Original recipe by Linda Tanner from Nutrition Science.
Rewritten and altered by Dr John:

Compare this hearty lentil mushroom loaf and maple glaze to the remembered meatloaf of your past. This one will taste as good or better😊. It will also make you much stronger.

Makes 5-6 servings
Prep and Cook Time: 50 min.

Loaf  Ingredients

• 2 cups cooked green Lentils (Make from ¾ cup dry green lentils [see Note below]* ¼ cup water or vegetable broth, and a little more as needed
  ¾  medium diced yellow Onion 
  2/3 cup diced Carrots 
  ½ cup diced Celery
  8 oz rinsed and sliced button Mushrooms [or Cremini Mushrooms]
  ¼ cup Tomato Paste
  2 Tbsp lower sodium Soy Sauce, Tamari, or Coconut Aminos
  1 Tbsp vegan Worcestershire sauce [has no anchovy (fish) paste]
  1¼ tsp thyme                                                                                                             
  1½ tsp ground Pepper
  1½ cups of Old Fashioned Oats
• 1 tsp minced Garlic
• Optional: 2 tsp Hot Pepper Sauce of your choice, or ½ tsp ground Chipotle Powder                                            Optional [encouraged] additional spices: ½ tsp Coriander, ½ tsp Cardamom
• Optional: 1/3 cup broken Walnut pieces                                                                                        

Glaze Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup vegan Ketchup
• 1 ½ Tbsp Maple syrup (or Molasses)
• 1 ½ tsp Dijon mustard
• 1 ½  tsp Apple Cider Vinegar

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1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees; and cover a baking sheet in parchment paper or use a silicone baking sheet.
2. In a small bowl, mix together the glaze ingredients and set aside.
3. Add ¼ cup of water or vegie broth to a large non-stick pan or wok over medium high heat. Sauté diced onion and garlic (if using) over medium high heat until tender. May add 1 or 2 more Tbsp water to keep from sticking. Add in the carrots and celery and cook for 5 minutes on medium heat; then add in the sliced mushrooms and sauté until all the vegetables are tender (5-8 minutes), The mixture should be very moist. If needed, add 2 or 3 Tbsp of water as needed . Remove pan from heat.
4. Pour the cooked vegetables into a large mixing bowl. Add ½ of the cooked lentils, ½ cup of the oats, tomato paste, soy sauce, vegan Worcestershire sauce, thyme, soy sauce, pepper, optional spices, and walnut pieces (if using). Process for just a few seconds until the ingredients are combined, but not completely pureed. You want them to still have a chunky texture. [Note: If you really want thick chewiness or more vegetable texture you could pass on this food processor step.]
5. Pour the all the ingredients into the large mixing bowl you were using, and add in the rest of the lentils and oats. Stir the ingredients together until they are completely combined and stick together well. If the mixture is crumbly, add 1 or 2 Tbsp water at a time to achieve a moist firm mixture that can be shaped into a loaf.
6. Use your hands to form the contents into a large ball; then place the ball onto the covered baking sheet. Form the ball into a loaf shape (about 8-10 inches long and 5 to 7 inches wide). Cover the loaf with half of the ketchup glaze and bake for 30 minutes. Remove loaf from of the oven and apply more of the glaze; then bake the loaf for an additional 10-15 minutes, or untol poking with a fork comes out clean. . Let the loaf cool for 5-10 minutes before slicing so that it will cut smoothly.

Plating Ideas:

• Serve as a side to your favorite green veggie salad or sauteed vegetables.
• You might serve this loaf with cut up sliced carrots and/or snap peas.
• You could make a whole grain pasta [like chickpea, bean, or edamame  noodles] as a loaf accompaniment.
• Leftover loaf makes wonderful sandwiches for another day.

*Note: Cooking Lentils- It’s Easy!

Making 2 cups of cooked lentils: Put ¾ cup dry Lentils in a small pot. Add 2 cups water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to simmer for 20 minutes or until Lentils are tender. Stir occasionally. Discard excess water. Dr John