GLUTEN FREE, VEGAN & SOY FREE VEGGIE “MEAT” LOAF

Posted by Bryna Bear aka Gluten Free Baking Bear

     I have not been baking as much as usual since the birth of my grandson, Ayden, 12 days ago.  Instead, my focus has been on making easy to freeze foods for my son and daughter-in-law.   I wanted to make meals and food preparation a bit easier for them while they adjust to being first-time parents and nursing a newborn.  My son is vegan and my daughter-in-law does eat meat but is allergic/sensitive to gluten, soy and fresh tomatoes.  Most vegetarian meat substitutes are made from soy and/or wheat gluten.  It is difficult to make one meal for both of them.  Last week one of the things that I made was a “meat” loaf that they could both eat.  
     The recipe is based on one from the My Vegan Cookbook blog that has always been a hit with the whole family, vegetarians and meat eaters alike.  I used to make it as written and use gluten free oats and soy sauce.  It also calls for tofu.  I decided to replace the tofu with chopped mushrooms and some flour to add moisture and help hold it together. Instead of the soy sauce in the recipe I used balsamic vinegar.  The loaf is moist and I love the flavor of the spices.  It is easy to make and it freezes very well.

GLUTEN FREE, VEGAN & SOY FREE VEGGIE “MEAT” LOAF

    

Ingredients
LOAF

1 cup	Gluten Free Quick Cooking Oats or GF Old Fashioned Oats that are pulsed several times in the food processor.
10 oz.	Fresh Mushrooms - 1/4 of the mushrooms sliced and the rest finely chopped or pulsed several times in the food processor.
1 cup	Chopped Onion
1 cup	Fresh Green and/or Red (or yellow or orange) Peppers - chopped
1 Tbs.	Tomato Catsup (I used Trader Joe’s Organic)
1 large	Carrot - peeled and grated
3 Tbs.	Corn Meal
3 Tbs.	Tapioca or Sorghum Flour
3/4 cup	Cooked Lentils or any other bean - drained and mashed.
2 Tbs.	Balsamic Vinegar
2 Tbs.	Olive Oil
1/4 tsp.	Thyme
1/4 tsp.	Cumin
1 tsp.	Chili Powder
1 tsp.	Dried Parsley
3/4 tsp.	Sea Salt
1 tsp.	Sugar
1/2 tsp.	Garlic Powder
1/4 tsp.	Onion Powder
1/4 tsp.	Dried Mustard

TOPPING

3/4 cup

Tomato Catsup (I used Trader Joe’s Organic)

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
2. Use a nonstick bread loaf pan or line a loaf pan with aluminum foil.  Grease the foil or nonstick pan with olive oil.
3. Sauté the onions, sliced mushrooms and peppers in 1 Tbs. of the oil until the onions are transparent.

   

   Chopped onions, peppers and sliced mushrooms beginning to cook.

4. Add the finely chopped mushrooms and sauté one or two more minutes until softened.

   

   Cooked vegetables with the finely chopped mushrooms added.

5. In a large bowl add the flour, cornmeal, sugar, herbs and spices; then mix well.
6. Add the beans or lentils, grated carrots, vinegar, 1 Tbs. catsup, 1 Tbs. oil, oats, cooked onions, peppers and mushrooms and mix together well.

   

   I mashed the pinto beans with a potato masher
   you can also use a fork.

7. Spoon the mixture into the prepared loaf pan. Smooth the top with wet hands.

   

   All the ingredients mixed together.

8. Spread the 3/4 cup of catsup on the top of the loaf.

   

   Catsup on top ready to be spread out on top of the loaf.

9. Bake 30 minutes.  Cover the loaf with foil after the first 20 minutes of baking to avoid burning the top.

   

   Baked loaf resting in the loaf pan.

10. Allow the loaf to rest at least 15 minutes before removing it from the pan and serving.

    

    Baked and rested loaf on a cutting board, ready for slicing.

11. If you plan to freeze it, allow it to cool completely first.  You can freeze it whole or slice it first and freeze individually wrapped pieces.

GLUTEN FREE, VEGAN & SOY FREE VEGGIE “MEAT” LOAF Ingredients LOAF 1 cup Gluten Free Quick Cooking Oats or GF Old Fashioned Oats that are pulsed several times in the food processor. 10 oz. Fresh Mushrooms - 1/4 of the mushrooms sliced and the rest finely chopped or pulsed several times in the food processor. 1 cup Chopped Onion 1 cup Fresh Green and/or Red (or yellow or orange) Peppers - chopped 1 Tbs. Tomato Catsup (I used Trader Joe’s Organic) 1 large Carrot - peeled and grated 3 Tbs. Corn Meal 3 Tbs. Tapioca or Sorghum Flour 3/4 cup Cooked Lentils or any other bean - drained and mashed. 2 Tbs. Balsamic Vinegar 2 Tbs. Olive Oil 1/4 tsp. Thyme 1/4 tsp. Cumin 1 tsp. Chili Powder 1 tsp. Dried Parsley 3/4 tsp. Sea Salt 1 tsp. Sugar 1/2 tsp. Garlic Powder 1/4 tsp. Onion Powder 1/4 tsp. Dried Mustard TOPPING 3/4 cup Tomato Catsup (I used Trader Joe’s Organic) Directions Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Use a nonstick bread loaf pan or line a loaf pan with aluminum foil. Grease the foil or nonstick pan with olive oil. Sauté the onions, sliced mushrooms and peppers in 1 Tbs. of the oil until the onions are transparent. Add the finely chopped mushrooms and sauté one or two more minutes until softened. In a large bowl add the flour, cornmeal, sugar, herbs and spices; then mix well. Add the beans or lentils, grated carrots, vinegar, 1 Tbs. catsup, 1 Tbs. oil, oats, cooked onions, peppers and mushrooms and mix together well. Spoon the mixture into the prepared loaf pan. Smooth the top with wet hands. Spread the 3/4 cup of catsup on the top of the loaf. Bake 30 minutes. Cover the loaf with foil after the first 20 minutes of baking to avoid burning the top. Allow the loaf to rest at least 15 minutes before removing it from the pan and serving. If you plan to freeze it, allow it to cool completely first. You can freeze it whole or slice it first and freeze individually wrapped pieces.