Lentil Loaf, Southwestern StyleLentil Loaf, Southwestern Style
From All-Creatures.org Vegan - Vegetarian Recipe Book: How Mary and Frank and Friends Eat

"We are dedicated to cruelty-free living through a vegetarian - vegan lifestyle. Let no animal suffer or die that we may live!"

Ingredients

Lentil Loaf, Southwestern Style
2 cups Lentils, cooked
1 Onion, small-medium size
1 - 6-oz. can Tomato Paste
1 tsp. Basil, dried
1 tsp. Chili Powder
1 tsp. Cilantro, dried
1 tsp. Cumin, ground
1/2 cup Rolled Oats, Quick
1/2 cup Masa Corn Flour
Cayenne Pepper or Hot Sauce, to taste

(To enlarge the photo of the Lentil Loaf, Southwestern Style, click on the photo or link)

Preparation

Lentil loaf, southwestern style is a quick and easy recipe (about 30 minutes to be ready to serve: 15 minutes preparation time, and 10-15 minutes baking time in a microwave oven), providing the lentils have been precooked or are canned. It will make four 3-1/2" square servings, or two double size servings as shown in the photo.

If you have a powerful food processor, all the ingredients can be added to the container with the bottom cutting blade and run on high speed until smooth. It may take some stopping and spoon mixing to get everything to blend in properly if it is not powerful enough.

An alternative method is to place all the ingredients, except the flour and oats, into the container of a high speed blender, cover and run the blender at high speed until all the ingredients are smooth. Place the corn flour and oats in a mixing bowl and add the ingredients from the blender and mix well to insure that everything is uniformly mixed together.

Place the lentil loaf mix in a seven inch square covered ceramic baking dish, and press down firmly with a spoon to insure there are no air pockets. Top with some sliced onion if desired. Cover and bake in the microwave oven on high heat until the onions begin to get semi-translucent (about 12 minutes), and then remove the cover and bake for another 2-3 minutes. The lentil loaf can also be baked in a conventional oven in about twice the time at 350 degrees F.

With a knife and spatula, cut the loaf into the serving sizes desired, and carefully lift out of the baking dish and place on individual serving plates with any side dishes you desire. We also like topping the servings of lentil loaf with some salsa.

Enjoy!

Ingredients Information

Utensils and Equipment Information

Vegan FlagThe above recipe is in keeping with God's creation intent (Genesis 1:29-31): 'Then God said, "I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food. And to all the beasts of the earth and all the birds of the air and all the creatures that move on the ground-- everything that has the breath of life in it-- I give every green plant for food." And it was so. God saw all that he had made, and it was very good.' (NIV) Let no animal suffer or die that we may live!