There was a time when choosing to be vegan meant sacrificing your culinary life away to days of chickpeas and lentil stews, but this vegan meatloaf is just one example of the delicious meals that can be created our of purely plant based ingredients.
Vegan eating took on a new life of it’s own in our family when one of my (many) sisters returned from Thailand a couple of years ago a devout vegan, leaving even my chef Dad stumped as to what to cook when the whole family got together.
His initial response was ‘they can just eat the potatoes & vegetables’ (and even then needed to be reminded not to butter the veg) but as a Nutritionist & concerned sister I suggested that a smidgen more effort might at least mean she’s not getting sick from nutritional deficiencies, and even better might still enjoy family meals.
There are definitely times for compromise – nobody was willing to give up the Sunday roast which means a gravy-less bean burger on the side it is, but if we can occasionally have a meal that is tasty, nutritionally complete, and easy enough to knock up for a family of a million (or thereabouts when we all get together – this recipe would definitely have to be duplicated multiple times), then it’s less work for Dad to cook, and less washing up for us ‘kids’ too, yay!
(watch this afterwards too: The Best Vegan Protein Foods)
Meatless Vegan Meatloaf
Makes 4 servings
INGREDIENTS
50g mushrooms
3 stalks celery
1 white onion
2 cloves garlic
220g tempeh, roughly chopped into small pieces (as small as possible or use processor)
50g dried lentils
25g oats
30g hemp seeds
50g unflavoured pea protein
3 tbsp. tomato puree
1 tbsp. Marmite (or Worcestershire sauce if you hate Marmite!)
3 tbsp. chopped parsley
1 tsp each of dried thyme & rosemary
METHOD
Cook the lentils according to packed instructions.
Preheat the oven to 180°c.
Finely chop the mushrooms, celery & onion & fry until soft.
Mix all the veg & lentils with the rest of the ingredients together in large bowl. Add extra water if it’s really dry.
Pour the mix into a non-stick or lined loaf tin and press down with the back of a spoon.
Bake for 60-70 minutes or until the top is browning.
Serve with green veg of your choice. Leftovers are freezable.
