One lesson that I learned quickly when we switched to a ‘vegan’ lifestyle was that being vegan didn’t mean that you ate healthy. The VAST majority of vegan recipes contain artificial ingredients. The vegan ‘cheeses’, ‘meats’ and other faux products on the market usually contain processed artificial ingredients. That, along with the fact that sugar (in all it’s forms) is used in most of the recipes I found online was making it hard to find wholesome, natural meals. Being a ‘clean’ eating vegan wasn’t going to be as easy as I had first thought. Add that to the fact that I had a meat loving, veggie hating non enthusiast husband who was counting on me to make a dinner that was both tasty and filling. No pressure. None. At. All.

I liked the idea of making a ‘meatloaf’ but wasn’t thrilled with any of the recipes I found. I ended up throwing ingredients into a bowl and crossing my fingers that it tasted good. Hands down BEST “meatloaf” EVER! Not only was it filling but the flavor was delicious! The kids ate this right up and I even got 2 thumbs up from the hubby.

~Sarah

Ingredients:

• 1 small onion, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 cup quinoa, cooked *see notes
• 2 cup lentils, cooked, roughly mashed *see notes
• 3 tbsp low sodium soy sauce or tamari (if you follow a gluten free diet make sure to use gluten free sauce)
• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tbsp Worchestershire sauce (again, gluten free if needed)
• 2 tbsp Dijon mustard
• 1/4 cup Homemade BBQ sauce (you can substitute with Homemade Ketchup or tomato paste)
• 1 tbsp oregano
• 1 tbsp parsley

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

2. Follow the directions in the notes below to cook the quinoa and lentils.

3. In a medium saucepan add olive oil and heat on high. Add onions and reduce heat to medium. Saute onions for about 5 minutes. Add in garlic and continue sauteing until onions are golden brown.

Add ingredients to a large bowl and mix well

4. In a large bowl add onions and garlic, cooked quinoa and lentils along with the soy sauce, worcestershire sauce, mustard, BBQ sauce, oregano and parsley. Mix well.

5. Transfer mixture into a 1 1/2 quart loaf pan and place in the oven for 25-30 minutes.

6. Remove from oven and let cool for 5 minutes – this allows the loaf to firm up a bit. Cut into 1 inch slices and serve.

Nutritional Info:

Makes 8 servings.

Nutrients per serving: Calories: 141, Cal. from Fat: 28, Total Fat: 3g, Sat. Fat: 0g, Carbs: 23g, Fiber: 6g, Sugars: 2g, Protein: 6.5g, Sodium: 392mg, Chol: 0mg

Notes:

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week.

Both lentils and quinoa are great proteins to add to salads, stir fries, soups and stews. I usually cook up a whole bag of each and add them into various meals throughout the week. This makes putting together our meals quick and easy!

To cook quinoa place 1 cup quinoa and 1 1/4 cup water (or stock) in a large pot. Bring to a simmer and then reduce to low. Cover and cook for between 30 and 35 minutes. Remove from heat and let sit covered for an additional five minutes. Fluff with a fork and serve.

To cook lentils first place them in a colander and run water over them to wash away any small bits of soil. Also check to make sure there are no small stones mixed in. (Unless I’m buying bulk lentil I have never run into this problem.) In a large pot add 1 1/2 cups of water for every 1 cup of lentils you will be cooking. Bring the water to a boil. Add the lentils and return to a boil. Reduce heat to low and cover for 25-40 minutes. The length of time will depend on how hard or soft you like your lentils. I usually let mine cook for 30 minutes, that way they aren’t mushy but aren’t hard either.