South of the Border Meatless Loaf

South of the Canadian Border that is!

South of the Border Meatless Loaf

Ingredients: for about 10 servings – depending on…

3 c. cooked green lentils (water drained and reserved)

3 c. carrots chopped fine (works to pulse them in the food processor)

1 large onion, quartered (and pulsed in the food processor)

1 or 2 peeled, chopped beets depending on size, (and pulsed in food processor)

2 – 3 garlic cloves, minced or pressed

1 c. chopped raw walnuts

1 c. chopped mushrooms

2 c. rolled oats (pulsed in food processor)

½ c. fresh chopped cilantro

2 – 3 dried tomatoes, (not in oil) processed until fine in spice grinder or food processor

1 -2 T chipotle chili powder

2 t. ground cumin

Method: oven @ 350 or if convection, 335

1. Mix everything in a very large bowl
2. Pulse all ingredients alternately and  in batches in a food processor.
3. Push it good – Mush it good! all into non-stick loaf pan (it will just barely fit)
4. Bake it all for a very long time, about 1.5 hrs.

NOTE: you might wish to cover the loaf pan with foil for the first 45 minutes and then remove the foil for the remainder of the time.

ANOTHER NOTE: you can flavor this basic mixture with different SOB flavorings, I.E. if you are south of the Swiss border, you might use more garlic and  parsley with some  cayenne and  low-salt tomato paste on top in place of the cilantro and chipotle, leave out the cumin altogether and add some fennel seeds for that sausage-y flavor

I served this meatless loaf with two veg on a fresh tomato sauce with some Parma-non but it would go equally as nice on top of steamed Kale, Chard or Spinach!

You can use the leftovers from this loaf crumbled on a taco-type salad or in a lettuce wrap!