okay, you may have thought i was crazy with lentils the 1st time around when i told you to fall in love with them and asked you to try lentil taco meat. if you did try this recipe, you know i'm not wacko. if you didn't you're probably going to think i've gone completely off my rocker now.
this week's recipe of the week is meatloaf... made out of lentils! it's so fabulous - i promise. and it is far cheaper, lower fat and generally healthier than traditional meatloaf. my husband, who i've asked to rate my cooking every night so i don't repeat a recipe he doesn't particularly like, gave this one a 9 out of 10. it's that good.
sweet and sour "lentloaf"
(that's lentil and meatloaf combined - it's what my husband calls it!)
6+ servings (it's really filling)
3/4 cup dry brown lentils
1/2 cup uncooked brown rice
1/2 cup wheat germ
1 1/2 cups dry bread crumbs
2 eggs
1/2 large onion, chopped
1 pinch dried thyme (use more you love the taste of thyme - i don't!)
1/2 cup uncooked brown rice
1/2 cup wheat germ
1 1/2 cups dry bread crumbs
2 eggs
1/2 large onion, chopped
1 pinch dried thyme (use more you love the taste of thyme - i don't!)
1/2 teaspoon basil
a little less than 1/2 teaspoon oregano
1/3 cup crushed tomatoes (add a little more if yours seems dry)
2 teaspoons hot sauce
2 tablespoons ketchup
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1/3 cup shredded cheese (whatever kind you have)
1. preheat oven to 325 degrees F. cook lentils and brown rice according to package directions, but cook lentils in chicken broth instead of water.
2. in a large bowl, mash lentils. to the lentils add wheat germ, bread crumbs, brown rice, eggs, onion, spices, tomatoes, ketchup, soy sauce and cheese. mix well. pour into loaf pan.
3. bake, covered, for 1 hour.
1/3 cup crushed tomatoes (add a little more if yours seems dry)
2 teaspoons hot sauce
2 tablespoons ketchup
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1/3 cup shredded cheese (whatever kind you have)
1. preheat oven to 325 degrees F. cook lentils and brown rice according to package directions, but cook lentils in chicken broth instead of water.
2. in a large bowl, mash lentils. to the lentils add wheat germ, bread crumbs, brown rice, eggs, onion, spices, tomatoes, ketchup, soy sauce and cheese. mix well. pour into loaf pan.
3. bake, covered, for 1 hour.
sweet and sour sauce
1 (15 ounce) can crushed tomatoes (if you're using a big can (28oz) for the crushed tomatoes in lentloaf above, just approximate about 1/2 of your big can for the sauce)
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
1/2 cup white sugar
2 teaspoons prepared mustard (or 1/2+ teaspoon ground mustard)
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
1/2 cup white sugar
2 teaspoons prepared mustard (or 1/2+ teaspoon ground mustard)
1. combine all ingredients in small sauce pan. stir.
2. bring to a boil and then let simmer for a few minutes.
3. pour over meatloaf before serving. (over the whole thing or over each individual piece)
if you have a favorite meatloaf sauce make it instead. and we love lentloaf with mashed potatoes, but serve it with whatever you prefer!
recipes adapted from "imitation meatloaf" and "sweet and sour meatloaf" from allrecipes.com
Ah! That is so funny. Just last week we had meatloaf for dinner (something I SWORE as a kid I would never make). Last month, we had tried your lentil tacos and absolutely loved them--I've been a believer ever since. Anyway, after I realized we had used half of our ground beef supply in the freezer on 1 little meatloaf, I started thinking... I wonder if lentil meatloaf is possible? Garrett looked at me as if I was nuts. You have now confirmed my thinking, to which I greatly thank you! Haha!
ReplyDeletehey jess! glad you wondered... it's true! you can totally make meatloaf out of lentils. regular meatloaf takes a ton of ground beef, huh? and tell garrett to taste it before he thinks you're nuts! :)
ReplyDelete