The Cooking with Trader Joe’s Loafin’ Lentils recipe had been bookmarked for a few weeks and the ingredients were in my fridge, yet I kept putting off making it because, you guys, there are a lot of steps. This is not a quick and easy weeknight meal. In fact, I’d say we finally sat down to eat dinner last night at roughly 9 pm after I started prepping at 7. Maybe this is also because I started experimenting with different spices and then Brian had to taste test and then we had the “ketchup or BBQ sauce” debate (ketchup won). 

But this totally vegan “meatloaf”? Delicious. Worth it. Worth every chop and dice and grate and process. All of it. So good. I served it with caramelized brussels sprouts, which will make you change your mind about brussels sprouts. I promise. 

Lentil “Meatloaf”
(Adapted from Cooking with Trader Joe’s)

3 tbsp ground flaxseed, soaked in 1/2 cup of warm water for 10 minutes until a gel forms (often known as a “flax egg”)
3/4 cup walnut halves & pieces 
1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 yellow onion, diced
2 carrots, peeled and shredded
1/2 green apple, unpeeled and shredded
1 tsp salt (or more to taste)
1/2 tsp ground black pepper (or to taste)
1 tbsp poultry seasoning (a mix of sage, thyme, onion powder & other goodies)
2 tsp ground chili powder
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp granulated garlic
2 slices whole grain bread (I like TJ’s or Ezekial sprouted wheat)
1 pkg Trader Joe’s refrigerated steamed lentils
1 tbsp additional flaxseed meal

For the topping:

1/3 cup ketchup
1 tsp yellow mustard
1 tsp brown sugar 

Preheat the oven to 350. Once the oven has come to temperature, roast walnuts on a parchment or foil-lined baking sheet for 6 minutes. Set aside to cool. Keep oven temperature at 350.

Once the walnuts have cooled, pulse in a food processor until finely chopped.

Add oil to a heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion, garlic and carrots and apple until tender, about 3 minutes. Add the walnuts, salt, pepper, poultry seasoning, chili powder, cumin and granulated garlic and sautee for another minute or two. Remove from heat and add to a large mixing bowl. 

Process bread into breadcrumbs and add to the mixing bowl along with the “flax egg.” 

If your food processor doesn’t fail you like mine did, process the lentils until smooth. Or you can add them to the mixing bowl and mash them by hand with a fork or wooden spoon (this was almost easier in the end). Combine all ingredients thoroughly. Give it a taste. Not bad, eh?

Press the mixture firmly into a 5x9-inch loaf pan. Spread the ketchup topping evenly over the loaf. 

Bake for 45 minutes and let cook for 10 minutes before serving, which gives you just enough time to whip up the brussels sprouts. Serve with lots of ketchup or BBQ sauce.