Vegan Lentil Loaf with Tomato Maple Glaze

1 cup dry lentils/ french green or brown

2 1/2 cups vegetable broth

3 tbsp. flaxseed meal (ground flaxseed)

1/3 cup water

2-3 tbsp. olive oil

4 garlic cloves, small

1 onion, finely chopped

1 yellow squash, finely chopped

1 celery stalk, finely chopped

3/4 cup oat or almond flour

1/2 lemon, juiced

1 tbsp. fresh thyme, minced, or 1 tsp.dry

1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped

1 tsp. cumin seeds, toasted, then ground

1 tsp. sea salt, or to taste

1/2 tsp. red chili powder, optional

Glaze

3 tbsp. tomato paste, organic

1 tbsp. apple cider vinegar, or lemon

1 tbsp. pure maple syrup

Method

Prepare the lentils. Can be made 1-2 days ahead.

Rinse the lentils (I use french lentils for this recipe). In a sauce pan, or medium pot, add vegetable broth. Bring to a boil, cover, and simmer for 30-40 minutes. It’s fine if they get over cooked. Let sit for 10 minutes, to cool slightly. There shouldn’t be that much broth left, so do not strain. In a blender or processor, pulse the lentils, leavening some chunky.

Make flax egg: In a small bowl, add ground flax with 1/3 cup water. Set aside for 10- 15 minutes. This is our binder, to hold the loaf together.

Preheat the oven to 350 ~ Bake in the oven for 45-55 minutes. Let sit for 10 minutes before slicing.

In a saute pan, heat the olive oil. Saute all the vegetables, along with the spices, over medium heat. Set aside to cool. Taste for seasoning

Assemble the loaf ~ Combine the sauteed vegetables with the lentils, oat flour and flax egg. Mix well. Taste, and adjust as needed. Fold in the fresh herbs. Add more flour if it feels too loose. Place the mixture in a parchment lined 9x5 loaf pan. Leave the parchment overlapped for easy removal.

Glaze ~ Combine all the ingredients in a small bowl. If it feels too thick, add a bit of water. Spread evenly over the loaf before cooking. Double the glaze recipe, if you desire more glaze after cooking.

Laurie Richardone is a seasonal gluten free chef and certified health coach.

To work with Laurie, visit LaurieRichardone.com