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Lentil / Walnut / Apple Loaf

The closest I've gotten to meatloaf in about 23 years.


I don't think I've figured out the best way to serve this yet, but it has definite potential. I found the recipe here and was curious. Having now made and eaten it, I'm still curious.

I was expecting something that would fulfill the function of a main dish, and would be good served with mashed potatoes. Like meat loaf. Instead, the taste and texture were an awful lot like Thanksgiving stuffing. And while I have certainly eaten stuffing with mashed potatoes as a meal before, it doesn't feel totally meal-like.

Next time I think I'll serve it on the side, accompanying a protein. But it's sweet, which I think limits what it would go well with. And then there's the fact that it's a loaf, so it wouldn't fit seamlessly on a plate with, say, a piece of chicken on top. Perhaps I could make it more like stuffing, not as a loaf... perhaps without the glaze?

That said, it was tasty, it's nutritious, and it makes a whole lot of leftovers. I used the food processor to break up the oats and mince the vegetables, making the whole process pretty easy.


The Recipe:
1 c dried lentils (I used red)
1 c walnuts, finely chopped
3 tb flax seeds, ground
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 onion, minced
1 c celery, minced
1 c carrots, minced
1 apple, minced
1/2 c raisins
1/2 oats, food-processed into oat flour
3/4 c bread crumbs (I used panko)
2 tsp fresh thyme
salt and pepper, to taste
1/4 c ketchup
1 tb maple syrup
2 tb applesauce
2 tb balsamic vinegar

  • Rinse lentils. Cook in 3 cups of water for 40-45 minutes, until overcooked and mushy. Drain excess water, season with salt, and mash to make even mushier.
  • Saute onion, garlic, celery, carrots, apple, and raisin in olive oil until vegetables are soft. Season with salt and pepper.
  • Combine cooked lentils, cooked vegetables, walnuts, flax seeds, oat flour, bread crumbs, and thyme in a large bowl. Season to taste.
  • Whisk together ketchup, maple syrup, applesauce, and balsamic vinegar to make a glaze. 
  • Spread the lentil mixture into two loaf pans and top with the glaze.
  • Bake at 350 for 45 minutes.

The Verdict:
Overall grade: B-
Overall reason: I like it but I haven't figured out its purpose in a meal.
Time to prepare: Almost 2 hours including cooking times
Husband quote: "Lentil loaf. It's the other white meatloaf."




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