Vegan Meatless Lentil Loaf

I have tried a few different loaf recipes but they always seemed to flop. They tasted good, but either were too dry or too sticky. I have finally created a meatless loaf to satisfy both non-meat eats AND meat eaters!

Ingredients

Ketchup or homemade tomato topping (see below) 1 1/3 cup plain oatmeal 1/2 block firm tofu 1 cup chopped onion 1 cup chopped bell pepper 1 cup chopped mushrooms, button?s are fine 2 tablespoons tomato mixture or ketchup 3 tablespoons corn meal 1 cup cooked lentils 1 tablespoon soy sauce 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar 2 tablespoons olive oil 2 tablespoons dried parsley 1 tablespoon dried red pepper flakes 1 tablespoon garlic powder 1 tablespoon onion powder 1 tablespoon poultry seasoning, or a combination of thyme, oregano and rosemary 1 tablespoon stone ground mustard salt and pepper to taste

Tomato Sauce Topping

1 6oz can Tomato Paste 1 tablespoon sugar 1 1/2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar 1 tablespoon onion powder 1 teaspoon garlic powder pinch of salt

Cook lentils ?  Be sure to rinse and sort lentils as they could have stones or debris in them.  Add 2 cups water to one cup of lentils in a pot and turn burner on high. Once boiling, turn heat to medium low and let simmer for 30 ? 45 minutes. The lentils should still be whole yet mushy.

Make tomato topping while lentils are cooking. Add all ingredients to a bowl and mix with a spoon. Taste to see if it may need more salt.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Chop onion, bell pepper and mushrooms. In a large skillet add one tablespoon olive oil and put on medium heat, then add chopped vegetables and a pinch of salt. Stir and cook until onions are soft and transparent ? about 5-8 minutes.

In a food processor, pulse oats for a few seconds until oats are small.

Drain tofu well and press between a towel or a few paper towels until all moister is gone. Place in a large mixing bowl and break up with a fork. You want to make sure they are in small crumbles.

In the same mixing bowl, add oats, lentils, vegetables, 2 tablespoons of tomato mixture and the rest of the ingredients. Mix until it is all combined ? if it is too dry you can always add small amounts of water. You don?t want it too wet, but it should be able to stick together nicely.

A note about the spices ? I know there are a lot of spices but I just took what I had in my cabinet and threw it in. You really do not need to add ALL of my suggested spices, but since there is no meat flavor you want to try to make is as flavorful as possible. I found that the poultry seasoning tasted great in it! Taste the mixture before you put it in the pan, making sure it tastes good and is seasoned to your liking.

Spray a loaf pan or small baking dish with non-stick spray. Spoon mixture in dish, then spread the rest of the tomato topping on top evenly. If you are using ketchup, use enough to cover the top evenly.

Cook for 20 minutes, then cover with foil and cook for another 10 minutes. Let cool, slice and serve.

This loaf makes a great meal when paired with a green salad or sautéed kale, and a baked sweet potato.