 minutes). Then add garlic and saute for another 30 seconds. Add 1/4 cup vegetable broth (or water) to deglaze the pot. The onions and garlic should have a brown tinge to them
Add carrots, celery, apple, tarragon, oregano and black pepper to pot. Let simmer 10 minutes
In food processor, blend 1/2 cup of the roasted butternut squash with 3/4 cup of the cooked green lentils. Once blended smooth, add in flax meal, nutritional yeast, oat flour, and thyme. Blend until smooth again
Transfer blended mixture to the pot. Add pumpkin seeds, walnuts and apricot. Mix together well
Line a loaf pan with parchment paper (leave some out along edges so you can use it as handles to pull out loaf when it’s done)
Press loaf mix evenly into the pan
Make the glaze: Mix together all ingredients in small food processor, or in a small saucepan on low heat (this will help the molasses mix together)
Use spatula to spread the glaze over the loaf evenly
Bake for 45-50 minutes in the 350 F oven
Let cool 5 minutes, then move from the pan onto a cooling rack.
Enjoy with your favourite sides!