Vegan Meat Loaf, known by my kids as veat loaf..

If you are like me, you always have a small amount of beans or chickpeas leftover after your cornbread is gone. It isn't enough to be worth making another batch of cornbread, but you don't want to waste it. This recipe is a good way to get rid of those leftovers while enjoying the nostalgic flavors of meatloaf without the actual meat. Serve with potatoes, vegetables, and gravy, if desired. VegDad likes his loaf served over mashed potatoes, biscuits, corn and green beans with gravy over the top.

I call it Neat Loaf. :)

Whatever you decide to call it, I hope you will try this for dinner.


Ingredients:

1/2 cup Cashews
2 Tbsp Olive Oil
1 Onion, diced
1 Large Garlic Clove, minced
1 Large Carrot, peeled and grated
1 Celery Stalk, diced
1 cup Mushrooms, cleaned and chopped
2 cups Mixed Cooked Beans (I used Chickpeas, Black-eyed Peas, and Pinto Beans)
1 cup cooked rice
1/4 to 1/2 cup tomato sauce, as needed
1 heaping Tbsp flax seed meal
1 tsp. Italian seasoning
2 TB nutritional yeast flakes
2 TB ketchup
1 tsp. salt
1/4 cup Marinara Sauce

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350º. Spray a loaf pan or 8x8 square baking pan with nonstick spray and set aside (an 8x8 pan makes a crisper loaf).

Grind the cashews into a coarse meal using a food processor or spice/coffee grinder. Place in a large mixing bowl and set aside.

Sauté vegetables in the olive oil until tender. Add to the large mixing bowl along with all the remaining ingredients. Mix and mash together well, adding only as much liquid as needed to create a soft, moist loaf that holds together and is not runny (you may not need to add any liquid if the grains and protein are very moist). Add more flax seed meal and rice as needed if the loaf seems too wet.

Press mixture into the prepared pan, spread marinara sauce over loaf, and bake for 1 hour, or until cooked through.

Let the loaf cool in the pan for 10 to 15 minutes, then turn out onto a plate or platter and slice.