A Veggie Loaf by any other name...

There's a hot debate going around our house these days about what to call our favorite non-meat loaf that shows up in our kitchen from time to time, ranging in ingredients, but always tasty and satisfying. Veggie Loaf? Neat-Loaf? Nut-loaf?

Regardless of its name, this dish is a flexible entree that also makes great leftovers for sandwiches.  Here's our most recent incarnation turned into a sandwich the following day, topped with sauteed cabbage and jarred tomato sauce:

Although I have a general set of guidelines in my head for how to get the proportions right for this kind of loaf, I really love this "Magical Loaf Studio" made by the blogger over at Vegan Lunch Box.  You choose your preferred protein, grain, nut, vegetables, binder, seasonings--based on what you have on hand or your favorites--and out comes a recipe for a veggie loaf! Magical! Give it a try.

The approximate recipe I used this time around looked something like this:

Veggie Loaf

• 1 box firm silken tofu
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts 
• 3/4 cooked kidney beans
• 2 tablespoons ground flax seed plus 6 tablespoons water (can substitute 2 eggs, if you prefer)
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 onion, chopped 
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup grated broccoli stem
• 1/2 cup grated carrot
• 3/4 c chopped mushrooms
• 1 teaspoon each of oregano and basil
• 1/2 teaspoon sage
• 3/4 cups bread crumbs (made from one slice of toasted bread)
• 1 cup cooked brown rice 
• ketchup or barbecue sauce, to taste.

1. Mix tofu, walnuts, beans, flax seeds, water, and soy sauce together in a food processor.  Blend until smooth.
2. Saute onions until fragrant, then add other vegetables (any you have on hand will work fine) and herbs, and saute until everything begins to soften.
3.  In a large bowl, combine blender ingredients, cooked vegetables, bread crumbs, and rice.
4. Once mixture is well combined, press into a greased loaf pan. Spread ketchup or barbecue sauce on top of the loaf, if you want.
5. Bake at 350 degrees F for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until firm and no longer wet in the middle.  Let cool slightly.  Turn loaf out and slice. Serve with roasted or sauteed vegetables, mashed sweet potatoes, and/or vegetarian gravy.