Lentil Walnut Loaf

The Oh She Glows Cookbook by Angela Liddon

Yields 8 slices

Ingredients

For the Lentil-Walnut Loaf:
2 (14 ounce) cans of lentils, drained and rinsed*
1 cup walnuts, finely chopped
2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 cups finely chopped sweet onion
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup finely chopped celery
1 cup grated carrots
1/3 cup peeled and grated sweet apple
1/3 cup dried cranberries (chopped) or raisins
2 teaspoons fresh thyme (or 1 teaspoon dried thyme)
1 teaspoon dried oregano
Fine sea salt, to tase (about 1/2 teaspoon)
Freshly ground pepper, to taste
3 tablespoons ground flax
1/2 cup oat flour
1/2 cup spelt bread crumbs, or gluten-free bread crumbs
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
*To make lentils from scratch, swap the two can of lentils for 1 cup of uncooked lentils.
Put lentils in a pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil over low heat, reduce the heat to medium-high, and the simmer the lentils uncovered for 20-30 minutes until tender. Drain well.

For the Balsamic-Apple Glaze:
1/4 cup ketchup
2 tablespoons unsweetened applesauce or apple butter
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon pure maple syrup

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 325°F. Grease a 9×5 inch loaf pan, and then line it with a piece of parchment paper cup to fir the length of the pan.
2. If using canned lentils, rinse and drain them in a colander. If using lentils cooked from scratch, follow the instructions. After draining, add them into a large bowl and mash the lentils with a potato masher. The goal is to create a paste while still leaving about 1/3 of the lentils intact.
3. Spread the chopped walnuts on a baking sheet. Toast the nuts for 8-12 minutes until fragrant and lightly golden. Set aside to cool.
4. Increase the oven temperature to 350°F.
5. Add the oil to a large skillet, and increase the heat to medium. Stir the onions and garlic and season with a pinch of salt. Cook for 4-5 minutes until the onion softens.
6. Stir in the celery and carrots, and continue cooking for another few minutes.
7. Finally, stir in the grated apple, dried cranberries (or raisins), thyme, oregano, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and black pepper. Cook for a couple of minutes longer.
8. Into the bowl with the mashed lentils, stir in the walnuts and ground flax, oat flour, and bread crumbs until combined.
9. Stir in the veggie mixture until combined. Add the red pepper flakes, if using. Taste and add more salt. If the mixture seems dry, add a tablespoon or two of water and mix again.
10. Press all of the lentil loaf mixture into the prepared loaf pan. *Pack it down firmly as you can as this will help it hold together after cooling.
11. In a small bowl, whisk together the ketchup, applesauce (or apple butter), vinegar, and maple syrup until combined. Using a spoon, spread all of the glaze over the top of the lentil loaf.
12. Bake the lentil loaf, uncovered, at 350°F for 50-60 minutes. For lentil muffins, bake 30-35 minutes. Bake until the edges start to darken and the loaf is semi-firm to the touch. Place the loaf pan directly onto a cooling rack for 15 minutes. Then, slide a knife around the ends to loosen, and carefully lift it out of the loaf using the parchment paper as handles. Set the loaf on the cooling rack for another 30 minutes.
13. After cooling, carefully slice the loaf into slabs. Serve immediately. The loaf will continue to firm up as it cools. Some crumbling is normal if sliced when it is warm. *Use muffin tin (without paper) for mini-loafs. One loaf equals about 12 “muffins”.