Lentil Cassoulet or Mock Lentil Meat Loaf-the perfect main dish to take to your next holiday meal! Double for a large crowd, and use whatever veggies/herbs you have on hand!
Ingredients
For the lentils (these make awesome weeknight lentils on their own to use for salads (like for my Arugula Winter Salad) or sweet potato toppers! Mix in some greens and you've got a full meal!)
1 cups lentils
2½ cup water (or more if they look dry while cooking)
1 bay leaf
1 tsp dried thyme
¼ tsp salt
Remaining ingredients:
1 pound of mushrooms, cleaned with a damp cloth
2 cups minced red onion (or white if you have)
2 cups chopped red or green peppers (or combo, this is roughly 2 peppers)
½ cup chopped banana pepper (this was 2 of our banana peppers)-can use another medium spiced pepper like a pobloano as well
1 cup shredded carrot
¼ cup minced garlic
¾ cup raw cashews (or almonds)
½ cup fresh basil (or what ever fresh soft herb (parsley, cilantro whatever you have on hand, knowing this will change the flavor slightly) or a fresh hardy herb like sage, thyme-using less of these, 2 tbsp. If no fresh herbs on hand, I have also used 2 tsp ground sage or Italian seasoning
1 tsp dried rosemary, or 1 tbsp fresh
¼ cup BBQ sauce
¼ cup spicy brown mustard (or dijon)
Season with salt/pepper as desired (taste once mixed)
Topping: siracha and/or some ketchup (use organic), or additional BBQ sauce
Instructions
Preheat oven to 375
Place all of the lentil ingredients into a pot, bring to a boil, and then reduce to a simmer until water is absorbed or lentils become tender, about 25-30 minutes. If lentils are softened before all water is absorbed, then drain extra water, adding more water if they appear dry.
While lentils are cooking, place cleaned mushrooms into a food processor-pulse until finely chopped, and dump into a large mixing bowl
Place cashews into the food processor and pulse until ground into a meal texture, add fresh or dried herbs, rosemary, and garlic and pulse until combined, but not mush. Add this to the mushrooms.
Place onions and peppers into processor and pulse until fine, but keep some texture, and add to mushroom mxture
Add remaining ingredients into the bowl and mix until combined. Season with salt and/or pepper to taste (if needed)-yes you can taste this version (no E. Coli or salmonella harboring here!).
Spread mixture into a 9x13 pan or 2 glass pie plates, pressing into place. If using the pie plates, you can save one for another night if desired (can freeze). You can line the dishes with parchment, but I have found this isn't necessary if using glass. If using a metal pan, you may want to line to prevent sticking.
Drizzle top with some siracha and a few drizzles of organic ketchup or BBQ sauce
Bake uncovered for 1 hour 20 minutes.
This is great frozen, and/or reheated. To reheat: place loaf onto a stone pizza or baking sheet, or cookie sheet with parchment. The stone will help the loaf crisp up. Can be topped with additional ketchup or BBQ sauce, and cook until reheated. Loaf with crisp up. Serve with baked sweet potatoes or baked sweet potato fries, and a big salad!
Recipe by Garden Fresh Foodie at https://gardenfreshfoodie.com/main-dishes/lentil-mock-meatloaf/