magic loaf

One of my favorite blog reads is Jennifer's Vegan Lunchbox. We've ordered the boxes, waiting for them to arrive, and I've been scoping it out for ideas. Since D has become a Vegetarian it's also useful to garner a few recipes here and there.

The entry I just read was excellent!!! It included a link to her Magical Loaf Studio with a great way to combine stuff to make a veggie loaf. Of course I still need the Magical Holly Lentil Loaf (are you reading??) but this will do in the meantime. I'll have to try it and see how my family likes it. I think it looks pretty good.

And here is my first loaf recipe created by the MLStudio:

Ingredients:

1/2 cup pine nuts
2 TB olive oil
One onion, diced
One large garlic clove, minced
One large carrot, peeled and grated
Two celery ribs, diced
2 cups cooked kidney beans
1 cup cooked brown rice
1/2 to 1 1/2 cups vegetable broth, as needed
1/2 cup cooked oatmeal
1/4 tsp. dried thyme
1/2 tsp. dried sage
1 tsp. dried basil
1/4 cup minced fresh parsley
1/4 tsp. dried rosemary
2 TB ketchup
Several dashes vegetarian Worcestershire Sauce
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 tsp. celery salt


Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350º. Oil a loaf pan or spray with nonstick spray and set aside.

Grind the pine nuts into a coarse meal using a food processor or spice/coffee grinder. Place in a large mixing bowl and set aside.

Sauté any vegetables you've chosen in the olive oil until soft. Add to the large mixing bowl along with all the remaining ingredients. Mix and mash together well, adding only as much liquid as needed to create a soft, moist loaf that holds together and is not runny. Add more liquid or binder/carbohydrate as needed.

Press mixture into the loaf pan and bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until cooked through.

Let the loaf cool in the pan for 10 to 15 minutes, then turn out onto a plate or platter and slice. Serve with potatoes, vegetables, and vegetarian gravy, if desired.